ARCHIVED - 2007-08 Part II - Main Estimates

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Parliament

The Senate
House of Commons
Library of Parliament
Office of the Ethics Commissioner
Senate Ethics Officer

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Ministry Summary

Vote	(thousands of dollars)	2007-2008	2006-2007	Difference
		Main Estimates	Main Estimates
	Parliament
	The Senate
1	Program expenditures	56,258	53,905	2,353
(S)	Officers and Members of the Senate - Salaries,
	allowances and other payments to the Speaker of the
	Senate, Members and other officers of the Senate
	under the Parliament of Canada Act ; contributions
	to the Members of Parliament Retiring Allowances
	Account, and Members of Parliament Retirement
	Compensation Arrangements Account	24,254	23,918	336
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	6,518	6,453	65
	Total Agency	87,030	84,276	2,754
	House of Commons
5	Program expenditures	263,640	256,312	7,328
(S)	Members of the House of Commons - Salaries and
	allowances of Officers and Members of the House
	of Commons under the Parliament of Canada Act
	and contributions to the Members of Parliament
	Retiring Allowances Account and the Members of
	Parliament Retirement Compensation Arrangements
	Account	111,844	109,397	2,447
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	35,047	34,615	432
	Total Agency	410,531	400,324	10,207
	Library of Parliament
10	Program expenditures	32,058	29,614	2,444
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	4,629	4,372	257
	Total Agency	36,687	33,986	2,701
	Office of the Ethics Commissioner
15	Program expenditures	4,577	4,486	91
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	563	565	(2)
	Total Agency	5,140	5,051	89
	Senate Ethics Officer
20	Senate Ethics Officer - Program expenditures	828	827	1
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	126	130	(4)
	Total Agency	954	957	(3)

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The Senate

Strategic Outcome

To enable the Senate to carry out its constitutional role and to administer the affairs of the Senate.

Program Activity Descriptions

Senators and their Offices
Provides Senators with the statutory services set out in the Parliament of Canada Act and the Members of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act . Operating costs of Senators' offices are provided in accordance with established policies and guidelines.

Costs included under these two categories are: Senators' sessional indemnities and allowances as well as contributions to the Senators' pension plan; retiring allowances; travel and communication expenses; Senators' research and office expenses, including staff costs and the cost of goods and services incurred for the operations of Senators' offices; and Caucus research funds.

Chamber Operations
Provide the support and services Senators require for their work in the Senate Chamber, which includes debate and approval of legislation, presentation of petitions, discussion of Committee reports and ceremonial events. These functions are carried out in accordance with the Rules of the Senate, parliamentary procedure and precedents and the Speaker's rulings.

Costs included under this program activity are: salaries for additional duties of the Officers of the Senate; staff costs and the costs of operating the offices of Officers of the Senate; salaries and other operating expenses of the Clerk of the Senate, Deputy Clerk, Parliamentary Counsel and Usher of the Black Rod; journals, reporting of debates and publications service in both official languages; Senate Pages; and parliamentary exchanges.

Committees and Associations
Provide support for the work of Senators on standing, special and joint committees. Committees are delegated the task of conducting in-depth studies of bills and approving or amending legislation based on testimony from expert witnesses and advice and counsel from legal experts. They investigate policy matters and make recommendations as well as examine the Government's spending proposals.

Senators also participate in parliamentary associations and friendship groups, representing Canada in international forums where issues of importance to Canadians are discussed.

Costs included under this program activity are: committees and parliamentary associations; reporting of debates and publications service; and broadcasting committee proceedings

Administrative Support
Provide the on-going support services required for the effective, efficient and economical delivery of operating programs outlined under the other three business lines of the Senate. Administrative Support provides accommodation and other facilities and tools, information, goods and services, and expert advice on all aspects of operations.

Costs included in this program activity are: financial services and materiel management; human resources; protective services; communications and information services; information technology management; accommodation planning, maintenance and upkeep of premises; postal, messenger and printing services; and repairs, trades and transportation services.

Program by Activities

(thousands of dollars)		2007-2008 Main Estimates				2006-2007
		Budgetary			Total	Main
	Operating	Capital	Grants	Contributions		Estimates
				and other
				transfer
				payments
Senators and their Offices	38,550	419	167	. . . . .	39,136	38,373
Chamber Operations	6,110	. . . . .	. . . . .	. . . . .	6,110	5,728
Committees and Associations	11,203	. . . . .	. . . . .	290	11,493	12,486
Administrative Support	29,214	1,077	. . . . .	. . . . .	30,291	27,689
	85,077	1,496	167	290	87,030	84,276

Transfer Payments

(dollars)	2007-2008	2006-2007
	Main Estimates	Main Estimates
Grants
Senators and their Offices
(S) Pensions to retired Senators (R.S., 1985 c. M-5)	167,000	167,000
Total grants	167,000	167,000
Contributions
Committees and Associations
Contributions to Parliamentary Associations	289,600	289,600
Total contributions	289,600	289,600
Total	456,600	456,600

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House of Commons

Strategic Outcome

Effective administrative and professional support of Members, both individually and collectively, in their roles as legislators and representatives of 308 constituencies, in the Chamber, in committee and in Caucus.

Program Activity Descriptions

Members and House Officers
Members assume the roles of legislators and elected representatives of their constituency. In their constituencies, Members participate in events and activities and discuss with constituents about their concerns. In the Chamber, Members participate in debates, study and vote on legislation. Members sit on standing committees and special or joint committees, since the House of Commons delegates in-depth consideration of bills and the thorough scrutiny of the government's programs and policies to its committees. Members also participate in parliamentary associations and interparliamentary groups, and are members of delegations in parliamentary exchanges. Finally, in caucus, Members develop strategy, discuss policy and examine important issues with fellow party members, and direct the work of party research offices. Some Members also assume additional functions such as: the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, House Leaders and Chief Whips.

House Administration
House employees are responsible for providing services to the Members elected during a Parliament, and in addition, serve the House as an institution on a permanent basis by providing: continuity from one Parliament to another; access to parliamentary records; and a stable infrastructure to support Members in the democratic process. Advice and support are provided in a wide variety of services such as: procedural, legislative, legal, information technology and management, building management, security, food, finance, human resources, health and safety. The staff of the House of Commons strives to support the institution and the members in their roles as legislators and representatives of 308 constituencies, in the Chamber, in committee and in Caucus.

Program by Activities

(thousands of dollars)		2007-2008 Main Estimates				2006-2007
		Budgetary			Total	Main
	Operating	Capital	Contributions	Less:		Estimates
			and other	Revenues
			transfer	creditedto
			payments	the vote
Members and House Officers	244,625	4,197	. . . . .	. . . . .	248,822	241,562
House Administration	158,536	3,141	905	873	161,709	158,762
	403,161	7,338	905	873	410,531	400,324

Transfer Payments

(dollars)	2007-2008	2006-2007
	Main Estimates	Main Estimates
Other Transfer Payments
House Administration
Payments to Parliamentary and Procedural Associations	904,623	904,623
Total	904,623	904,623

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Library of Parliament

Strategic Outcome

Parliamentarians make informed decisions on issues of concern to Canadians.

Program Activity Descriptions

Information, Research and Analysis
To provide parliamentarians with information, research and analysis services that will help them fulfil their roles as Members of one or other House, committees and parliamentary associations, and as the representatives of a region or riding. Information is also made available to authorized clients.

Strategic Outcome

Institutional memory of Parliament is preserved for future generations.

Program Activity Descriptions

Information Resource Management
To design, develop, maintain and promote a varied collection of sources of knowledge, thereby enabling parliamentarians and those who assist them in their work to obtain the information they need.

Strategic Outcome

Canadians gain a better understanding of Parliament.

Program Activity Descriptions

Public Outreach
To support parliamentarians in their efforts to make Parliament accessible to the public. To provide the public with information about Parliament.

Program by Activities

(thousands of dollars)		2007-2008 Main Estimates			2006-2007
		Budgetary		Total	Main
	Operating	Capital	Less:		Estimates
			Revenues
			credited
			to the vote
Information, Research and Analysis	21,458	450	. . . . .	21,908	27,989
Information Resource Management	10,984	225	. . . . .	11,209	2,099
Public Outreach	4,495	75	1,000	3,570	3,898
	36,937	750	1,000	36,687	33,986

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Office of the Ethics Commissioner

Strategic Outcome

Enhance public confidence and trust in the integrity of Members of the House of Commons and Public Office Holders as well as the respect and confidence that society places in the House of Commons as an institution.

Program Activity Descriptions

Communications
This activity defines the strategic direction for the Office of the Ethics Commissioner's liaison with the House of Commons, parliamentary committees, Members of Parliament and Public Office Holders, as well as external stakeholders. This area will also be proactive in informing Members of the House of Commons, Public Office Holders, the media and members of the public of the provisions of the Codes and scope of the role of the Office.

Operations
This activity is three-fold: compliance, provision of confidential advice or opinion and investigation. Compliance refers to the process by which a Member of the House of Commons or a Public Office Holder conforms to the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons or Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for Public Office Holders respectively. This encompasses a number of activities such as the confidential disclosure of private interests, the provision of advice, the public disclosure of certain assets, liabilities, activities as well as gifts, hospitality and other benefits, the establishment of blind trusts or blind management agreements and annual reviews. Provision of confidential advice or opinions refers to a formal request from a Member of Parliament, Public Office Holder or the Prime Minister with respect to the application of the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons or the ethical principles, rules or obligations established by the Prime Minister for Public Office Holders. Investigations are carried out in accordance with the procedures established by the Standing Orders of the House of Commons (Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons) for Members of the House of Commons and the provisions of the Parliament of Canada Act for those Public Office Holders who are Ministers, Ministers of State and Parliamentary Secretaries.

Policy
The objective of this activity is to develop appropriate policies and practices in order to provide sound and consistent advice to clients with respect to the application of the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons and the Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for Public Office Holders.

Program by Activities

(thousands of dollars)	2007-2008 Main Estimates			2006-2007
	Budgetary		Total	Main
	Operating	Capital		Estimates
Communications	809	. . . . .	809	813
Operations	3,603	25	3,628	3,451
Policy	703	. . . . .	703	787
	5,115	25	5,140	5,051

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Senate Ethics Officer

Strategic Outcome

Senators meet their obligations under the Conflict of Interest Code in a manner that contributes to the integrity of the Senate as an institution.

Program Activity Descriptions

Administration
The mandate of the Senate Ethics Officer is to administer and interpret the Code for Senators that sets out standards of conduct for Members of the Senate. The primary functions of the Senate Ethics Officer are:

• to provide confidential opinions and advice on any matter respecting Senators' obligations under the Code;
• to review confidential annual disclosure statements (listing sources of income, assets, liabilities, government contracts, financial and other interests), advise Senators on possible conflicts and compliance measures, and prepare public disclosure summaries;
• to conduct inquiries and investigations, if necessary, regarding compliance with the Code.

Program by Activities

(thousands of dollars)	2007-2008 Main Estimates			2006-2007
	Budgetary		Total	Main
	Operating	Capital		Estimates
Administration	951	3	954	957
	951	3	954	957

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