2009-2010 MAIN ESTIMATES 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

INTRODUCTION 

The 2009-2010 Expenditure Plan totalling $90,605,800 has been approved by the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration. The amounts have been incorporated into the Government’s Main Estimates for 2009-2010. 

Table 1.1:  Senate budget for 2009-2010 

Vote  (thousands of dollars)			2009-2010 Main Estimates	2008-2009 Main Estimates
1	Program expenditures		58,659	58,466
(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.		25,345	25,048
(S)	Contributions to employee benefits plan		6,602	6,718
	Total		90,606	90,232

 

A.   buDgetary Spending Authorities               

The Senate’s Main Estimates include two separate budgetary programs: the Statutory budget and the Non-Statutory (voted) budget.  Included in the Statutory budget are amounts which are authorized by the Parliament of Canada Act (sections 55(1), 60 to 62, 63(1)) such as Senators’ indemnities, allowances, and certain other expenses. These expenditures have been given continuing authority by Parliament in previous years and no further approval is required. 

Also included in the Statutory budget is the Employee Benefit Plans.  This component of the budget represents the costs for the employer’s matching contributions to the Public Service Superannuation Plan, Canada or Quebec Pension Plan, Supplementary Death Benefits, and the Employment Insurance Account. 

The Program Expenditures budget represents the amounts that are voted on an annual basis by Parliament.  Included are all salary, operating, and capital requirements for committees, Senators’ office expenses, and Senate administration. 

The graph below shows the Statutory & Non-Statutory Budgets as Percentage of the total Main Estimates: 

 

B.   Summary of financial requirements 

The 2009-2010 Expenditure Plan is summarized in the following table by program, consistent with the information presented in the Main Estimates: 

 

	Program				2009-2010 Main Estimates $	2008-2009 Main Estimates $	Increase (Decrease) $	Increase (Decrease) of total budget %
Statutory
	Senators				25,345,200	25,048,200	297,000	0.33
	Employee Benefit Plans				6,601,550	6,717,750	(116,200)	(0.13)
	Total Statutory				31,946,750	31,765,950	180,800	0.20
Non-Statutory  (Vote 1)
	Senators’ Office Expenses & Speaker’s & Other Officers Office Expenses				15,565,450	15,342,450	223,000	0.24
	Committees and Parliamentary Exchanges and Associations				6,540,800	6,540,800	-	0.00
	Administration				36,552,800	36,582,800	(30,000)	(0.03)
	Total Non-Statutory				58,659,050	58,466,050	193,000	0.21
Total					90,605,800	90,232,000	373,800	0.41

 

C.  BUDGETARY ASSUMPTIONS

 

The following internal assumptions were used in preparing the budget for 2009-2010: 

Ø  There will be an average of 102 Senators.   

Ø  An inflationary rate of 1.5% will be used for salary and operational budgets. 

Ø  The total number of standing committees, including standing joint committees will be eighteen (18).   

Ø  The structure of the Senate Administration, and its mandate and objectives, will remain relatively stable.

 

D.  SUMMARY OF CHANGES FOR 2009-2010 

The changes to the statutory budgets include: 

Ø  $0.3 million increase for Senators’ travel; and, 

Ø  $0.1 million decrease in the Senate’s contribution to Employee Benefit Plans. 

The increase to the voted program expenditures include: 

Ø  $0.2 million for Senators’ office expense budgets. 

 

E.  BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS 

Ø  The budget accommodates a moderate inflationary increase of 1.5% in Senators’ Research and Office Expense budgets.  This increase brings the Senator’s Research and Office Expense Budget to $151,700 as of April 1, 2009. 

 February 26, 2008

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