Thursday, March 29, 2018

The Standing Senate Committee on National Finance has the honour to present its

TWENTY-SEVENTH REPORT

Your committee, which was authorized by the Senate on Wednesday, January 27, 2016, to study such issues as may arise from time to time relating to federal estimates generally, including the public accounts, reports of the Auditor General and government finance, respectfully requests funds for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, and requests, for the purpose of such study, that it be empowered:

(a)  engage the services of such counsel, technical, clerical and other personnel as may be necessary;

(b)  adjourn from place to place within Canada; and

(c)  travel inside Canada.

Pursuant to Chapter 3:06, section 2(1)(c) of the Senate Administrative Rules, the budget submitted to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the report thereon of that committee are appended to this report.

Respectfully submitted,

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STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL FINANCE

Study on federal estimates and on government finance generally

APPLICATION FOR BUDGET AUTHORIZATION FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 2019

Extract from the Journals of the Senate of Wednesday, January 27, 2016:

The Honourable Senator Campbell moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Ringuette:

That the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, in accordance with rule 12-7(5), be authorized to examine such issues as may arise from time to time relating to federal estimates generally, including the public accounts, reports of the Auditor General and government finance; and

That the committee report to the Senate no later than December 31, 2017.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

Extract from the Journals of the Senate, Tuesday, December 5, 2017:

The Honourable Senator Mockler moved, seconded by the Honourable Senator Raine:

That, notwithstanding the order of the Senate adopted on Wednesday, January 27, 2016, the date for the final report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance in relation to its study on such issues as may arise from time to time relating to federal estimates generally, including the public accounts, reports of the Auditor General and government finance, be extended from December 31, 2017 to December 31, 2019.

The question being put on the motion, it was adopted.

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SUMMARY OF BUDGET

The above budget was approved by the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance on Wednesday, February 28, 2018.

The undersigned or an alternate will be in attendance on the date that this budget is considered.

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APPENDIX (B) TO THE REPORT

Thursday, March 29, 2018

The Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration has examined the budget presented to it by the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance for the proposed expenditures of the said committee for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, for its special study on federal estimates and on government finance generally, reports of the Auditor General and government finance, as authorized by the Senate on Wednesday, January 27, 2016. The approved budget is as follows:

(includes funds for a fact-finding mission; includes funds for 5 senators to travel)

The budgets approved by the Senate for each travel activity are the maximum amount that can be spent for that activity;

Budgets normally include funds for the full membership of the committee to travel;

In general, a reduced delegation actually travels and efforts are made to find additional savings;

Therefore, actual expenditures are expected to be considerably below the approved budget, and they will be reported to the Senate;

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Any funds remaining at the conclusion of a travel activity will be clawed-back and can be made available for allocation to committees for other activities.

Respectfully submitted,