Honourable senators, my question is for Senator Gold. Congratulations on your new position.

I have a question on the fall fiscal update that the Minister of Finance released just after we adjourned for Christmas — not while we were sitting; he waited until we closed.

Included in the document is a paragraph that he just seemed to parachute in. I’m just quoting part of it. It’s referring to a comprehensive review. It says:

The Government will . . . launch . . . a comprehensive review of government spending and tax expenditures . . . . This review will result in $1.5 billion in annual savings, starting in 2020-21.

So 2020-21 is only about eight weeks away. The Senate will soon receive Supplementary Estimates (B) and the corresponding supply bill, but also by March 1 — just four weeks away — we’re going to see the Main Estimates. These savings, I would think, will be integrated into the Main Estimates document.

I was looking for some additional information. Precisely what I want to know is what programs are being targeted by the review.

Thank you very much. Could you also find out who has been retained to conduct the review or who is going to be retained? When a government embarks on an expenditure reduction review, they usually hire consultants or there is somebody within the public service who would be the lead person, such as the Clerk of the Privy Council or the Deputy Minister of Finance.

Could you find out who is going to lead the review and, if it is someone from outside, advise how they were selected and how much it’s going to cost?