Quarterly Financial Report for the quarter ended September 30, 2016
Statement outlining results, risks and significant changes in operations, personnel and program 1. Introduction This quarterly report has been prepared by management as required by section 65.1 of the Financial Administration Act and in the form and manner prescribed by the Treasury Board Accounting Standard 1.3. This report should be read in conjunction with the 2016-17 Main Estimates (and as applicable – Supplementary Estimates and previous quarterly reports for the current year). The mandate of the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat (CICS) is to support federal, provincial and territorial governments by providing conference support services for the planning and conduct of senior level intergovernmental conferences held across Canada. The primary objective of CICS is to relieve client departments in virtually every major sector of intergovernmental activity of the numerous technical and administrative tasks associated with multilateral conferences, thereby enabling conference participants to concentrate on the substantive policy issues. CICS provides continuous, effective, impartial administrative services to these meetings. This quarterly report has not been subject to an external audit or review. Basis of Presentation This quarterly report has been prepared by management using an expenditure basis of accounting. The accompanying Statement of Authorities includes the department’s spending authorities granted by Parliament and those used by the department consistent with the 2016-17 Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates. This quarterly report has been prepared using a special purpose financial framework designed to meet financial information needs with respect to the use of spending authorities. The authority of Parliament is required before moneys can be spent by the Government. Approvals are given in the form of annually approved limits through appropriation acts or through legislation in the form of statutory spending authority for specific purposes. As part of the departmental performance reporting process, CICS prepares its annual departmental financial statements on a full accrual basis in accordance with Treasury Board accounting policies, which are based on Canadian generally accepted accounting principles for the public sector. However, the spending authorities voted by Parliament remain on an expenditure basis. 2. Highlights of fiscal quarter and fiscal year to date (YTD) results 2.1 Statement of Authorities CICS’ authorities available for 2016-17 did not significantly vary from 2015-16. 2.2 Statement of Department Budgetary Expenditures by Standard Object Year to date expenditures to September 30, 2016 are slightly higher (approximately $41K) than at the same time last year. There is a variation between Professional and special services and Rental resulting from a change in our chart of account definition. There is approximately a $10 thousand increase between the total of the two accounts when added together. 3. Risks and Uncertainties Our program mandate is to provide administrative services for the planning and conduct of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers level federal-provincial-territorial and provincial-territorial conferences. There has been an increase in the number of conferences and meetings over the last three fiscal periods. Like many other departments and agencies, CICS is facing a critical demographic issue as we enter a phase where a significant number of our personnel are […]
by Mario Giasson
Read more »
Departmental Performance Report 2015-16
View as: Honourable Maryam Monsef President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada Minister of Democratic Institutions Table of Contents Minister’s Message Results Highlights Section I: Organizational Overview Organizational Profile Organizational Context Organizational Priorities Section II: Expenditure Overview Actual Expenditures Budgetary Performance Summary Departmental Spending Trend Expenditures by Vote Alignment of Spending With the Whole-of-Government Framework Financial Statements and Financial Statements Highlights Section III: Analysis of Program and Internal Services Conference Services Internal Services Section IV: Supplementary Information Supplementary Information Tables Federal Tax Expenditures Organizational Contact Information Appendix: Definitions Endnotes Minister’s Message As President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada, I am pleased to table the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat’s (CICS) 2015-16 Departmental Performance Report. Since its creation in 1973, the Secretariat has worked diligently to provide the administrative support services required for the planning and conduct of federal-provincial-territorial and provincial-territorial conferences of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers across Canada. In this context, the agency continues to play a key and pivotal role in the domain of intergovernmental machinery in Canada by providing impartial senior level conference services to federal, provincial and territorial governments. In fiscal year 2015-16, CICS provided its services to 114 senior-level intergovernmental conferences, including a First Ministers’ Meeting held in March 2016. Of these meetings, there were 72 face-to-face, 40 teleconferences and two virtual conferences. While the number of face-to-face meetings essentially remained unchanged from the previous year, the numbers of teleconferences and videoconferences each doubled, indicating a definite interest in these technologies as a viable, cost- and time-effective way for governments to confer. Going forward, CICS will continue to adapt its service delivery model so that it remains client-focused and responsive to the current environment. The Honourable Maryam Monsef President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada Minister of Democratic Institutions Results Highlights What funds were used? 5,270,551 Actual Spending Who was involved? 31 Actual FTEs Results Highlights CICS provided its services to 114 senior-level intergovernmental conferences, a 20% increase over the previous year’s total. This included 72 face-to-face meetings, 40 teleconferences and two virtual conferences. The teleconference support services with 3-line simultaneous interpretation, introduced as a new service in 2013-14, has continued to show significant increase in popularity with clients. Support was provided to 40 teleconferences in 2015-16 at both the Ministers and Deputy Ministers’ levels, or double the number from the previous year. There is no doubt that this technology will continue to be utilized as a responsive and very cost- and time-efficient alternative to face-to-face meetings. Client satisfaction levels continued to be very high. For conference delegates, our target of 90% satisfaction was met while with conference planners, the target was exceeded with a satisfaction rate of 92.5%. The words professional, efficient and organized were used most often by planners and delegates alike to describe the quality of services provided by CICS in support of intergovernmental meetings. Section I: Organizational Overview Organizational Profile Appropriate Minister: Honourable Maryam Monsef Institutional Head: André M. McArdle, Secretary Ministerial Portfolio: President of the Queen’s […]
by Mario Giasson
Read more »
Internal Audits and Evaluations 2015-16
Title of internal audit Internal audit type Completion date Horizontal Internal Audit on Information Technology Security in Large and Small Departments Horizontal December 2015
by Mario Giasson
Read more »