Quarterly Financial Report for the quarter ended June 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 (as applicable). This quarterly report has been prepared using a special purpose financial reporting 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 are some $270 thousand lower because the operating budget carry forward is not yet known as at the date of preparation for these quarterly financial statements. The Secretariat fully expects to receive the operating budget carry forward in the near future and will be reflected in the September 30, 2016, quarterly financial statements. 2.2 Statement of Department Budgetary Expenditures by Standard Object The operating expenses are some $81 thousand lower than for the same period in 2015-16. The primary reason is that the Secretariat has not been invoiced for seconded federal and provincial employees. In addition there were four additional conferences held outside the National Capital Region, primarily in British Columbia. This resulted in greater costs associated with professional and special services (translation and interpretation services). These increases were offset slightly by rental costs. 3. Risks and Uncertainties Our program mandate is to […]
by Mario Giasson
Read more »
Quarterly Financial Report for the quarter ended June 30, 2015
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 2015-16 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 2015-16 Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates (as applicable). This quarterly report has been prepared using a special purpose financial reporting 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 2015-16 are approximately the same as in the previous fiscal period. 2.2 Statement of Department Budgetary Expenditures by Standard Object More conferences were held in remote regions during the first quarter of 2015-16 than the same quarter in the previous fiscal period. This resulted in greater costs associated with travel and accommodations for personnel as well increased professional and special services and rental costs. If you remove the one-time non-recurring transition payment of some $63 thousand made during the first quarter of 2014-15 for implementing salary payments in arrears, the total operating expenditures were $125 thousand or 15% higher for the period ended June 30, 2015. 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 […]
by Mario Giasson
Read more »
Quarterly Financial Report for the quarter ended December 31, 2015
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 2015-16 Main Estimates (and as applicable – Supplementary Estimates and previous quarterly reports for the current year) as well as Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2012 (Budget 2012). 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 2015-16 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 2015-16 did not significantly vary from 2014-15. 2.2 Statement of Department Budgetary Expenditures by Standard Object Total budgetary expenditures to December 31, 2015 are some $475 thousand lower than for the first 9 months of 2014-15. Even though there were more Federal-Provincial Territorial events and conferences held to December 31, 2015 than for the same period in 2014-15, more conferences were conducted through virtual video conferencing and teleconferencing. In addition there were more face to face conferences held in the National Capital region than for the same period in the previous year. This resulted in greater cost efficiencies reflected by lower travel, translation, interpretation and rental costs. We anticipate that costs will increase over the final quarter due to a larger number of conferences than forecast including the First Ministers’ Meeting scheduled for March 2016. 3. Risks […]
by Mario Giasson
Read more »