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 Directive on Accounting Standards. This report should be read in conjunction with the 2018-19 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 in the planning and conduct of senior level intergovernmental conferences held across Canada. The primary objective of CICS is to relieve client departments of the numerous technical and administrative tasks associated with the planning and conduct of multilateral conferences, thereby enabling participants to concentrate on substantive intergovernmental 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 2018-19 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 2018-19 are about the same as last fiscal year. The Secretariat is funded at a level sufficient to finance 100 in person conferences (or 70 events) annually. An event can consist of one or two conferences and it is used to plan the budget for each of the conferences in terms of transportation and communication, rentals, translation and interpretation services.

2.2 Statement of Department Budgetary Expenditures by Standard Object

Year to date operating expenses to December 31, 2018 are some $80 thousand lower than for the same period in 2017-18. This variation is a combination of a $144 thousand decrease in salary charges and a $64 thousand increase in rentals, transportation, professional and special services. This increase is explained by the timing when rental and professional services invoices were received, approved and processed for services rendered year to date was better than for the same period in 2017-18. The primary reason for the salary decrease is due to vacant positions and unplanned employees’ departures. As a proactive measure, the Secretariat has put in place a succession plan and developed a career plan to retain current employees. Innovative recruitment strategies have also been implemented and it is expected that all vacancies will be staffed before the end of Q1 2019-2020.

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. The number of conferences and meetings during the third quarter of 2018-2019 is about the same as for the same period in 2017-18. CICS does not convene intergovernmental meetings. It is called upon to respond to decisions taken by governments to meet on key national or specific issues. Decisions concerning the location of such meetings, their number in a given fiscal year, their timing and duration, are all factors beyond the control of the Secretariat.

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 or will be eligible for retirement. Plans are in place to ensure as seamless a transition of knowledge as possible.

4. Significant changes in relation to operations, personnel and program

In response to the evolving needs of clients, the Conference Services Division, as in the previous fiscal period, continues to identify, pilot and implement innovative solutions. Innovative solutions consist of new technologies and process efficiencies that improve service delivery resulting in positive client feedback and efficiencies in operations, the key areas being video-conferencing and teleconferencing with simultaneous interpretation, online registration and online document retrieval.

Approval by Senior Officials


Original signed by:

André M. McArdle
Secretary
Ottawa, Canada


Original signed by:

Brian J. Berry, FCPA, FCMA
Assistant Secretary and Chief Financial Officer
Ottawa, Canada

Date:  February 6, 2019 Date:  February 6, 2019

 

Statement of Authorities (unaudited)

 

Fiscal Year 2018-19
(in dollars) Total available for use for the year ending March 31, 2019 Used during the quarter ended December 31, 2018 Year to date used at quarter-end
Vote 1 – Net Operating expenditures 5,888,971 970,318 3,185,955
Budgetary Statutory authorities 385,855 96,463 289,390
Total Budgetary authorities 6,274,826 1,066,781 3,475,345
Total authorities 6,274,826 1,066,781 3,475,345

 

Fiscal Year 2017-18
(in dollars) Total available for use for the year ending March 31, 2018 Used during the quarter ended December 31, 2017 Year to date used at quarter-end
Vote 1 – Net Operating expenditures 5,885,063 1,243,239 3,295,873
Budgetary Statutory authorities 390,526 65,088 260,351
Total Budgetary authorities 6,275,589 1,308,327 3,556,224
Total authorities 6,275,589 1,308,327 3,556,224

 

Departmental budgetary expenditures by Standard Object (unaudited)

 

Fiscal Year 2018-19
(in dollars) Planned expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2019 Expended during the quarter ended December 31, 2018 Year to date used at quarter-end
Expenditures:
Personnel 2,951,413 652,097 1,923,090
Transportation and communications 929,000 150,896 488,874
Information 45,300 780 6,016
Professional and special services 1,682,607 95,141 561,361
Rentals 466,000 114,966 333,313
Repair and maintenance 29,000 21,312
Utilities, materials and supplies 31,000 1,822 10,862
Acquisition of machinery and equipment 140,000 4,568 20,576
Other subsidies and payments 506 46,511 109,941
Total net budgetary expenditures 6,247,826 1,066,781 3,475,345

 

Fiscal year 2017-18
(in dollars) Planned expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2018 Expended during the quarter ended December 31, 2017 Year to date used at quarter-end
Expenditures:
Personnel 2,951,526 615,440 2,067,511
Transportation and communications 929,000 237,841 506,081
Information 145,300 3,700 4,672
Professional and special services 1,683,257 265,699 591,812
Rentals 366,000 150,904 202,857
Repair and maintenance 29,000 1,032 7,554
Utilities, materials and supplies 31,000 4,742 16,219
Acquisition of machinery and equipment 140,000 9,947 12,204
Other subsidies and payments 506 19,022 147,314
Total net budgetary expenditures 6,275,589 1,308,327 3,556,224