Publication

Quarterly Financial Report for the quarter ended September 30, 2017

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 2017-18 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 2017-18 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 2017-18 are some $50 thousand lower than last fiscal year. A reduction of $13 thousand is attributable to a permanent frozen allotment related to professional services, advertising and travel. This government pressure was imposed to all government departments. The employee benefit plan amount was also revised and reduced by $37 thousand due to provincial employees hired by CICS through the interchange program.

2.2 Statement of Department Budgetary Expenditures by Standard Object

Year to date operating expenses to September 30, 2017 are some $83 thousand lower than for the same period in 2016-17. This variation is a combination of a $173 thousand increase in salary charges and a $256 thousand decrease in transportation, professional and special services. This decrease is explained by an increase in teleconferences and the fact that more events organized by CICS took place in the National Capital Region. The decrease is also attributable to the timing when professional services invoices were received, approved and processed for services rendered in Q1 and Q2. It is expected that a high volumes of invoices will be paid later in the year. The primary reason for the salary increase is that more casual employees were hired to serve a higher demand for intergovernmental events and positions that were vacant for the same period last fiscal year have been staffed.

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 during the first two quarters of 2017-2018.

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 to meet evolving client needs. 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

The paper version was approved and signed by:

Statement of Authorities (unaudited)

Departmental budgetary expenditures by Standard Object (unaudited)