Publication

Unaudited Future-Oriented Statement of Operations 2017-2018

Statement of Management Responsibility

Responsibility for the compilation, content and presentation of the accompanying future-oriented financial information for the years ended March 31, 2017 and 2018 rests with the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat’s (CICS) management.  The future-oriented financial information has been prepared by management in accordance with Treasury Board accounting policies which are consistent with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles for the public sector.  The future-oriented financial information is submitted for Part III of Estimates (Departmental Plan), and will be used in the department’s Departmental Results Report to compare with actual results.

These statements are based on the best information available and the appropriateness of the assumptions adopted as at December 31st, 2016 and reflect the plans described in the Departmental Plan.

Management is responsible for the integrity and objectivity of the information contained in future-oriented financial information and for the process of developing assumptions.  Assumptions and estimates are based upon information available and known to management at the time of development, reflect current business and economic conditions, and assume a continuation of current governmental priorities and consistency in departmental mandate and strategic objectives.  Much of the future-oriented financial information is based on these assumptions, best estimates, and judgment and gives due consideration to materiality.  At the time of preparation of these statements, management believes the estimates and assumptions to be reasonable.  However, as with all such assumptions, there is a measure of uncertainty surrounding them.  This uncertainty increases as the forecast horizon extends.

The actual results achieved for the fiscal years covered in the accompanying future-oriented financial information will vary from the information presented and the variations may be material.

The Future-oriented Financial Statements for CICS have not been audited.

The paper version was approved and signed by:

CANADIAN INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE SECRETARIAT
Future-Oriented Statement of Operations (unaudited)
For the Year ending March 31

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these future-oriented Statement of Operations.

Notes to the Future-Oriented Statements of Operations

1. Methodology and Significant Assumptions

The future-oriented statement of operations has been prepared on the basis of government priorities as described in Departmental Plan.

The information in the estimated results for fiscal year 2016–17 is based on actual results as at December 31, 2016 and on forecasts for the remainder of the fiscal year.  Forecasts have been made for the planned results for the 2017-18 fiscal year.

The main assumptions underlying the forecasts are as follows:

• The department’s activities will remain substantially the same as for the previous year for the current year.
• The Secretariat expects conference activities will evolve to correspond with maximum capacity in Fiscal year 2017-18.
• Expenses and revenues, including the determination of amounts internal and external to the government, are based on historical experience. The general historical pattern is expected to continue.

These assumptions are adopted as at December 31, 2016.

2. Variations and Changes to the Forecast Financial Information

While every attempt has been made to forecast final results for the remainder of 2016–17 and for 2017–18, actual results achieved for both years are likely to vary from the forecast information presented, and this variation could be material.

In preparing this future-oriented statement of operations the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat (CICS) has made estimates and assumptions concerning the future. These estimates and assumptions may differ from the subsequent actual results. Estimates and assumptions are continually evaluated and are based on historical experience and other factors, including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.

Factors that could lead to material differences between the future-oriented statement of operations and the historical statement of operations include:

• The timing and value of equipment acquisitions or disposals may impact amortization expense.
• Implementation of new collective agreements.
• Intergovernmental influences may affect the number of conferences organized and managed by Conference Services.
• Further changes to the operating budget through additional new initiatives or technical adjustments later in the year.

Once the Departmental Plan is presented, the CICS will not be updating the forecasts for any changes in financial resources as a result of ensuing supplementary estimates and any variances will be explained in the Departmental Results Report.

3. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The future-oriented statement of operations has been prepared using Government’s accounting policies that came into effect for the 2016–17 fiscal year which are based on Canadian public sector accounting standards.  The presentation and results using the stated accounting policies do not result in any significant differences from Canadian public sector accounting standards.

Significant accounting policies are as follows:

a) Expenses

Expenses are recorded on an accrual basis. Expenses for the Department operations are recorded when goods are received or services are rendered including services provided without charges (e.g., accommodation, employee contributions to health and dental insurance plans, legal services and worker’s compensation) which are recorded as expenses at their estimated cost.  Vacation pay and compensatory leave, as well as severance benefits, are accrued and expenses are recorded as the benefits are earned by employees according to their terms of employment.

Expenses also include provisions to reflect changes in the value of assets, including provisions for bad debt on accounts receivable, provision for valuation on loans, investments and advances and inventory obsolescence or liabilities, including contingent liabilities and environmental liabilities to the extent the future event is likely to occur and a reasonable estimate can be made.

Expenses also include the amortization of tangible capital assets which are capitalized at their acquisition cost.  The amortization of tangible capital assets is on a straight-line basis, over the estimated useful life of the asset.

b) Revenues

Other revenues are accounted for in the period in which the underlying transaction or event that gave rise to the revenue takes place.

Revenues that are non-respendable are not available to discharge the Department’s liabilities. While the Deputy Head is expected to maintain accounting control, he or she has no authority regarding the disposition of non-respendable revenues. As a result, non-respendable revenues are considered to be earned on behalf of the Government of Canada and are therefore presented in reduction of the entity’s gross revenues.

4. Parliamentary Authorities

The Department is financed by the Government of Canada through parliamentary authorities. Financial reporting of authorities provided to the Department do not parallel financial reporting according to generally accepted accounting principles since the authorities are primarily based on cash flow requirements. Items recognized in the Future-Oriented Statement of Operations in one year may be funded through parliamentary authorities in prior, current, or future years. Accordingly, the Department has different net cost of operations for the year on a government funding basis than on an accrual accounting basis. The differences are reconciled in the following tables:

a) Reconciliation of net cost of operations to requested authorities

b) Authorities requested