HANSARD
NOVA SCOTIA HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY
SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO
REVIEW THE ESTIMATES OF
THE OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL
AND THE CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Legislative Committees Office
Printed and Published by Nova Scotia Hansard Reporting Service
SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE ESTIMATES OF
THE OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL
AND THE CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER
Hon. Kevin Murphy (Chairman)
Hon. Michel Samson
Ms. Margaret Miller
Hon. Labi Kousoulis
Mr. Lloyd Hines
Hon. Christopher d'Entremont
Mr. Larry Harrison
Hon. Frank Corbett
Mr. Neil Ferguson, Chief Clerk of the House of Assembly
(Non-Voting Member)
[Mr. Terry Farrell replaced Hon. Labi Kousoulis]
In Attendance:
Ms. Deborah Lusby
Director of Administration
Office of the Speaker
Ms. Annette Boucher
Assistant Clerk
House of Assembly
Mr. Gordon Hebb
Chief Legislative Counsel
HALIFAX, TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2015
SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE ESTIMATES
OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL AND
THE CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER
11:30 A.M.
CHAIRMAN
Hon. Kevin Murphy
MR. CHAIRMAN: The meeting, a Special Committee of the House of Assembly.
The agenda and the materials have been distributed in advance. There are two items for review. The first item is the review of the 2015-16 Estimates of the Auditor General's Office. Is there any discussion on this item?
MR. NEIL FERGUSON: My understanding was that it was basically just an inflation cost under the Auditor General. I'm just trying to sort the two here, it's double-sided printing.
There is a slight increase; the previous year's approved budget was $3,716,000, the current request is for $3,887,500. My understanding when I read it was that this was just due to inflation. (Interruptions) At least costs have increased.
MR. CHAIRMAN: The pertinent figures here are on Page 4.
MR. FERGUSON: You can see that training costs have gone down, professional dues have gone up slightly, which would probably be the professional organizations' rulings. Travel remains the same, professional services remain the same. Office lease costs have increased from $112,000 to $199,500, and other administration expenses have increased from $105,000 to $143,550.
The amounts that are chargeable to other departments by the Auditor General - in other words, their recoveries - are also up by $30,700 over the previous year so there is an offsetting.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Mr. Corbett.
HON. FRANK CORBETT: Just to be clear, we agreed to this but it gets punted back to Treasury Board and if they approve it, fine; if not, it's their prerogative. Nobody is bound by it. All we're doing is moving this forward.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Mr. Samson.
HON. MICHEL SAMSON: Just my rough calculations here, it would appear that it's a request for an increase of $171,500 in their budget. Unless someone can indicate otherwise, that's the actual amount. If that's the case, then I would move that the matter be referred back to Treasury Board with the approval of the commission, as per the request made by the Auditor General's Office.
MR. CHAIRMAN: We have a motion, is there a seconder? Seconded by Mr. Corbett. Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
Our item No. 2, obviously, the review of the 2015-16 estimates for Elections Nova Scotia. Again, those materials were distributed earlier. Perhaps I'll get Chief Clerk Ferguson to explain the difference here. Again, the process is the same, the recommendation of the Management Commission goes back to Treasury Board for final yea or nay.
MR. FERGUSON: Mr. Chairman, the table sets out the changes. You'll see salary and employee costs have gone down from the 2014-15 estimate so instead of $1.609 million, it's $1.448 million. Operating costs increase from $1.815 million to $3.729 million. My understanding from the materials is that the most significant chunk of this is for election readiness so that training of staff in advance of an election can be carried out. Otherwise, most of the things remain the same.
There's a slight increase in administration costs from $2.357 million to $2.380 million; registered Party funding increases from $707,000 to $735,000; and the other thing, service delivery and development is increased but again, that comprises the election readiness component.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Is there any discussion on this? Just in summary, the request, there's a significant increase in the amount of money requested here.
MR. FERGUSON: Yes, it's about $1.7 million total, the largest part of that being the election readiness. When I said that I've seen staff and the Chief Electoral Officer nodding their heads in agreement, so I think I'm accurate on the numbers.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Mr. Samson.
MR. SAMSON: Mr. Chairman, I'm fine with having this referred over to Treasury Board. Obviously there are difficult discussions that are taking place there and a final decision will have to be made at that point as to what the final budget will be for Elections Nova Scotia.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Mr. d'Entremont.
HON. CHRISTOPHER D'ENTREMONT: I think we can take this as a bit of a nudging from Elections Nova Scotia that we should have a fixed election here. I know the Premier had talked about it during the last election, I think all Parties talked about it during the last election, so maybe we should just get on with that work and save ourselves some money - go figure.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Can I have a motion to accept this budget request as presented? Moved by Mr. Samson, seconded by Terry Farrell.
Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
That concludes this meeting of the Special Committee of the House of Assembly. Can I have a motion to adjourn? Moved by Terry Farrell, seconded by Mr. d'Entremont.
Would all those in favour of the motion please say Aye. Contrary minded, Nay.
The motion is carried.
The meeting is adjourned.
[The committee adjourned at 11:35 a.m.]
