2020–21 Quarterly Financial Report (for the second quarter ended September 30, 2020)

Statement outlining results, risks and significant changes in operations, personnel and programs

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. It should be read in conjunction with the Main Estimates. The quarterly report has not been subject to an external audit or review.

Raison d’être

The Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada was established to implement the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act (the Act), which came into force in April 2007.

The Commissioner reports directly to Parliament, and the President of the Treasury Board is responsible for tabling the Office’s Departmental Plan and Departmental Results Report in Parliament.

The Office contributes to strengthening accountability and increases oversight of government operations by providing:

• public servants and members of the public with an independent and confidential process for receiving and investigating disclosures of wrongdoing in, or relating to, the federal public sector, and by reporting founded cases to Parliament and making recommendations to chief executives on corrective measures; and
• public servants and former public servants with a mechanism for handling complaints of reprisal for the purpose of coming to a resolution including referring cases to the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Tribunal.

Further details on the Office’s authority, mandate and program activities can be found in the Main Estimates (Part II) and in its corporate publications.

Basis of presentation

This quarterly report has been prepared by management using an expenditure basis of accounting. The accompanying Statement of Authorities includes the Office’s spending authorities granted by Parliament and those used by the Office, consistent with the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021. 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 money 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.

When Parliament is dissolved for the purposes of a general election, section 30 of the Financial Administration Act authorizes the Governor General, under certain conditions, to issue a special warrant authorizing the Government to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. A special warrant is deemed to be an appropriation for the fiscal year in which it is issued.

The Office uses the full accrual method of accounting to prepare and present its annual financial statements that are part of the departmental results reporting process. However, the spending authorities voted by Parliament remain on an expenditure basis.

Highlights of the fiscal quarter and the fiscal year-to-date results

This section highlights the significant variance in resources available for the year and net changes in actual expenditures for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, in comparison to the prior year.

From 2019–20 to 2020–21, total budgetary authorities available for use in the second quarter decreased by $1.2 million (21.5%). This decrease in the authorities available for use is due to the reduced supply of the Main Estimates. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and limited sessions in the spring for Parliament to study supply, the Standing Orders of the House of Commons were amended to extend the study period into the fall. The Office is expected to receive full supply for the 2020–21 Main Estimates in December 2020.

Budgetary expenditures used during the second quarter of 2020–21 decreased by $507,000 (33.2%) as compared to the same quarter last year. The major changes in expenditures by standard object are summarized as follows:

• A decrease of $276,244 in the acquisitions of equipment, buildings and works attributable to the refit and relocation of the Office completed in the first quarter of 2019–20. No further expenditures are planned for this project.
• A decrease of $116,381 in professional services due to a decrease in the needs of certain services.
• A decrease of $70,979 in transportation and communications mostly related to the travel restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Risks and uncertainties

The Office continues to operate in a sensitive environment where there still exists a culture of resistance to whistleblowing within the federal public service due to various factors, including fear of reprisal. Decisions by individuals to disclose wrongdoing or submit a complaint of reprisal, the complexity of cases, as well as the legislative requirements and the Office’s service standards are major contributors to the workload. In turn, this drives the need to retain and recruit key skilled positions, such as investigators and case analysts.

The COVID-19 pandemic had minimal impact on the Office financial results during the first and second quarters. Although the Office does not anticipate any significant financial impact in the third quarter nor on its year-end financial statements, other than a continued reduction in travel spending, the impact for the rest of 2020 and thereafter remains highly uncertain.

Based on statistical data of previous years, volume of cases does fluctuate by month throughout the year, and the complexity of each case can vary significantly. COVID-19 adds another level of uncertainty as a large percentage of federal employees are working remotely and a change in behaviours could occur. However, if there was a continued and significant increase in the number of cases and/or investigations, the Office runs the risk of not being able to process all files in a timely manner.

Significant changes in relation to operations, personnel and programs

There were no significant changes to personnel and programs during the second quarter ended September 30, 2020. However, because of the mandatory remote work arrangements and travel restrictions, these factors required changes to how the Office conducts interviews. The implementation of videoconferencing interviews enabled the Office to continue its investigations, meet its service standards and achieve its results.

Approval by Senior Officials

(Original signed by)

• Joe Friday
  Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
• Éric Trottier, MBA, CPA, CMA
  Chief Financial Officer

Ottawa, Canada
November 27, 2020

Statement of Authorities (unaudited)

Fiscal Year 2020–21

Fiscal Year 2019–20

Departmental Budgetary Expenditures by Standard Object (unaudited)

Fiscal Year 2020–21

Fiscal Year 2019–20