[Backgrounder]February 19, 2004OTTAWA - The Honourable Reg Alcock, President of the Treasury Board of Canada and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board, tabled today, in the House of Commons, the 2003-2004 Supplementary Estimates (B) totalling $8.1 billion. These Supplementary Estimates are within and consistent with the overall planned spending level for 2003-2004, as set out in the November 2003 Economic and Fiscal Update."Members of Parliament and Canadians must be well informed on the management of public funds. These Supplementary Estimates are part of an important process to ensure transparency and accountability to Parliament and to Canadians," said Minister Alcock.The 2003-2004 Supplementary Estimates (B) seek Parliament's approval for expenditures that were not anticipated when the 2003-2004 Main Estimates were tabled on February 26, 2003. Of the $8.1 billion in expenditures, $1.98 billion is for voted requirements and includes such items as: $375.4 million for assistance to mitigate the impact of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS); $107.3 million for compensation for collective bargaining; and $100.0 million for grants to the Canadian Council on Learning. In addition, some $6.2 billion are for statutory items that have been previously authorized by Parliament. Examples include: $1.2 billion for the implementation of the new Business Risk Management Component of the Agricultural Policy Framework; $375.2 million for activities to mitigate the impact of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) crisis; $250.0 million for a grant in support of the development and demonstration of climate change and clean air technologies; and $4.7 billion in transfer payments to provincial governments.Adjustments to projected statutory spending are provided for information purposes only.The Estimates and the Budget reflect the government's annual resource planning and allocation priorities. In combination with the subsequent reporting of financial results in the Public Accounts and of accomplishments achieved in Departmental Performance Reports, this material helps Parliament hold the government accountable for the allocation and management of public funds.Please refer to the attached backgrounder for further details on the 2003-2004 Supplementary Estimates (B). The Supplementary Estimates and related documents are posted on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Web site at: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/sups0304e.asp- 30 -For more information, contact:Lise JolicoeurPress SecretaryOffice of the President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board(613) 957-2666Mario BarilMedia RelationsTreasury Board of Canada Secretariat(613) 957-2391IF THERE IS A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN ANY PRINTED VERSION AND THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THIS DOCUMENT, THE ELECTRONIC VERSION WILL BE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.TTY (Telecommunications device for the hearing impaired) - (613) 957-9090BackgrounderOverview of the 2003-2004 Supplementary Estimates (B)Introduction The 2003-2004 Supplementary Estimates (B) seek Parliament's approval to spend $1.983 billion on expenditures (voted appropriations) for 2003-2004. These expenditures were provided for within the $178.3 billion in overall planned spending for 2003-2004, as set out in the November 2003 Economic and Fiscal Update, but not included in the 2003-2004 Main Estimates. 2003-2004 ($ millions) Budgetary Non-budgetary Total Voted Appropriations $1,981.6 $0.0 $1,981.6 Statutory Appropriations $6,324.6 ($164.6) $6,160.0 Total Supplementary Estimates $8,306.2 ($164.6) $8,141.6 Parliamentary approval required for expenditures totalling -- $1,981.6 million $1,357.6 million of the $1,981.6 million for which parliamentary approval is sought relates to the following major items.Budgetary - VotedHorizontal items affecting more than one organization: $375.4 million for assistance to mitigate the impact of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS); $288.6 million for Operating budget carry forward; $107.3 million for compensation for collective bargaining; $50.7 million for initiatives to provide Canadians with enhanced Internet access to government information and services.Specific items affecting a single organization: $145 million for interim resources to provide legal services to Government clients currently subject to a cost recovery regime - Department of Justice; $100.0 million for grants to the Canadian Council on Learning to provide funding to address information and knowledge gaps and provide information on education outcomes - Department of Human Resources and Development; $84.6 million for building operating expenditures including utilities, municipal taxes on leased facilities and related price adjustments -Department of Public Works and Government Services; $84.5 million for a payment to the Canadian Wheat Board for losses sustained in the 2002-2003 wheat pool - Department of Treasury Board Secretariat; $71.5 million for additional funding for health care including drug benefits and long-term care - Department of Veterans Affairs; $50.0 million for buy-back of the capital lease for the National Heritage Building, Aylmer, Quebec - Department of Canadian Museum of Nature.The remaining increase of $624.0 million is spread among a number of other departments and agencies. The specific details are included in these Supplementary Estimates. Forecast changes to statutory spending -- $6,160.0 million The change in the forecast statutory spending is due to the following major changes.Budgetary - StatutoryHorizontal items affecting more than one organization: $375.2 million for activities to mitigate the impact of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) crisis $250.0 million for a grant in support of the development and demonstration of climate change and clean air technologiesSpecific items affecting a single organization: $4,7 billion for transfer payments to provincial governments - Department of Finance; $1,17 billion for funding to implement the new Business Risk Management Component of the Agricultural Policy Framework - Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food; $598.9 million for funding to assist producers in the transition to a new Business Risk Management Component of the Agricultural Policy Framework - Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food; $223.6 million for Newfoundland Fiscal Equalization Offset Payments - Department of Natural Resources; $215.0 million for Income Security payments - Department of Human Resources Development; $100.5 million for the Canada Student Loans Program -Department of Human Resources Development; $57.6 million for increased election expenses - Chief Electoral Officer; $50.0 million for grants to support the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences - Department of Environment.This is offset by the following major decrease in statutory spending. $1,4 billion reduction of public debt charges due to lower interest rates and interest savings on currency transactions - Department of Finance.Non-budgetary - StatutoryThe decrease of $164.6 million in statutory non-budgetary spending relates to the following two issues. $165.3 million reduction in direct loans to student under the new financing arrangement (including repayments of $111.6 M) - Department of Human Resources and Development $0.7 million increase for Payments to the International Financial Institution Fund Accounts - Canadian International Development Agency
