Report on Annual Expenditures for Travel, Hospitality and Conferences for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012

As required by the Treasury Board Directive for the Management of Expenditures on Travel, Hospitality and Conferences, this report provides information on the total annual expenditures for each of travel, hospitality and conferences for the Office of the Communications Security Establishment for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012.

This information is updated annually and does not contain information withheld under the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act.

Expenditures on travel, hospitality and conferences incurred by federal departments and agencies are related to supporting departmental mandate(s) and the government’s priorities.

The Communications Security Establishment Commissioner is to ensure that CSEC performs its duties and functions in accordance with the laws of Canada.  This includes having due regard for the privacy of Canadians.  The Commissioner’s office exists to support the Commissioner in the effective discharge of his mandate.

The duties of the Commissioner are set out under the following subsections of the National Defence Act:

273.63(2)

1. to review the activities of the CSEC to ensure they comply with the law;
2. in response to a complaint, to undertake any investigation that the Commissioner considers necessary; 
3. to inform the Minister of National Defence and the Attorney General of Canada of any activity of Communications Security Establishment Canada that the Commissioner believes may not be in compliance with the law;

273.65(8)

to review and report to the Minister as to whether the activities carried out under a ministerial authorization are authorized;

273.63(3)

to submit an annual report to the Minister on the Commissioner’s activities and findings within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year;

and under the Section 15 of the Security of Information Act:

to receive information from persons who are permanently bound to secrecy and who seek to defend the release of classified information about Communications Security Establishment Canada on the grounds that it is in the public interest.

Total annual expenditures for Travel, Hospitality and Conferences of the Office of the Communications Security Establishment Commissioner are summarized below:

Expenditure Category	Expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2011 ($000)	Expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2012 ($000)
Travel – Public Servants	2	6
Travel – Non-Public Servants	1	1
Total Travel	3	7
Hospitality	1	1
Conference Fees	1	5
TOTAL	5	13

The increase in travel costs and conference fees is due almost entirely to the attendance by review activity management and staff (4) at the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice Annual Conference in Montreal.