Report on Annual Expenditures for Travel, Hospitality and Conferences for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2015
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, 2015.
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 review the activities of CSE to ensure it 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)
- to review the activities of the CSE to ensure they comply with the law;
- in response to a complaint, to undertake any investigation that the Commissioner considers necessary;
- to inform the Minister of National Defence and the Attorney General of Canada of any activity of the Communications Security Establishment that the Commissioner believes may not be in compliance with the law;
273.63(3)
- to submit an annual report to the Minister, for tabling in Parliament, on the Commissioner's activities and findings within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year;
273.65(8)
to review and report to the Minister as to whether the activities carried out under a ministerial authorization are authorized; and
Under 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 the Communications Security Establishment on the grounds that it is in the public interest.
Further details on the legislation, mandate and the program may be found in the Report on Plans and Priorities and the Departmental Performance Report.
Total annual expenditures for Travel, Hospitality and Conferences of the Office of the Communications Security Establishment Commissioner are summarized below ($000):
| Expenditure Category | Expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2014 (revised) |
Expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2015 |
Variance 2014 to 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel – Public Servants | 6 | 35 | 29 |
| Travel – Non-Public Servants | — | 1 | 1 |
| Total Travel | 6 | 36 | 30 |
| Hospitality | — | 1 | 1 |
| Conference Fees | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| TOTAL | 7 | 40 | 33 |
There is an overall increase in expenditures in fiscal year 2014-15 due primarily to travel costs for public servants. Senior officials of the Office attended the IIRAC (International Intelligence Review Agencies Conference) in London, U. K.
Travel
Public servants: compared to fiscal year 2013-14, departmental travel expenditures by public servants increased mainly due to:
- Travel to London for IIRAC;
- Travel to Washington, D.C. for meetings with Intelligence review officials.
Non-Public Servants: slight increase over previous year due to:
- Travel related to the successful completion of a scheduled review.
Hospitality
Compared to fiscal year 2013-14, the increase is not significant.
Conference Fees
Conference Fees: slight increase over the previous year due to:
- Provision of increased learning to staff.
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