Report on Annual Expenditures for Travel, Hospitality and Conferences (THC) – 2015-2016
As required by the Treasury Board Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Event Expenditures, this report provides information on the total annual expenditures for each of travel, hospitality and conference fees for the Department of Justice for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016. It also provides the variance explanations from the previous fiscal year in each of these areas.
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 conference fees incurred by federal departments and agencies are related to activities that support a departmental or agency mandate and the government’s priorities.
Further information on the mandate, roles, responsibilities and programs of the Department of Justice can be found in the Department’s 2016-17 Main Estimates, available at: https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/hgw-cgf/finances/pgs-pdg/gepme-pdgbpd/20162017/me-bpd-eng.pdf.
| Expenditure Category | Expenditures for the year ending March 31, 2016 (a) | Expenditures for the previous year ending March 31, 2015 (b) | Variance (a - b) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel - Public Servants | 6,157 | 5,411 | 746 |
| Travel - Non-Public Servants | 548 | 341 | 207 |
| Total Travel | 6,705 | 5,753 | 952 |
| Hospitality | 147 | 85 | 62 |
| Conference Fees | 127 | 134 | -7 |
| TOTAL | 6,979 | 5,971 | 1,008 |
| International Travel by Minister and Minister's Staff (also included in Non-Public Servant travel) | 24 | 14 | 10 |
Totals may not add up due to rounding.
Significant Variances Compared With the Previous Fiscal Year
The Department of Justice has rigorous oversight mechanisms, accountabilities and controls in place to ensure that expenditures related to travel, hospitality and conference (THC) are managed in an effective, efficient and economical manner. While the department makes continuous efforts to ensure prudent stewardship of public funds, the overall THC spending increased by $1M (17%) from 2014-15 to 2015-16 mainly due to ministerial requirements from mandated initiatives.
The department continues its commitment to align its THC spending with its operational requirements and the use of teleconferencing whenever this is possible and deemed appropriate to meet intended business objectives.
THC expenditure variances and related explanations are depicted below by type of expenditure.
Travel
Public servants and non-public servants:
Compared to fiscal year 2014-15, departmental travel expenditures increased by a total of 952K (17%), from $5,753K to $6,705K in order to meet the department’s strategic priorities.
The increase in departmental travel expenditures is mainly due to:
- Engaging in consultations across Canada and internationally to respond to the Supreme Court of Canada decision regarding physician-assisted death.
- Developing an approach to, and a mandate for, an inquiry into murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls in Canada.
- Working to create a federal-provincial-territorial process that will lead to the legalization and regulation of cannabis.
- Consultations and working groups on various activities related to Victims of Crime and their families and the Victims Week 10th Anniversary.
Hospitality
Compared with fiscal year 2014-15, departmental hospitality expenditures increased by $62K as a result of the Department of Justice hosting the following core mandate activities:
- Victims Week 10th Anniversary.
- Knowledge Exchange on Victim Services for Families of Missing or Murdered Aboriginal Women in Canada.
- Federal-provincial-territorial Victims of Crime Working Group meeting.
Conference fees
Compared with fiscal year 2014-15, departmental conference fees expenditures decreased by $7K. This reduction is directly related to the commitment made by the department to limit the expenses through the enhanced oversight implemented by the department.
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