Quarterly Financial Report

For the period ended December 31, 2016

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

1. Introduction

This quarterly report for the period ending December 31, 2016 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. The report has not been subject to an external audit or review, and should be read in conjunction with the Main Estimates and the Supplementary Estimates for the current year.

A summary description of the Department's programs can be found in Part II of the Main Estimates.

Basis of Presentation

This quarterly report has been prepared using an expenditure basis of accounting. The accompanying Statement of Authorities includes the Department's spending authorities granted by Parliament and those used by the Department consistent with the Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates for the fiscal year 2016-17. 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 moneys 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 special purposes.

Global Affairs Canada (GAC) uses the full accrual method of accounting to prepare and present its annual departmental financial statements that are part of the departmental performance reporting process. However, the spending authorities voted by Parliament remain on an expenditure basis.

2. Highlights of fiscal quarter and fiscal year to date (YTD) results

A. Significant changes to Authorities

The following table shows the total budget available for use by the Department. Only authorities available for use and granted by Parliament as at December 31, 2016 are included.

i. Budgetary Authorities

Operating Expenditures authorities have increased by $112.6 million compared to last year. This is mainly attributable to funding received through Supplementary Estimates for:

• the management of the Canada-U.S. Softwood Lumber initiative;
• the crises in Iraq and Syria and the impacts on the region;
• the resettlement of 10,000 additional government-assisted Syrian Refugees;
• the Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Program in the Sahel region of Africa (Budget 2016); and
• the transfer from other government departments to provide support to departmental staff located at missions abroad.

Also contributing to this increase was the funding received for currency exchange fluctuations on operating and Locally Engaged Staff salaries.

These increases were offset by:

• the closure of the Investment Cooperation Program (Budget 2015); and
• the decrease in the Operating Budget Carry-Forward amount received in 2016-17 compared to 2015-16.

Capital Expenditures authorities have increased by $86.9 million. This is mainly attributable to funding received through Supplementary Estimates (B) in the third quarter of 2016-17 for:

• the reinvestment of revenues from the sale of real property;
• the acquisition of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) headquarters building in Montreal;
• the funding to improve security at missions abroad; and
• the funding for the New York chancery's co-location and relocation project.

Also contributing to this increase was the funding for the selection and fit-up of the new chancery for the combined missions to the European Union and to Belgium.

These increases were partially offset by a decrease of the Capital Budget Carry-Forward amount received in 2016-17 compared to 2015-16.

Grants and Contributions authorities have increased by $359.3 million. This is for the most part caused by the funding received through Supplementary Estimates (B) in the third quarter of 2016-2017 for:

• the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program which replaces the Global Peace and Security Fund (GPSF);
• the Grand Challenges Canada support to advance global health (Budget 2015);
• the funding to address crises in Iraq and Syria and the impacts on the region;
• the funding for the Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Program in the Sahel region of Africa (Budget 2016).

Also contributing to the increase was additional funding:

• received for assessed contributions costs related to currency fluctuations;
• for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (CanExport funding);
• for the expansion of the Trade Commissioner Service to support Canadian companies in emerging markets (Budget 2015); and
• to support Canada’s Migrant Smuggling Prevention Strategy.

These increases were offset by:

• the sunset of funding for the Stabilization and Reconstruction Task Force and the GPSF received in 2015-16; and
• the closure of the Investment Cooperation Program (Budget 2015).

ii. Budgetary Statutory Authorities

Contributions to employee benefits plans (EBP) statutory authorities have increased by $9.0 million. This is mainly attributable to the salary component of the following:

• the funding received for currency exchange fluctuations on operating and Locally Engaged Staff salaries;
• the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program;
• the Softwood Lumber Agreement;
• the resettlement of 10,000 Syrian refugees;
• the CanExport program for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises; and
• the expansion of the Trade Commissioner Service to support Canadian companies in emerging markets.

iii. Non-budgetary Authorities

The Department’s non-budgetary authorities have decreased by $43.0 million. This is mainly attributable to a decrease in the anticipated payments to International Financial Institutions for capital subscriptions.

B. Significant changes to budgetary expenditures by standard object

The following table shows the budgetary expenditures and revenues netted against expenditures of the Department for the period and their comparison with the same period last year.

i. Operating Expenditures

Salaries and employee benefits- The increase of $9.9 million is mainly explained by higher spending on locally engaged staff salaries. Also contributing to the variance are larger Employee Benefits Plan (EBP) employer contributions that are in line with the increase in the related departmental statutory authorities.

Professional and special services- The decrease of $4.5 million is mainly attributable to a reduction of spending on architectural services for projects in London and Riyadh that moved from the design phase in 2015-2016 to the construction phase in the current year and consultant fees for information technology projects. Also contributing to the decrease is a timing difference in payments related to employee relocations.

Rentals- The decrease of $6.0 million is primarily due to a timing difference related to the ICAO  headquarters rental fee payments.

Repair and maintenance- The decrease of $0.8 million is mainly explained by the timing of maintenance services carried out at missions.

Other- The increase of $36.6 million relates mostly to the portion of debt from the Government of Pakistan being forgiven by the Government of Canada.

ii. Capital Expenditures

Acquisition of land, buildings and works-The increase of $19.5 million is primarily attributed to lease extension costs of the Canada High Commission in London that were funded using the capital expenditure budget due to the long term nature of the lease. The purchase of staff quarters in London also contributed to the increase.

iii. Transfer Payments

The increase of $255.5 million is mainly explained by higher spending on United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations and the new UN scale of assessment adopted in December 2015 which postponed some payments to 2016-2017. Also contributing to the increase are the payments for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces program and the Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) program, launched in 2016. The payment for the Support to the Micronutrient Initiative program, made in 2016-2017, was also a factor in the increase as there was no equivalent payment made in the previous fiscal year (2015-2016).

iv. Revenues

The increase of $5.6 million in revenues originates from a timing difference in the recovery of costs from other organizations that share the department’s space and services at missions abroad (Co-locators). Delays in revenue collection led to lower revenue reported in the first three quarters of 2015-2016.

3. Risks and Uncertainties

As a federal department operating in a complex and rapidly changing environment that is influenced by many external factors, such as political, economic controls, social contexts and shifting global trends, Global  Affairs Canada (GAC) is exposed to a broad range of risks in Canada and abroad. In addition, the department faces funding pressures and must operate in a time of fiscal restraint. Effective risk management is, therefore, critical to the department’s ability to deliver results for Canadians.

GAC continues to be more pragmatic and versatile in its management of funds. The department has improved financial forecasting and continues to find ways to absorb or fund activities. To support senior management decisions to reallocate funds within existing spending authorities, the department undertakes activities to reassess the needs and demands of various program areas without compromising on the delivery of program results. This approach has reinforced the importance of linking funding to departmental priorities and the branch objectives which support them. Branches and program areas have also grown more attentive to the department’s financial limitations as they are identifying their pressures earlier, reviewing their activities and available funds more frequently, and are increasingly utilizing forward planning.

During the period of transition to centralized government pay services, the department is closely monitoring its salary expenditures.

To ensure effective control, transparency and accountability in the management of grants and contributions, the department adheres to Treasury Board (TB) Policy on Transfer Payments. The department also utilizes a Fiduciary Risk Evaluation Tool (FRET), which provides a consistent and systematic approach to evaluate, mitigate, monitor and manage fiduciary risk for the Department’s development assistance investments.

4. Significant changes in relation to operations, personnel and programs

One change in senior management was made during the third quarter of 2016-2017. The position of Assistant Deputy Minister for Consular, Security and Legal branch was permanently staffed during the quarter.

There have been no other significant changes in relation to operations, personnel and programs during this quarter.

Approval by Senior Officials

Approved, as required by the TB Policy on Financial Resource Management, Information and Reporting:

Ian Shugart
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

Arun Thangaraj
Assistant Deputy Minister and Chief Financial Officer, Corporate Planning, Finance and Information Technology

Ottawa, Ontario
Date: March 1, 2017