Government Operations committee  Okay. Chris.

Government Operations committee  Our responsibility is to inform parliamentarians. That's what we did by publishing a note on our website. We received a lot of questions from parliamentarians, but also from certain ministerial cabinets and climate groups. This gave us the impression that a lot of people interested in climate issues had noticed our note on our website, right from the first day it was published.

Government Operations committee  I was referring to consulting services—external consulting services and special services—and to the fact that in these supplementary estimates (A), when combined with the main estimates, so far this year we are at authorities of $19.8 billion, which will be close, assuming there's nothing else, to the more than $21 billion of the previous year.

Government Operations committee  When we produce a report, we gather information usually from government departments and agencies. When we receive a request, for example, we try to clarify the request as much as possible, if it's not already clear. We determine, based on internal discussions and the questions that are submitted to us, the type of information we will need.

Government Operations committee  It's a very small team of 30 analysts and supervisors, so it has to be able to pivot quickly, and it is very agile. The decision-making process is relatively flat and streamlined given the small number of individuals. Through proper discussions with the requesters and with the departments or federal institutions that provide us with the data, we usually get what we need with a clear understanding of what is available before sending the information request.

Government Operations committee  I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that last year we resolved some claims regarding indigenous children who had been improperly placed in foster care and hadn't received the services to which they would have been entitled over multiple previous years. As a result, there was an increase in funding last year to settle these claims.

Government Operations committee  It happens, especially when it's confidential data related to third party information—for example, commercially sensitive data or national security issues. It happened when we dealt with battery plants for electric vehicles and national defence issues. When it is purely an internal analysis or internal data, it's not that frequent.

Government Operations committee  When it's a result of the fuel charge and the carbon pricing regime at large...so it's including the output-based pricing system.

Government Operations committee  I'm not a climate scientist. However, based on the scientific consensus, we need concerted global action for climate change to stop getting worse. Canada acting alone is not sufficient. That's as much of a confirmation as I can give.

Government Operations committee  Yes, unless everybody else reduces their emissions significantly.

Government Operations committee  I don't have the numbers off the top of my head about that report we did in November, but I remember when we did that report we wanted to give readers and parliamentarians a range of potential benefit levels that the government could introduce in response to that commitment to introduce a Canada disability benefit.

Government Operations committee  It's something that I've done in the past, personally helping people who hadn't filed for years, and it unlocked thousands of dollars in benefits flowing to low-income workers who were afraid of filing for fear of owing money when, in fact, they were receiving benefits. That's why it was an interesting report to do for my office.

Government Operations committee  I have not been made aware of any changes with respect to the administration and management of this procurement program.

Government Operations committee  I won't comment on the management of specific programs, but I will make a general comment. As an example, the government is committed to reducing the use of professional and special services, but the spending authorizations in these supplementary estimates are already approaching last year's level, even though this is only Supplementary Estimates (A) and there are likely to be further spending authorizations in Supplementary Estimates (B) and probably in Supplementary Estimates (C) too.

Government Operations committee  Unfortunately, I can't answer that, as it's not a question my office has looked into specifically.