The Department of National Defence, Public Works and Government Services, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, Environment Canada, Foreign Affairs and the federal auditor general are just a handful of the departments and offices that either have already been targeted for substantial savings over the next few years or are expected to face sizable cuts in the budget.
Furthermore, the House of Commons budget will be cut by almost seven per cent — or around $30 million — over the next couple of years, according to NDP House leader Joe Comartin, who sits on the secretive multi-party Board of Internal Economy that approves Commons spending.
Cutting the $446-million Commons budget could affect MPs' travel, office staff on Parliament Hill and in constituencies, as well as the number of green buses that cruise around downtown Ottawa to pick up and drop off parliamentarians and staff at their offices.
But it's the department cuts that are expected to be noticed the most. Public-sector unions fear thousands of federal government jobs will disappear as part of the sweeping review of operating spending in which the government hopes to find up to $8 billion in annual savings over the next few years.
The government has said the budget document won't contain much detail on the specific cuts to departments. The extent and exact targets of the cuts will become known in the coming months.
The Conservative government has, however, already identified some of the departments it's eyeing for substantial spending reductions in the coming years, including Defence, Human Resources, Public Works and Fisheries.
The Department of National Defence is already being tapped to find at least $525 million in savings in the new 2012-13 budget year and at least $1 billion in both 2013-14 and 2014-15, according to targets identified by the federal government in last year's budget as part of its ongoing strategic reviews. The separate and new spending review being led by Treasury Board president Tony Clement will identify additional cuts as well.
DND is preparing to eliminate almost 700 civilian support jobs with the Canadian army in an effort to save cash, according to a military plan obtained earlier this month by the Ottawa Citizen.
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, which is leading the government's reforms to Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement — including possibly raising the qualifying age to 67 from 65 — has been targeted for $141 million in savings in 2012-13 and about $274 million in 2013-14, according to last year's budget.
HRSDC is now considering major changes that could see the corporate and not-for-profit sectors deliver more social programs. The department is already closing Service Canada student summer job centres, insisting younger Canadians prefer to get help with job searches and resume writing online.
New NDP leader Thomas Mulcair argued Monday the last thing the government should be cutting is direct public services, but said all indications are that's "the first thing" the government is targeting.
"There are many services that will suffer," Mulcair said, adding that he's also worried about what the cuts will mean to jobs and the economy.
Public Works and Government Services — which handles federal purchases and accommodations — is being targeted for nearly $150 million in savings over the next two years, before additional cuts from the latest spending review are included. Fisheries and Oceans is facing about $75 million in budget reductions by 2013-14, according to savings targets in last year's fiscal blueprint, on top of any extra cuts pegged in Thursday's budget.
Finance Minister Jim Flaherty promised last week the budget will contain only "modest" spending cuts, telling reporters that if they simply focus on the savings, "you're going to miss most of what the budget is about."
Spending estimates for the new 2012-13 budget year, recently tabled in the House of Commons, identified significant cuts to environmental monitoring before any additional reductions from the new spending review.
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, the government centre of expertise for ensuring that industrial projects do not harm natural ecosystems, is expected to see its funding chopped by 43 per cent in 2012-13, from around $30 million to about $17 million.
"Any cuts in government spending should focus squarely on waste and not critical services," Green party leader Elizabeth May said Monday.
As the federal government hunts for billions of dollars in cuts as part of its so-called deficit-reduction action plan, it's expected to also scale back the lucrative pension plan for MPs and senators.
Members of Parliament are eligible to collect full pension benefits at age 55 if they sit in the House of Commons for six years or longer. Qualified MPs currently serving will be eligible to collect an average pension of nearly $55,000 a year in 2015, according to a recent report from the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.
New federal Auditor General Michael Ferguson, meanwhile, has stepped into his role as the AG's office prepares to cut, by 2014-15, around $6.5 million (close to eight per cent) of its $88-million annual budget. Approximately 60 employees (10 per cent of the staff), including some auditors, will lose their jobs, the AG's office has said.
Original Article
Source: ottawa citizen
Author: Jason Fekete
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