Quarterly Financial Report For the quarter ended December 31, 2016

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

A. Introduction

This quarterly report 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. It has not been subject to an external audit or review. This quarterly report should be read in conjunction with the Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) was created on December 12, 2006, with the coming into force of the Director of Public Prosecutions Act. The ODPP is an independent prosecution service mandated to prosecute offences that are under the jurisdiction of the Attorney General of Canada and offences under the Canada Elections Act.

On October 1, 2014, pursuant to amendments to the Canada Elections Act, the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections (OCCE) was transferred from Elections Canada to the ODPP. The Commissioner of Canada Elections and the Director of Public Prosecutions exercise their statutory duties independently from each other while operating within the same organization.

The ODPP has two strategic outcomes under its Program Alignment Architecture in addition to internal services. The first is that criminal and regulatory offences under federal law are prosecuted in an independent, impartial and fair manner. The mandate of the ODPP includes:

• providing legal advice to federal investigative agencies and government departments on the criminal law implications of investigations and prosecutions;
• initiating and conducting federal prosecutions; and
• intervening in matters that raise questions of public interest that may affect the conduct of prosecutions or related investigations.

The second strategic outcome is in respect of the work of the OCCE. It provides that compliance and enforcement activities under the Canada Elections Act and Referendum Act are conducted by the Office of Commissioner of Canada Elections in a fair, impartial and independent manner. Activities related to this mandate include:

• using non-punitive and informal corrective measures in response to certain situations of non-compliance and of formal measures for others, such as compliance agreements, injunctions, and applications for the judicial deregistration of a registered party; and
• taking enforcement measures to respond to situations of non-compliance, including deciding which matters will be referred to the ODPP for possible prosecution and what charges will be recommended.

Internal services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization.

B. Basis of Presentation

This quarterly report has been prepared by management using an expenditure basis of accounting. The accompanying Statement of Authorities includes the ODPP's spending authorities granted by Parliament, and those used by the ODPP consistent with the Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates. This quarterly report has been prepared using a 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 specific purposes.

When Parliament is dissolved for the purposes of a general election, section 30 of the Financial Administration Act authorizes the Governor General, under certain conditions, to issue a special warrant authorizing the Government to withdraw funds from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. A special warrant is deemed to be an appropriation for the fiscal year in which it is issued.

The ODPP 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.

C. Highlights of Fiscal Quarter and Fiscal Year-to-date Results

1.  Spending Authorities

At the end of the third quarter of 2016-17, the ODPP had total spending authorities of $194,697 thousand available for use as detailed in Chart 1 and Appendix A. This amount represents the 2016-17 Main Estimates, the unspent authorities from the last fiscal year and the funding for renewed collective agreement. The increase of $7,273 thousand (or 4%) compared to total spending authorities at the same time in an fiscal year 2015-16 ($187,424 thousand) is mainly due to the increase in funding to collect outstanding federal fines; to support the implementation of the Protecting Canadians from Online Crime Act; and to support measures to implement the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights.

2.  Expenditures for the Quarter ended December 31, 2016

During the third quarter of 2016-17, the ODPP spent $38,878 thousand compared to $42,187 thousand for the same period in 2015-16, as detailed in Appendix B. The decrease of $3,309 thousand (or 8%) is mainly due to the timing of payments.

3.  Year-to-date Authorities and Expenditures as at December 31, 2016

At the end of December 2016, the ODPP had spent $119,529 thousand (or 61%) of its total authorities of $194,697 thousand as detailed in Appendix B. At the same time last year, the ODPP had spent 62% of its total authorities.

D. Risks and Uncertainties

Funding pressures resulting from the mandated relocations and/or renovations of offices and the implementation of Workplace 2.0 will have a significant impact on the budget of the ODPP. The ODPP has developed a Strategic Real Property Plan for 2015 to 2019. The ODPP continually reviews the Plan to ensure funds are aligned for each project based on urgency.

E. Significant Changes in Relations to Operations, Personnel and Programs

Government announced expenditure reductions in Budget 2016. The ODPP’s share is $545 thousand broken down as follows: $489 thousand for professional services, $8 thousand for advertising and $48 thousand for travel expenditures.

Approval by Senior Officials

Approved by:


________________________
George Dolhai
A/Director of Public Prosecutions


Ottawa, Canada


________________________
Date

_______________________
Lucie Bourcier CPA, CGA
Chief Financial Officer

Appendix A

Appendix B

Departmental budgetary expenditures by Standard Object (unaudited)