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Annual Report 1995-1996 - An Operational Audit of CSIS Activities
9. Inside SIRC
(a) Accounting to Parliament
On 16 October 1995, the Solicitor General tabled the Committee's 1994-95 Annual Report.
The Committee appeared before the Sub-Committee on National Security on 15 May 1996 to answer questions about its 1995-96 Main Estimates.
(b) Staying in Touch
In the past, the Committee has made extensive use of seminars to obtain invaluable advice from outside experts. Since September 1992, when SIRC held its last seminar in Montréal, budget constraints continue to limit our ability to hold any further seminars. Efforts are being made to seek more cost-effective means of maintaining these links within the reality of a limited budget.
(c) Impact of Budget Changes
The Committee's budget has been declining since fiscal 1991-92, and although the cuts have not been large in absolute terms, they are significant for a small organization with little budget flexibility. The following graph understates the degree to which the Committee's budget has been reduced because translation services ($50,000) which used to be provided off-budget are now included in SIRC's Main Estimates.
| 1995-96 | 1994-95 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personnel | 799,000 | 807,000 | |
| Good and Services | 616,000 | 602,000 | |
| Total Operating Expenses | 1,415,000 | 1,409,000 | |
Source: 1995-96 Estimates, Part III, Section II, Figure 7
Figure 1
The investigation of complaints is the most expensive area of operation for the Committee, and must, therefore, bear the brunt of the budget cuts. To deal with the reductions, this year again the Committee is doing more work “in house
”, and using outside lawyers less. More pre-hearing meetings are being conducted by Committee staff to better focus the issues to be dealt with in hearings. While undertaking such measures, the Committee is determined to avoid increasing the time required to handle complaints, and to maintain the quality of its investigations.
The review area is also being affected by budget reductions. As with Complaints, more work is being done “in house
”, and the Committee is no longer using contract Research consultants.
Through automation, the Committee has been able to reduce some costs over the last few years. It has installed personal computers and a local area network. This has resulted in a cutback of secretarial staff from three persons to two, and has reduced the time required to prepare and release documents. Automation has also allowed more effective tracking of correspondence, classified records, and the Committee's budget.
The Committee is also taking some measures to reduce general administrative costs. In past years, the Committee used an outside Editor to assist in the preparation of the Annual Report. This year again, the Executive Director and the Executive Assistant will share the task. The Committee is no longer hosting seminars and conferences. Rather, it is dealing with more experts and opinion-makers on a one-to-one basis at, for example, Committee meetings. The Committee is developing an Internet web site. Through this venue, a wider public will have access to SIRC's publications, and in so doing, reduce printing and mailing costs.
The Committee believes that the steps outlined above, together with a continuing effort to improve efficiency, will allow SIRC to maintain or improve the performance of its responsibilities to Parliament and the public at lower cost.
(d) Personnel
The Committee has a small staff of 14 in total: an Executive Director; a Senior Complaints Officer to handle complaints and ministerial reports; a Director of Research Counter Terrorism; a Director of Research Counter Intelligence; and four Research Officers; an Executive Assistant who coordinates activities on behalf of the Chairman, conducts all media liaison, coordinates the production of the Annual Report, and undertakes research projects; an Administrative Officer who is also the Committee registrar for hearings, and undertakes research projects; and an administrative support staff of four. There is a particular burden on the Committee's administrative support because the material handled by the Committee is sensitive and highly classified, and must be dealt with using special security procedures.
At its monthly meetings, the Committee decides about the research and other activities it wishes to pursue, and sets priorities for the staff. Day-to-day operations are handled by the Executive Director with direction, where necessary, from the Chairman in his role as the Chief Executive Officer of the organization.