OFFICERS OF THE LEGISLATURE

SUMMARY

($000)

Estimates
2002/03¹

Estimates
2003/04

VOTED APPROPRIATIONS

Vote 2— Auditor General

8,364 

7,901 

Vote 3— Conflict of Interest Commissioner

292 

292 

Vote 4— Elections BC

13,589 

7,509 

Vote 5— Information and Privacy Commissioner

2,227 

1,972 

Vote 6— Ombudsman

4,549 

4,050 

Vote 7— Police Complaint Commissioner

1,101 

985 

OPERATING EXPENSE

30,122 

22,709 

PREPAID CAPITAL ADVANCES²

— 

— 

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES³

2,834 

1,297 

LOANS, INVESTMENTS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS⁴

— 

— 

REVENUE COLLECTED FOR, AND TRANSFERRED TO, OTHER ENTITIES⁵

— 

— 

FULLTIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYMENT⁶

242 

211 

NOTES

¹    For comparative purposes only, figures shown for 2002/03 operating expense, capital expenditures, and FTEs have been restated to be consistent with the presentation of the 2003/04 Estimates. Schedule A presents a detailed reconciliation.

²    Details of prepaid capital advances are presented in Schedule C.

³    Details of capital expenditures are presented in Schedule D.

⁴    Details of loans, investments and other requirements are presented in Schedule E.

⁵    Details of revenue collected for, and transferred to, other entities is presented in Schedule F.

⁶    Details of FTEs are presented in Schedule G.

OPERATING EXPENSE

Net

Gross

External
Recoveries

Net

Auditor General

8,364 

9,801 

(1,900)

7,901 

Conflict of Interest Commissioner

292 

292 

— 

292 

Elections BC

13,589 

7,509 

— 

7,509 

Information and Privacy Commissioner

2,227 

1,987 

(15)

1,972 

Ombudsman

4,549 

4,051 

(1)

4,050 

Police Complaint Commissioner

1,101 

985 

— 

985 

TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSE

30,122 

24,625 

(1,916)

22,709 

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

Net

Disbursements

Receipts

Net

Auditor General

190 

190 

— 

190 

Conflict of Interest Commissioner

— 

— 

— 

— 

Elections BC

2,545 

1,005 

— 

1,005 

Information and Privacy Commissioner

15 

15 

— 

15 

Ombudsman

59 

62 

— 

62 

Police Complaint Commissioner

25 

25 

— 

25 

TOTAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

2,834 

1,297 

— 

1,297 

VOTE  2 - AUDITOR GENERAL

This vote provides for the operations of the Office of the Auditor General. The Auditor General, an officer of the Legislature under the authority of the Auditor General Act, exists to help members of the Legislative Assembly hold the government accountable.  Through its audit opinions, the Auditor General gives legislators audit assessments about the fairness and reliability of the financial statements and public accounts of the government. The Auditor General also assesses the operations and performance of the government’s programs and services. The reports of the Auditor General are tabled with the Legislative Assembly and discussed, in a public forum, with the Public Accounts Committee of the legislature. Costs incurred for certain audits and related services are recovered.

OPERATING EXPENSE

Auditor General

8,364 

7,901 

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

Auditor General

190 

190 

FULLTIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYMENT

Auditor General

103 

103 

VOTE  3 - CONFLICT OF INTEREST COMMISSIONER

This vote provides for the operation of the Office of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner.  The Commissioner is an officer of the Legislature with a mandate under the Members' Conflict of Interest Act to meet the requirements under the Act.

OPERATING EXPENSE

Conflict of Interest Commissioner

292 

292 

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

Conflict of Interest Commissioner

—

— 

FULLTIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYMENT

Conflict of Interest Commissioner

2 

 2 

VOTE  4 - ELECTIONS BC

This vote provides for the ongoing operating costs of the office of the Chief Electoral Officer and provides for the administration of provincial elections, plebiscites, voter registration and list maintenance, enumerations, referenda, electoral boundaries, election financing, registration of political parties and constituency associations, recall petitions, initiative petitions and initiative votes, and other aspects of the provincial electoral process. The Chief Electoral Officer is an officer of the Legislature and is responsible for the administration of the Election Act and the Recall and Initiative Act.

OPERATING EXPENSE

Elections BC

13,589 

7,509 

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

Elections BC

2,545 

1,005 

FULLTIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYMENT

Elections BC

48 

39 

VOTE  5 - INFORMATION AND PRIVACY COMMISSIONER

This vote provides for the salaries and expenses of the office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner and provides for other duties and functions given to the Commissioner by statute. The Commissioner is an officer of the Legislature under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) with a broad mandate to protect the rights given to the public under FOIPPA. This includes conducting reviews of access to information requests, investigating complaints, monitoring general compliance with the Act, promoting freedom of information and protection of privacy principles, and overseeing and enforcing the Lobbyist Registry program pursuant to the Lobbyist Registration Act. Costs related to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Conferences are fully recovered from participants and sponsoring agencies.

OPERATING EXPENSE

Information and Privacy Commissioner

2,227 

1,972 

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

Information and Privacy Commissioner

15 

15 

FULLTIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYMENT

Information and Privacy Commissioner

28 

20 

VOTE  6 - OMBUDSMAN

This vote provides for the salaries, benefits, and expenses for the operation of the Office of the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is an officer of the Legislature, under the authority of the Ombudsman Act. The Ombudsman may investigate, either in response to a specific complaint or on the Ombudsman's own initiative, the actions and decisions of government bodies. The jurisdiction of the Ombudsman extends to ministries of the province, Crown corporations, provincially appointed agencies, boards and commissions, school districts, colleges, universities, hospitals, governing bodies of professional and occupational associations, local governments, and regional districts. The Ombudsman may undertake initiatives to increase public understanding of the role of the Ombudsman, and to improve government’s and other public bodies’ commitment to respect the principles of administrative fairness and natural justice. Some costs incurred are recovered from agencies, individuals, organizations, or other levels of government. Recoveries are also received from the distribution of materials developed by the office.

OPERATING EXPENSE

Ombudsman

4,549 

4,050 

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

Ombudsman

59 

62 

FULLTIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYMENT

Ombudsman

50 

38 

VOTE  7 - POLICE COMPLAINT COMMISSIONER

This vote provides for the salaries of the Police Complaint Commissioner and staff and the costs incurred by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner in dealing with complaints against municipal police and members of policing units designated by the Lieutenant Governor in Council. The Police Complaint Commissioner is an officer of the Legislature, under the authority of the Police Act.

OPERATING EXPENSE

Police Complaint Commissioner

1,101 

985 

CAPITAL EXPENDITURES

Police Complaint Commissioner

25 

25 

FULLTIME EQUIVALENT (FTE) EMPLOYMENT

Police Complaint Commissioner

11 

9 

GROUP ACCOUNT CLASSIFICATION SUMMARY

GROUP ACCOUNT CLASSIFICATION

Salaries and Benefits.

16,684 

15,100 

Operating Costs.

6,110 

9,438 

Government Transfers.

61 

61 

Other Expenses.

8,483 

26 

External Recoveries.

(1,216)

(1,916)

TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSE.

30,122 

22,709