Report on Annual Expenditures for Travel, Hospitality and Conferences – March 31, 2017

As required by the Treasury Board Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Event Expenditures, this report provides information on the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC)’s total annual expenditures for travel, hospitality, and conferences. The report covers the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017.

This information is updated annually and does not contain information that is subject to being withheld under the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act.

Expenditures incurred by the PPSC for travel, hospitality, and conferences are related to activities that support its mandate and the government’s priorities.

The PPSC is an independent prosecution service whose main objective is to prosecute offences under federal jurisdiction in a manner that is free of any improper influence and that respects the public interest. Its mandate is set out in the Director of Public Prosecutions Act^{Footnote 1}. The Act calls on the PPSC to provide prosecutorial advice to law enforcement agencies, and to prosecute matters on behalf of the Crown that are within federal jurisdiction. The PPSC plays an integral role in the criminal justice system, promoting due process and working to safeguard the rights of all those who come into contact with the system.

The benefits to Canadians from the work carried out by the PPSC include:

• provision of timely and independent advice to federal investigative agencies and government departments on the criminal law implications of investigations and prosecutions;
• principled and independent decisions by prosecutors; and
• confidence in the administration of justice through professionally conducted prosecutions that result in a judicial determination on the merits of the evidence.

On October 1, 2014, by virtue of the coming into force of amendments to the Canada Elections Act, the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections (OCCE) was transferred from Elections Canada to the PPSC. The Commissioner of Canada Elections and the Director of Public Prosecutions exercise their respective statutory duties independently from each other, even while operating within the same organization.

The OCCE plays an important role in safeguarding Canadians’ trust in the democratic process. As an independent officer, the Commissioner of Canada Elections has the dual role of ensuring that both compliance with, and enforcement of, the Canada Elections Act  and the federal Referendum Act, are carried out with the aim of promoting the integrity of the electoral process.

Significant Variances Compared With the Previous Fiscal Year

Travel

There was no significant variance in departmental travel expenditures.

Hospitality and Conference

There was no significant variance in departmental hospitality and conference expenditures.