I just want to get to the sense of one thing the Minister had mentioned about the micromanagement process. I wouldn’t want to think that I’ve got time, or I would hope that every Minister doesn’t have time, to micromanage every single position. But money’s funded for positions. The way you make it sound is that we reward them if they find a way to cleverly come in, whether it’s the fact that they haven’t filled a position on purpose or the fact that they haven’t been able to fill a position because no one has wanted it. But the fact is that any money left over shouldn’t be seen as a reward, giving carte blanche to a way to spend it, in that by just saying, “As long as they spend within their budget,” that’s fine.
I’m of the belief that when we approve Human Resource money, it should be allocated to Human Resource money. In this particular case, if their budget isn’t allocated, I think it creates that flexibility to do those things that maybe the Minister is alluding to.
What I’m trying to stress here is the fact that, as well, we have unfunded positions. I’m not saying I’m against them, though it may sound like it. I wouldn’t want to give you that sort of taste in your mouth, that that’s my position. It’s not necessarily that; it’s the fact they’re not on the books that causes me concern. When we talk about not funding positions properly, that causes me concern, and that also causes me concern from a management point of view. When you’re budgeting these things, have you budgeted them properly? That, I think, comes into question.
So, Mr. Chairman, there’s no question to this; whether the Minister wants to comment or not would be his choice. But, that said, my issue with it is that we fully account for positions that we employ people for and they get recognized. My fear is that positions that may or may not be left vacant are there, and that money is being used outside of what I would describe as the human resource process, which I think it should be allocated for.