Senator Batters: From a FTE standpoint, where are we at right now? How much from the full-time equivalent standard have we increased or decreased over the last couple of years, being as we’ve had a pandemic for those two years as well?

Senator Marwah: Thank you, senator, for that question. I think last year there was an increase of six FTEs and this year there another six, of which three were for the Indigenous youth program and another three for staffing, one for communications officer that was brought back hoping that we will be full in service. There is a parliamentary. There is one staff in legal and one other staff that I don’t recall exactly what it was; 6.6 last year and 3 for administration this year.

Hon. Denise Batters: I have a question as well, if Senator Marwah —

Senator Marwah: Yes.

Senator Batters: What sort of total FTEs for Senate Administration then would there be?

Senator Marwah: I don’t have the total. I’ll gladly get that for you.

Hon. Denise Batters: Minister, last year my home province of Saskatchewan submitted its own proposal to your Trudeau government to replace the federal carbon tax. Saskatchewan’s proposal would give our province control over its own carbon pricing, while cutting emissions in the province. Your government rejected this plan, even though it was similar to the one previously proposed by New Brunswick, which the Trudeau government accepted. Saskatchewan’s Premier Moe has called this decision, “arbitrary and political.” Saskatchewan has reapplied, but your federal government says there will be no provincial carbon-pricing system decision until at least 2023.

So, Minister, the people of Saskatchewan want to know, why is there a double standard on the carbon tax? Why is this Trudeau government once again giving Saskatchewan the short end of the stick?

Senator Batters: Thank you. Senator Marwah, I may have missed this in your speech, but I did hear you say that Senate Administration costs had gone up in this particular budget $3.6 million. I point out that, of course, is despite the fact that we have had two years of a pandemic.

Could you please explain in a little bit more detail what major parts of that Senate Administration increase were?

Senator Marwah: Absolutely, senator.

I will remind you again that this is really budget to budget. Really, the savings come in much lower from an actual expense. From a budget to budget, as I mentioned, there are three categories. First is the Senate had to absorb the retroactive salary increases that we had at the beginning of last year. Second, there’s a nonrecurring saving that occurred last year but is not occurring this year because we expect we will be back to full functioning for the balance of the year.

There are some additional expenses this year, mainly for IT, and one existing position in legal affairs and one other position. Those are the three major reasons why it’s gone up year over year from a budget standpoint.