The Commissioner's Office

Office Expenditures and Staff

My budget allocation for the 2002-03 fiscal year was $921,950. Because the December 2001 amendments to the National Defence Act expanded my duties significantly, this allocation was 42 per cent greater than my budget in the previous year. The actual expenditures incurred in 2002-03 (see Annex B) were well within the budget.

During the year, my Office continued to consist of a small full-time staff. In addition, to help carry out my duties, I engaged the services of an independent legal counsel and several subject-matter experts on an ongoing basis.

Accommodation

My Office has occupied the same premises since my appointment in 1996, although by 1998 it was becoming evident that these premises offered insufficient accommodation for the staff and advisors I required to discharge my responsibilities. This situation became more acute following the additional responsibilities assigned to me by Parliament in late 2001.

In late 2002, I was advised that a larger office space was about to become available in the building that my Office has occupied since 1996. It was evident that this space would suit current requirements and also provide some flexibility for the future. My Office moved to its new location in May 2003.