Financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2024

Statement of management responsibility including internal control over financial reporting

Responsibility for the integrity and objectivity of the accompanying financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2024, and all information contained in these statements rests with the management of the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying (OCL). These financial statements have been prepared by management using the Government of Canada's accounting policies, which are based on Canadian public sector accounting standards. 

Management is responsible for the integrity and objectivity of the information in these financial statements. Some of the information in the financial statements is based on management's best estimates and judgment, and gives due consideration to materiality. To fulfill its accounting and reporting responsibilities, management maintains a set of accounts that provides a centralized record of the OCL's financial transactions. Financial information submitted in the preparation of the Public Accounts of Canada, and included in the OCL's Departmental Results Report, is consistent with these financial statements.

Management is also responsible for maintaining an effective system of internal control over financial reporting (ICFR) designed to provide reasonable assurance that financial information is reliable, that assets are safeguarded and that transactions are properly authorized and recorded in accordance with the Financial Administration Act and other applicable legislation, regulations, authorities and policies.

Management seeks to ensure the objectivity and integrity of data in its financial statements through careful selection, training and development of qualified staff; through organizational arrangements that provide appropriate divisions of responsibility; through communication programs aimed at ensuring that regulations, policies, standards, and managerial authorities are understood throughout the OCL and through conducting an annual risk-based assessment of the effectiveness of the system of ICFR. 

The system of lCFR is designed to mitigate risks to a reasonable level based on an ongoing process to identify key risks, to assess effectiveness of associated key controls, and to make any necessary adjustments. A risk-based assessment of the system of ICFR for the year ended March 31, 2024 was completed in accordance with the Treasury Board Policy on Financial Management and the results and action plans are summarized in the annex. 

The effectiveness and adequacy of the OCL's system of internal control is reviewed by an independent Audit and Evaluation Committee, which oversees management's responsibilities for maintaining adequate control systems and the quality of financial reporting, and which recommends for approval the financial statements to the Commissioner of Lobbying. 

The Office of the Auditor General, the independent auditor for the Government of Canada, has expressed an opinion on the fair presentation of the financial statements of the OCL which does not include an audit opinion on the annual assessment of the effectiveness of the OCL's internal controls over financial reporting. 

Ottawa, Canada
September 10, 2024

Independent auditor's report

To the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Speaker of the Senate

Report on the audit of the financial statements

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying (the OCL), which comprise the statement of financial position as at 31 March 2024, and the statement of operations and net financial position, statement of change in net debt and statement of cash flows for the year then ended, and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies. 

In our opinion, the accompanying financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the OCL as at 31 March 2024, and the results of its operations, changes in its net debt, and its cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with Canadian public sector accounting standards. 

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements section of our report. We are independent of the OCL in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in Canada, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. 

Responsibilities of management and those charged with governance for the financial statements

Management is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the financial statements in accordance with Canadian public sector accounting standards, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, management is responsible for assessing the OCL's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless management either intends to liquidate the OCL or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.

Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the OCL’s financial reporting process.

Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

As part of an audit in accordance with Canadian generally accepted auditing standards, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. We also:

• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control. 
• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the internal control.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by management.
• Conclude on the appropriateness of management s use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the  ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor s report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the OCL to cease to continue as a going concern. 
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

Report on compliance with specified authorities

Opinion

In conjunction with the audit of the financial statements, we have audited transactions of the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying coming to our notice for compliance with specified authorities. The specified authorities against which compliance was audited are the Financial Administration Act and regulations, and the Lobbying Act.

In our opinion, the transactions of the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying that came to our notice during the audit of the financial statements have complied, in all material respects, with the specified authorities referred to above.

Responsibilities of management for compliance with specified authorities

Management is responsible for the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying's compliance with the specified authorities named above, and for such internal control as management determines is necessary to enable the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying to comply with the specified authorities.

Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of compliance with specified authorities

Our audit responsibilities include planning and performing procedures to provide an audit opinion and reporting on whether the transactions coming to our notice during the audit of the financial statements are in compliance with the specified authorities referred to above.

Riowen Yves Abgrall, CPA, CA
Principal
for the Auditor General of Canada

Ottawa, Canada
10 September 2024

Statement of financial position

Contingent liabilities (note 8)

Contractual obligations (note 9)

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

Ottawa, Canada
September 10, 2024

Segmented information (note 11)

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

The accompanying notes form an integral part of these financial statements.

Notes to the financial statements for the year ended March 31

1. Authority and objectives

The mandate of the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying (OCL) is to support the Commissioner in administering the Lobbying Act (the Act) and to ensure compliance with the Lobbyists' Code of Conduct (the Code).

Regulation of lobbying

The purpose of the Lobbying Act and the Lobbyists' Code of Conduct is to provide a regime for the transparent and ethical lobbying of public office holders. This regime contributes to public confidence in the integrity of decision making by public office holders. The mandate of the Commissioner of Lobbying is to establish and maintain the Registry of Lobbyists, ensure compliance with the Act and the Code, and develop and implement educational programs to foster awareness about the Act and the Code.

Internal Services

Internal Services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided to a specific program, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. The groups of activities are Management and Oversight Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Materiel Services; and Acquisition Services.

2. Summary of significant accounting policies

These financial statements are prepared using the Government of Canada's accounting policies stated below, which are based on Canadian public sector accounting standards. The presentation and results using the stated accounting policies do not result in any significant differences from Canadian public sector accounting standards.

Significant accounting policies are as follows:

(a) Parliamentary authorities

The OCL is financed by the Government of Canada through Parliamentary authorities. Financial reporting of authorities provided to the OCL do not parallel financial reporting according to generally accepted accounting principles since authorities are primarily based on cash flow requirements. Consequently, items recognized in the Statement of Operations and Net Financial Position and in the Statement of Financial Position are not necessarily the same as those provided through authorities from Parliament. Note 3 provides a reconciliation between the bases of reporting. The planned results amounts in the Expenses section of the Statement of Operations and Net Financial Position are the amounts reported in the future-oriented Statement of Operations included in the 2023-24 Departmental Plan. The planned results amounts in the "Government funding and transfers" section of the Statement of Operations and Net Financial Position and in the Statement of Change in Net Debt were prepared for internal management purposes and have not been previously published.

(b) Net cash provided by Government

The OCL operates within the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), which is administered by the Receiver General for Canada. All cash received by the OCL is deposited to the CRF, and all cash disbursements made by the OCL are paid from the CRF. The net cash provided by Government of Canada is the difference between all cash receipts and all cash disbursements, including transactions between departments of the Government.

(c) Amounts due from or to the CRF

Amounts due from the CRF are the result of timing differences at year-end between when a transaction affects authorities and when it is processed through the CRF. Amounts due from the CRF represent the net amount of cash that the OCL is entitled to draw from the CRF without further authorities to discharge its liabilities.

(d) Expenses

• Vacation pay and compensatory leave are accrued as the benefits are earned by employees under their respective terms of employment.
• Services provided without charge by other government departments for accommodation, employer's contributions to the health and dental insurance plans and audit services are recorded as operating expenses at their carrying amount.

(e) Employee future benefits

• Pension benefits: Eligible employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan (Plan), a multiemployer pension plan administered by the Government of Canada. The OCL's contributions to the Plan are charged to expenses in the year incurred and represent the total OCL obligation to the Plan. The OCL's responsibility with regard to the Plan is limited to its contributions. Actuarial surpluses or deficiencies are recognized in the financial statements of the Government of Canada, as the Plan's sponsor.
• Severance benefits: The accumulation of severance benefits for voluntary departures ceased for applicable employee groups. The remaining obligation for employees who did not withdraw benefits is calculated using information derived from the results of the actuarially determined liability for employee severance benefits for the Government as a whole. 

(f) Financial Instruments

A contract establishing a financial instrument creates, at its inception, rights, and obligations to receive or deliver economic benefits. The financial assets and financial liabilities portray these rights and obligations in the financial statements. The OCL recognizes a financial instrument when it becomes a party to a financial instrument contract.

The OCL's financial instruments consist of accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities. All financial assets and liabilities are recorded at cost or amortized cost. Any associated transaction costs are added to the carrying value upon initial recognition. Accounts receivable are stated at the lower of cost and net recoverable value. A valuation allowance is recorded for accounts receivable where recovery is considered uncertain. Credit risk is the risk that one party to a financial instrument will cause a financial loss for the other party by failing to discharge an obligation. The Office is not exposed to significant credit risk. Accounts receivable are due on demand. The majority of accounts receivable are due from other Government of Canada departments and organizations where there is minimal potential risk of loss. The maximum exposure the Office has to credit risk is equal to the carrying value of its accounts receivable. 

(g) Non-financial assets

The costs of acquiring land, buildings, equipment, and other capital property are capitalized as tangible capital assets and, except for land, are amortized to expense over the estimated useful lives of the assets, as described in Note 7.

(h) Contingent liabilities

Contingent liabilities, which may become actual liabilities when one or more future events occur or fail to occur. If the future event is likely to occur or fail to occur, and a reasonable estimate of the loss can be made, a provision is accrued, and an expense recorded to other expenses. If the likelihood is not determinable or an amount cannot be reasonably estimated, the contingency is disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.

(i) Measurement uncertainty

Inter-entity transactions

The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported and disclosed amounts of assets, liabilities, and expenses reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes at March 31. The estimates are based on facts and circumstances, historical experience, general economic conditions and reflect the OCL's best estimate of the related amount at the end of the reporting period. The most significant items where estimates are used are the liability for employee future benefits and the useful life of tangible capital assets.

Actual results could significantly differ from those estimated. Management's estimates are reviewed periodically and, as adjustments become necessary, they are recorded in the financial statements in the year they become known.

(j) Related Party Transactions

Related party transactions, other than inter-entity transactions, are recorded at the exchange amount.

Inter-entity transactions are transactions between commonly controlled entities. Inter-entity transactions, other than restructuring transactions, are recorded on a gross basis, and are measured at the carrying amount, except for the following: 

1. Services provided on a recovery basis are recognized as expenses on a gross basis and measured at the exchange 
   amount.
2. Certain services received on a without charge basis are recorded for departmental financial statement purposes at the carrying amount.

3. Parliamentary authorities

The OCL receives its funding through annual parliamentary authorities. Items recognized in the Statement of Operations and Net Financial Position and the Statement of Financial Position in one year may be funded through parliamentary authorities in prior, current or future years. Accordingly, the OCL has different net results of operations for the year on a government funding basis than on an accrual accounting basis. The differences are reconciled in the following tables:

4. Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

The following table presents details of the OCL's accounts payable and accrued liabilities:

5. Employee future benefits

(a) Pension benefits

The OCL's employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan (Plan), which is sponsored and administered by the Government of Canada. Pension benefits accrue up to a maximum period of 35 years at a rate of 2 percent per year of pensionable service, times the average of the best five consecutive years of earnings. The benefits are integrated with Canada/Quebec Pension Plans benefits and they are indexed to inflation.

Both the employees and the OCL contribute to the cost of the Plan. Due to the amendment of the Public Service Superannuation Act following the implementation of provisions related to Economic Action Plan 2012, employee contributors have been divided into two groups - Group 1 relates to existing plan members as of December 31, 2012 and Group 2 relates to members joining the Plan as of January 1, 2013. Each group has a distinct contribution rate. 

The 2023-24 expense amounts to $313,559 ($291,639 in 2022-23). For Group 1 members, the expense represents approximately 1.02 times (1.02 times in 2022-23) the employee contributions and, for Group 2 members, approximately 1.00 times (I times in 2022-23) the employee contributions.

The OCL's responsibility with regard to the Plan is limited to its contributions. Actuarial surpluses or deficiencies are recognized in the consolidated financial statements of the Government of Canada, as the Plan's sponsor.

(b) Severance benefits

Severance benefits provided to the Department's employees were previously based on an employee's eligibility, years of service and salary at termination of employment. However, since 2011 the accumulation of severance benefits for voluntary departures progressively ceased for substantially all employees. Employees subject to these changes were given the option to be paid the full or partial value of benefits earned to date or collect the full or remaining value of benefits upon departure from the public service. By March 31, 2024, substantially all settlements for immediate cash out were completed. Severance benefits are unfunded and, consequently, the outstanding obligation will be paid from future authorities.

The changes in the obligations during the year were as follows:

6. Accounts receivable and advances

The following table presents details of the OCL's accounts receivable and advances balances:

7. Tangible capital assets

Amortization of tangible capital assets is done on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the asset as follows:

Assets under construction are recorded in the applicable asset class in the year they are put into service and are not amortized until they are put into service.

The Acquisition of tangible capital assets and the Increase in accounts payable and accrued liabilities, presented in the Statement of Cash Flows as $354,850 and $211,951 respectively, excludes $24,73 I in relation to acquisitions of tangible capital assets in 2023-24 that remain to be paid as at March 31, 2024. On March 31, 2023, this amount was $34,492 and it was paid in 2023-24. This amount is included in the March 31, 2024 Statement of Cash Flows.

8. Contingent liabilities

any other reasons. No contingent liabilities are recognized in the OCL' s financial statements for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, and there are no claims outstanding as at March 31, 2024.

9. Contractual obligations

The nature of the OCL's activities can result in some multi-year contracts and obligations whereby the OCL will be obligated to make future payments when the goods or services are received. These obligations include service contracts and equipment rental. Significant contractual obligations that can be reasonably estimated are summarized as follows:

10. Related party transactions

The OCL is related as a result of common ownership to all government departments, agencies, and Crown corporations. Related parties also include individuals who are members of key management personnel (KMP) or close family members of those individuals, and entities controlled by, or under shared control of, a member of key management personnel or a close family member of that individual. The OCL has defined its KMP to be the Commissioner, the Executive Director of Corporate Services and the Chief Financial Officer. No transactions outside the normal course of business involving KMP or their close family members were identified in 2023-24 ($0 in 2022-23). 

The OCL enters into transactions with these entities in the normal course of business and on normal trade terms. 

(a) Services provided without charge by other government departments

During the year, the OCL received services without charge from certain common service organizations, related to accommodation, the employer's contribution to the health and dental insurance plans and audit services. These services provided without charge have been recorded at the carrying value in the OCL's Statement of Operations and Net Financial Position as follows: 

The Government has centralized some of its administrative activities for efficiency, cost-effectiveness purposes and economic delivery of programs to the public. As a result, the Government uses central agencies and common service organizations so that one department performs services for all other departments and agencies without charge. The costs of these services, such as the payroll and cheque issuance services provided by Public Services and Procurement Canada are not included in the OCL's Statement of Operations and Net Financial Position.

11. Segmented information

Presentation by segment is based on the OCL's core responsibilities. The presentation by segment is based on the same accounting policies as described in the Summary of significant accounting policies in note 2. The following table presents the expenses incurred for the main core responsibilities, by major expense object. The segment results for the period are as follows: