Financial Statements 2019–20

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (the OCOL), which comprise the statement of financial position as at 31 March 2020, 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 OCOL as at 31 March 2020, 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 OCOL 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 OCOL’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 OCOL or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.

Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the OCOL’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 OCOL’s 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 OCOL’s 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 OCOL 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.

Opinion

In conjunction with the audit of the financial statements, we have audited transactions of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages 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 Official Languages Act.

In our opinion, the transactions of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages 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 Official Languages’ 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 Official Languages 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.

(a) Parliamentary authorities

OCOL is financed by the Government of Canada through parliamentary authorities. Financial reporting of authorities provided to OCOL 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 2019-20 Departmental Plan. The planned results amounts in the “Government funding” 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.

Liquidity risk is the risk that OCOL will encounter difficulty in meeting its obligations associated with financial liabilities. OCOL’s objective for managing liquidity risk is to manage operations and cash expenditures within the appropriation authorized by Parliament or allotment limits approved by the Treasury Board.

Each year, OCOL presents information on planned expenditures to Parliament through the tabling of Estimates publications. These estimates result in the introduction of supply bills (which, once passed into legislation, become appropriation acts) in accordance with the reporting cycle for government expenditures. OCOL exercises expenditure initiation processes such that unencumbered balances of budget allotments and appropriations are monitored and reported on a regular basis to help ensure sufficient authority remains for the entire period and appropriations are not exceeded.

Consistent with Section 32 of the Financial Administration Act, OCOL’s policy to manage liquidity risk is that no contract or other arrangement providing for a payment shall be entered into with respect to any program for which there is an appropriation by Parliament or an item included in estimates then before the House of Commons to which the payment will be charged unless there is a sufficient unencumbered balance available out of the appropriation or item to discharge any debt that, under the contract or other arrangement, will be incurred during the fiscal year in which the contract or other arrangement is entered into.

OCOL’s risk exposure and its objectives, policies and processes to manage and measure this risk did not change significantly from the prior year.

(b) Net cash provided by Government

OCOL operates within the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), which is administered by the Receiver General for Canada. All cash received by OCOL is deposited to the CRF, and all cash disbursements made by OCOL 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 of Canada.

(c) Due from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (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 OCOL is entitled to draw from the CRF without further authorities to discharge its liabilities. This amount is not considered to be a financial instrument.

(d) Expenses

Expenses are recorded on the accrual basis. Vacation pay and compensatory leave are accrued as the benefits are earned by employees under their respective terms of employment.

(e) Employee future benefits

1. Pension benefits: Eligible employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan (Plan), a multiemployer pension plan administered by the Government of Canada. OCOL’s contributions to the Plan are charged to expenses in the year incurred and represent the total obligation to the Plan. OCOL’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.
2. Severance benefits: The accumulation of severance benefits for voluntary departures ceased for applicable employee groups. Due to the size of OCOL, the remaining obligation for employees who did not withdraw benefits is calculated using employee specific information.

(f) Accounts receivable

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. OCOL is not exposed to significant credit risk. OCOL provides services to other government departments and agencies and to external parties in the normal course of business. Accounts receivable are due on demand. The majority of accounts receivable are due from other Government of Canada departments and agencies where there is minimal potential risk of loss. The maximum exposures OCOL has to credit risk equal to the carrying value of its accounts receivable.

(g) Contingent liabilities

Contingent liabilities are potential 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.

(h) Tangible capital assets

All tangible capital assets having an initial unit cost of $5,000 or more are recorded at their acquisition cost. OCOL does not capitalize intangible assets.

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

Assets under construction are recorded in the applicable capital asset class in the year they become available for use and are not amortized until they become available for use.

(j) Measurement uncertainty

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 OCOL'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 vacation pay and compensatory leave, 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.

(a) Pension benefits

OCOL’s employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan (the ''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/Québec Pension Plan benefits and they are indexed to inflation.

Both the employees and OCOL 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 related 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 2019-20 expense amounts to $1,512,375 ($1,500,977 in 2018-19). For Group 1 members, the expense represents approximately 1.01 times (1.01 times in 2018-19) the employee contributions and, for Group 2 members, approximately 1.00 time (1.00 time in 2018-19) the employee contributions.

OCOL’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 OCOL'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. As at March 31, 2020, substantially all settlements for immediate cash out were completed and the remaining obligation will be disbursed upon departure from the public service. 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:

(a) Services provided without charge from common service organizations

During the year, OCOL received services without charge from certain common services organizations and these services provided without charge have been recorded in OCOL’s Statement of Operations and Net Financial Position as follows:

(b) Other transactions with related parties

OCOL incurred expenses from transactions in the normal course of business with other government departments, agencies and Crown corporations. These expenses exclude services received without charge, which are already disclosed in section a). Other transactions with related parties are summarized below :

2.1 Internal Control Management

OCOL has a well-established governance and accountability structure to support organizational assessment efforts and oversight of its system of internal control. An organizational internal control management framework, approved by the Commissioner, is in place and includes:

• Organizational accountability structures as they relate to internal control management to support sound financial management, including roles and responsibilities of senior managers in their areas of responsibility for control management;
• Values and ethics;
• Ongoing communication and training on statutory requirements, and policies and procedures for sound financial management and control; and
• Monitoring of and regular updates on internal control management, as well as the provision of related assessment results and action plans to the Commissioner and organizational senior management and, as applicable, OCOL’s Audit and Evaluation Committee (AEC).

The AEC provides advice to the Commissioner on the adequacy and functioning of OCOL’s risk management, control and governance frameworks and processes.

2.2 Service Arrangements Relevant to Financial Statements

OCOL relies on other organizations for the processing of certain transactions that are recorded in its financial statements as follows:

4.1 Progress During Fiscal Year 2019-2020

During 2019-2020, OCOL continued to make significant progress in assessing and improving its key controls. The following table summarizes OCOL’s progress based on the plans identified in the previous fiscal year’s annex.

4.2 Status and Action Plan for the Next Fiscal Year and Subsequent Years

Starting April 1, 2021, OCOL will be transitioning from PPSC’s Common Departmental Financial System (CDFS) to the SAP financial system.  As a result, key control areas will be reviewed and changes to business processes and internal controls will be documented in 2020-2021.

The status and action plan for the completion of the identified control areas for the next fiscal year and for subsequent years are shown in the following table.

Following the transition to SAP at the beginning of 2021-2022, a risk assessment of the key control areas will be done, and this may impact the timing of the testing indicated in the table below.