Status of Women Canada

www.swc-cfc.gc.ca

Common menu bar

• Français
• Home
• Contact Us
• Help
• Search
• canada.gc.ca

Breadcrumb

1. Home >
2. Planning and Reporting >
3. Financial Statements

Planning and Reporting

Financial Statements

2011-2012
Status of Women Canada

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, 2012, and all information contained in these statements rests with the management of Status of Women Canada. These financial statements have been prepared by management using the Government'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 Status of Women Canada’s financial transactions. Financial information submitted in the preparation of the Public Accounts of Canada, and included in Status of Women Canada’s Departmental Performance 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 Status of Women Canada and through conducting an annual risk-based assessment of the effectiveness of the system of ICFR.

The system of ICFR 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.

Status of Women Canada is subject to periodic Core Control Audits performed by the Office of the Comptroller General and uses the results of such audits to comply with the Treasury Board Policy on Internal Control.

A Core Control Audit was performed in 2011-2012 by the Office of the Comptroller General of Canada (OCG). The Audit Report and related Management Action Plan are posted on the departmental web site at http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/account-resp/pr/cca-vmc/index-eng.html.

The financial statements of Status of Women Canada have not been audited.

August 22, 2012

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

August 22, 2012

Segmented information (note 9)

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

Status of Women Canada
Notes to the Financial Statements (Unaudited)
For the Year Ended March 31

1. Authority and Objectives

Status of Women Canada (SWC) was established by the Government of Canada in 1976 to "co-ordinate policy with respect to the status of women and administer related program" (Order in Council 1976-779). The mandate of SWC is further guided by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, as well as by Canada's adherence to the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. SWC plays a key role in fulfilling the Government of Canada's commitment to building a society that is inclusive and respectful of all Canadians by promoting equality and the full participation of women in Canada.

Strategic Outcome: Equality for women and their full participation in the economic, social, and democratic life of Canada. To achieve real progress on gender equality, SWC is firmly committed to consulting and acting in partnership with non-government organizations, provincial and territorial governments, the private and voluntary sectors and international organizations.

Program Activities

• Women's Participation in Canadian Society: This activity strengthens women's full participation by addressing their economic and social situations and their participation in democratic life through financial and professional assistance for projects and through strategic partnerships that leverage resources involving public institutions and non-governmental organizations.
  
  
• Strategic Policy Analysis, Planning and Development: SWC develops strategic policy analysis, advice, and tools to support federal departments and central agencies in identification of policy priorities and in integrating gender-based analysis in existing and proposed policies, programs and initiatives. This is done through collaboration with other federal departments, provincial-territorial governments, civil society, and key international partners.
  
  
• 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. These groups are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Materiel Services; Acquisition Services; Travel and Other Administrative Services. Internal Services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

2. Summary of Significant accounting policies

These financial statements have been prepared using the Government’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:

1. Parliamentary authorities
   
   The Department is financed by the Government of Canada through Parliamentary authorities. Financial reporting of authorities provided to the Department 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 Departmental 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 Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position are the amounts reported in the future-oriented financial statements included in the 2011-12 Report on Plans Priorities.
   
   
2. Net Cash Provided by Government
   
   The Department operates within the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF), which is administered by the Receiver General for Canada. All cash received by the Department is deposited to the CRF and all cash disbursements made by the Department are paid from the CRF. The net cash provided by Government is the difference between all cash receipts and all cash disbursements including transactions between departments of the government.
   
   
3. Amounts due from/to the Consolidated Revenue Fund
   
   Amounts due from/to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (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 Department is entitled to draw from the CRF without further authorities to discharge its liabilities.
   
   
4. Revenues
   
   Revenues are accounted for in the period in which the underlying transaction or event occurred that gave rise to the revenues.
   
   
5. Expenses
   
   Expenses are recorded on the accrual basis:
   
   
   • Transfer payments are recorded as expenses when authorization for the payment exists and the recipient has met the eligibility criteria or the entitlements established for the transfer payment program. In situations where payments do not form part of an existing program, transfer payments are recorded as expenses when the Government announces a decision to make a non-recurring transfer, provided the enabling legislation or authorization for payment receives parliamentary approval prior to the completion of the financial statements.
     
     
   • 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 contributions to the health and dental insurance plans and legal are recorded as operating expenses at their estimated cost.
     
     
6. Employee future benefits
   
   
   1. Pension benefits: Eligible employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan, a multiemployer plan administered by the Government. The Department's contributions to the Plan are charged to expenses in the year incurred and represent the total departmental obligation to the Plan. The Department’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: Employees entitled to severance benefits under labour contracts or conditions of employment earn these benefits as services necessary to earn them are rendered. These benefits are accrued as employees render the services necessary to earn them. The obligation relating to the benefits earned by employees is calculated using information derived from the results of the actuarially determined liability for employee severance benefits for the Government as a whole.
      
      
7. Accounts receivable
   
   Accounts receivable are stated at the lower of cost and net recoverable value; a valuation allowance is recorded for receivables where recovery is considered uncertain.
   
   
8. Tangible capital assets
   
   All tangible capital assets and leasehold improvements having an initial cost of $2,500 or more are recorded at their acquisition cost. The Department does not capitalize intangibles, works of art and historical treasures that have cultural, aesthetic or historical value, assets located on Indian Reserves and museum collections.
   
   Amortization of tangible capital assets is done on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the asset as follows:
   
   

   Asset Class	Acquisition Cost equal or greater than	Amortization Period
   Machinery and equipment	$2,500	3-5 years
   Computer hardware	$2,500	3-5 years
   Computer software	$2,500	3-5 years
   Other equipment, including furniture	$2,500	3-5 years

   
   
   
9. Measurement uncertainty
   
   The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses reported in the financial statements. At the time of preparation of these statements, management believes the estimates and assumptions to be reasonable. 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.

3. Parliamentary Authorities

The Department receives most of its funding through annual Parliamentary authorities. Items recognized in the Statement of Operations and Departmental 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 Department 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:

Note 1: The $660,895 lapse in Operating expenditures includes a frozen allotment of $164,666 (funds withheld by the Treasury Board which can not be spent by Status of Women Canada), the planned carry forward of $463,489 for 2012-2013 and $32,740 as an additional carry forward for the liability from outstanding Collective Agreements.

4. Accounts payable and accrued liabilities

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

5. Employee future benefits

(a) Pension benefits

The Department's employees participate in the Public Service Pension Plan, which is sponsored and administered by the Government. 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 Plans benefits and they are indexed to inflation.

Both the employees and the Department contribute to the cost of the Plan. The 2011-12 expense amounts to $874,260 ($897,597 in 2010-11) which represents approximately 1.8 times (1.9 in 2010‑11) the contributions by employees.

The Department'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.

(b) Severance benefits

The Department provides severance benefits to its employees based on eligibility, years of service and salary at termination. These severance benefits are not pre-funded. Benefits will be paid from future authorities. Information about the severance benefits, measured as at March 31, is as follows:

As part of collective agreement negotiations with certain employee groups, and changes to conditions of employment for executives and certain non-represented employees, the accumulation of severance benefits under the employee severance pay program ceased for these employees commencing in 2012. Employees subject to these changes have been given the option to be immediately paid the full or partial value of benefits earned to date or collect the full or remaining value of benefits on termination from the public service. These changes have been reflected in the calculation of the outstanding severance benefit obligation.

6. Accounts receivable and advances

The following table presents details of the Department's accounts receivable and advance balances:

7. Tangible capital assets

(1) Adjustments reflect changes to internal coding structure

8. Related party transactions

The Department is related as a result of common ownership to all government departments, agencies, and Crown corporations. The Department enters into transactions with these entities in the normal course of business and on normal trade terms. During the year, the Department received common services which were obtained without charge from other Government departments as disclosed below.

(a) Common services provided without charge by other government departments

During the year, the Department received services without charge from certain common service organizations, related to accommodation, legal services and the employer's contribution to the health and dental insurance plans. These services provided without charge have been recorded in the Department's Statement of Operations and Departmental 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 payroll and cheque issuance services provided by Public Works and Government Services Canada and audit services provided by the Office of the Auditor General, are not included in the Department's Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position.

(b) Other transactions with related parties

Expenses and revenues disclosed in (b) exclude common services provided without charge, which are already disclosed in (a).

9. Segmented information

Presentation by segment is based on the Department's program activity architecture. 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 and revenues generated for the main program activities, by major object of expense and by major type of revenue. The segment results for the period are as follows:

10. Accounting changes

During 2011, amendments were made to Treasury Board Accounting Standard 1.2 - Departmental and Agency Financial Statements to improve financial reporting by government departments and agencies. The amendments are effective for financial reporting of fiscal years ending March 31, 2012, and later. The significant changes to the Department’s financial statements are described below. These changes have been applied retroactively, and comparative information for 2010-11 has been restated.

Net debt (calculated as liabilities less financial assets) is now presented in the Statement of Financial Position. Accompanying this change, the Department now presents a Statement of Change in Net Debt and no longer presents a Statement of Equity.

Government funding, as well as the credit related to services provided without charge by other government departments, are now recognized in the Statement of Operations and Departmental Net Financial Position below “Net cost of operations before government funding.” In previous years, the Department recognized these transactions directly in the Statement of Equity of Canada. The effect of this change was to decrease the net cost of operations after government funding by $30,838,381 for 2012 ($31,063,972 for 2011).

11. Restatement of prior year figures

The results for Note 9 (Segmented information) for the year ended March 31, 2011 have been restated to reflect the correction of an error with respect to Transfer Payment spending.

12. Comparative information

Comparative figures have been reclassified to conform to the current year’s presentation.

Navigation principale (colonne gauche)

Date Modified:

2012-11-08