The Canadian Federal Government’s Experience with Prudent Budget Planning (Working Paper 42)
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Authors
Joyce, Mike
Date
2006-10
Type
working paper
Language
en
Keyword
Prudent Budget Planning , Canadian Federal Government , Budget , Expenditure Management
Alternative Title
Abstract
The Liberal government made three significant changes to the budget process during the
twelve years that it held office (from 1993 to the election call in the winter of 2005). The
first of these changes was the formal introduction of prudent budget planning. The
second was a focus on reallocation, beginning with its 1994 Program Review initiative,
followed by a series of other measures. The third was the introduction for fiscal 2003-04
of a full accrual basis for the budget (though not, it should be noted, full accrual
budgeting) and for the Public Accounts. This paper focuses predominantly on the first of
these changes and examines its impact on the government’s budget and expenditure
management decision-making processes.