Foreign Affairs spent more than $500G on furniture on March 31

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Federal records show Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly’s department spent over a half-million dollars on furniture on March 31, which is also the end of the fiscal year, reports Blacklock’s Reporter.

An Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the Commons says Joly’s department ordered more than $523,000 worth of furniture on that one day.

However, cabinet has long denied what’s called “March Madness,” which reportedly sees government departments use up unspent budgets in the final hours of the fiscal year.

“Furniture is purchased on a regular basis as part of the department’s standard furniture replacement cycle,” cabinet wrote. “The Government of Canada acquires and manages furniture in an effective and economical way.”

The Department of Foreign Affairs did not explain its sudden requirement for furniture on the final day of the fiscal year.

“In addition to providing furniture in offices, Canadian staff working abroad in some countries are also provided with furniture in their assigned staff quarters in order to carry out their work and life abroad in an efficient, economic, productive and safe manner,” said the Inquiry.

Records showed Joly’s department paid for 73 separate orders for office and residential furniture and fixtures with a total cost of $523,446 on that day.

The figures were disclosed at the request of Conservative MP Eric Melillo (Kenora, Ont.).

In a 2019 Inquiry Of Ministry, cabinet wrote contracts are issued throughout the year at a regular pace with only a moderate increase in February or March.

However, Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux has previously disputed that claim in his 2021 testimony at the Senate national finance committee.

“You spend money you have rather than let it lapse, even if you don’t absolutely need the money,” testified Giroux. “That can in some cases lead to what we call March Madness.”