1. “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly, one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.” —Sherlock Holmes

2. What data needed? Where data obtained? What challenges faced? How to overcome challenges?

3. What data needed?

4. What does PBO do? Budgetary analysis Costing proposals and legislation Economic and fiscal forecasting

5. Budgetary analysis What data needed?

6. Budgetary analysis Definition: Evaluating budget to see if it will work or is working. The Budget Estimated spending by program activity Inflows and outflows by program activity Capital investments by program activity Staffing changes by program activity What data needed?

7. Costing proposals and legislation Sui generis Statistical data Cost data Non-cost data Technical data Definition: Estimating the costs of proposals (e.g. defence acquisitions) and legislation (e.g. changes to the Criminal Code). What data needed?

8. Economic and fiscal forecasting Macroeconomic data (GDP, inflation, interest rates, import/exports) Key assumptions of the government’s forecast Definition: Forecasting economic growth, government revenues, expenses, operating balance, debt and deficits. What data needed? Where data obtained?

9. Economic and fiscal forecasting Where data obtained? Budgetary analysis Costing proposals and legislation Economic and fiscal forecasting

10. Government departments Statistical agencies Private enterprise Public sources Government departments Statistical agencies Budgetary analysis Costing proposals and legislation Economic and fiscal forecasting What challenges faced? Where data obtained?

11. Government departments Reluctance to disclose and tendency towards secrecy What challenges faced? How to overcome challenges?

12. Government departments Develop strong, informal, working relationships at all levels Formulate requests as precise as possible but as broad as necessary Follow up judiciously and document transparently Offer alternatives when stonewalled Pursue alternative methods of obtaining data Seek alternative sources of data Report to and seek parliamentary assistance Seek judicial assistance