Common menu bar links
Breadcrumb Trail
ARCHIVED - Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat
This page has been archived.
Archived Content
Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page.
SECTION I - OVERVIEW
Agency Head's Message
The multilateral intergovernmental conference is a key component of the Canadian federation. It is an instrument for consultation, coordination and negotiation among federal, provincial and territorial governments.
The Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat (CICS) was established pursuant to an agreement reached at the May 1973 First Ministers’ Conference. It is an agency of both the federal and provincial governments that provides administrative services for the planning and conduct of senior level federal-provincial-territorial and provincial-territorial conferences held throughout Canada.
The objective of the program is to relieve client departments, in virtually all sectors of government activity, of the numerous technical and administrative tasks associated with the planning and conduct of such conferences, thereby enabling them to concentrate on the substantive issues.
In addition to the increasingly important cost efficiencies and the significant economies of scale, which governments can achieve through the utilization of CICS, the Secretariat also offers the advantages of confidentiality, continuity, neutrality and expertise in the planning and organizing of high level intergovernmental meetings in Canada.
In 2006-2007, the Secretariat provided services to 115 senior level conferences which were held in every region of the country. Included in the above are 2 Premiers, 52 Ministerial and 61 Deputy Ministerial meetings. Of these conferences, 76 were federal-provincial-territorial and 39 were provincial-territorial. The month of June was our busiest month in fiscal year 2006-2007 with 23 conferences served followed closely by September and February with 17 meetings served respectively.
| André M. McArdle Secretary |
Management Representation Statement
I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2006-2007 Departmental Performance Report for the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat.
This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in the Guide for the Preparation of Part III of the 2006-2007 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports:
• It adheres to the specific reporting requirements outlined in the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) guidance;
• It is based on the department’s approved Program Activity Architecture structure as reflected in its Management Resources and Results Structure (MRRS);
• It presents consistent, comprehensive, balanced and reliable information;
• It provides a basis of accountability for the results achieved with the resources and authorities entrusted to it; and
• It reports finances based on approved planned spending numbers from the Treasury Board Secretariat in the Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP).
| Mara Indri-Skinner Assistant Secretary |
Summary Information
Raison d’être|
The Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat (CICS) was established pursuant to an agreement reached at the May 1973 First Ministers’ Conference and designated a department of the federal government by an Order-in-Council dated November 29, 1973. Its one-program and one-activity mandate is to provide administrative services for the planning and conduct of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers level federal-provincial-territorial and provincial-territorial conferences. The CICS is an agency of both the federal and provincial governments and, as such, acts as a neutral intergovernmental body. Its budget is supported by both orders of government and its staff includes both federal and provincial public servants. The Secretary reports to all governments annually. The operations are reviewed by federal and provincial senior officials designated by their respective First Ministers. The CICS reports to Parliament through the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada. |
Total Financial Resources for the Agency ($ millions)
2006-2007
| Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual Spending |
| 6.4 | 6.4 | 5.4 |
Total Human Resources for the Agency
2006-2007
| Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual Spending |
| 31 | 36 | 32 |
Summary of Performance in Relationship to Departmental Strategic Outcomes ($ millions)
2006-2007
| Strategic Outcome / Priorities | Type | Planned Spending | Actual Spending | Expected Results and Current Status |
| Plan, conduct, and serve 110-120 intergovernmental conferences at the most senior levels in response to requests by governments | Ongoing | 6.4 | 5.4 | 115 Senior level intergovernmental conferences were served |
Overall Agency Performance
|
The 2006-2007 fiscal year was a busy and challenging one for the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat (CICS). Requests for CICS services were received from numerous sectors of intergovernmental activities, allowing the agency to maintain its seven-year average service delivery record of supporting over one hundred senior level intergovernmental conferences per year. Conference Highlights: CICS provided its services to one hundred and fifteen senior level intergovernmental conferences in 2006-2007. Of these meetings, two were held at the level of Premiers and Territorial Leaders: Number of Conferences Served: The environment under which CICS operated in 2006-2007 was particularly challenging. There was a significant increase in events. The implications for CICS was an increase from 100 events in 2005-2006 to 115 events in 2006-2007, representing a 15% increase in the provision of conference support services. Of the many conferences served, 45 percent where at the Ministerial level and 53 percent were at the Deputy Ministerial level. It is particularly worth noting that of the many conferences served, a growing number of them, 17 percent, were held in the territories. For further performance statistics on conferences, the reader is encouraged to review SECTION IV – Other Items of Interest – Conference Related Statistics. |
Human Resource Management
A large number of public servants, both at the federal and provincial/territorial levels are expected to retire over the next decade and will need to be replaced. Competition for talent with the private sector and amongst governments is expected to intensify. As an agency of both the federal and provincial governments, drawing staff from both federal and provincial/territorial public servants, CICS will need to respond to these challenges in order to attract, retain and develop the people it needs, and to maintain a healthy and productive work place to serve the Canadian intergovernmental conference environment.