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Section 1 : Departmental Overview

Ministers' Message

I am pleased to present the Department of Canadian Heritage's Departmental PerformanceReportfor the fiscal year 2007–2008.

The mission of Canadian Heritage is to promote the creation of Canadian cultural content in order to provide Canadians with access to cultural experiences, foster their participation in civic life, and strengthen their connection with one another. By assisting people and groups devoted to culture, we help ensure that all Canadians have access to high‑quality Canadian works and enriching cultural experiences. We support the teaching of Canada's two official languages and the promotion of our linguistic duality. We encourage the preservation of Aboriginal languages and cultures and the celebration of pluralism in Canada and the world. We seek to connect Canadians to one another and their communities. In addition, we encourage people of all ages to practise sport, and we provide Canadian athletes the means to pursue their quest for excellence.

The Department of Canadian Heritage was responsible for multiculturalism for the 2007-2008 fiscal year; therefore, this report includes multiculturalism activities related to the promotion of intercultural understanding and participation in community and civic life. I am very proud of the results achieved by a very dedicated staff and committed partners. At the same time, I would like to note that as of October 30, 2008, this responsibility became part of the mandate of the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism.

One of the highlights of the last year was undoubtedly the 400th anniversary of the founding of Québec City. It was in 1608, when Québec City was founded, that we truly began our journey to become what we are today. The city's foundation also marks the foundation of Canada. We provided $40 million toward the festivities and supported many activities that gave Canadians the opportunity to take part in celebrations in their region.

As well, legislation was passed to establish a new national museum, the first one in more than 40 years and the first to be located outside the National Capital Region. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights will help promote respect for others and encourage reflection and dialogue.

In the area of culture, we created the Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program. Under this program, a yearly amount of $30 million is being provided for community arts and heritage activities. In addition, through the Arts Presentation Canada program, we have supported professional arts festivals that foster community involvement.

We met our commitment to propose to Parliament updates to the Copyright Act that would adapt the legislation to advances in technology and bring it into line with current international standards. We proposed amendments to the Act to balance the interests of Canadians who use digital technology and those who create protected work.

We also continued our efforts to promote the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Last December, we hosted the first session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Moreover, we contribute to UNESCO's International Fund for Cultural Diversity, which assists with implementation of the Convention.

An enormous amount of work has been done in the area of official languages and linguistic duality. Following consultations held across Canada, we carried out the preparatory work for the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008–2013: Acting for the Future. Our efforts also resulted in the creation of the Program to Support Linguistic Rights, which stresses better understanding of language rights and focuses on mediation and consensus-based justice.

Last February, the countdown began—two years to the opening of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler. The Government of Canada is working tirelessly to make these truly Canada's Games. We are also supporting our summer‑sport athletes and are very proud of all of our athletes for their achievements and success at the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games in Beijing. They competed against the best in the world and represented Canada with distinction. Through the Road to Excellence initiative, enhanced summer-sport funding is being provided to targeted athletes and sports having the greatest potential to achieve podium results and add to Canada's future Summer Olympic and Paralympic success.

These achievements have been made possible by the Department's employees, by Canadian Heritage Portfolio organizations, and by all those who are committed to supporting our heritage, our two official languages, our diversity, and the vitality of communities throughout our country. As Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, I look forward to ensuring that this remarkable work continues in the coming year.

1.2 Management Representation Statement

I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2007–2008 Departmental Performance Report for the Department of Canadian Heritage. This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in the Guide for the Preparation of Part III of the 2007–2008 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports: it adheres to the specific reporting requirements outlined in the Treasury Board Secretariat guidance; it is based on the Department's approved Strategic Outcome(s) and Program Activity Architecture that were approved by the Treasury Board; 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 numbers from the Estimates and the Public Accounts of Canada.

Original Signed by Judith A. LaRocque Deputy Minister Department of Canadian Heritage

September 17, 2008 Date

1.3. Program Activity Architecture

The Program Activity Architecture (PAA) is a structured inventory of the Department of Canadian Heritage's programs. These programs are arranged hierarchically to show the logical relationship between each program activity, its sub- and sub-sub-program activity levels and the Department's Strategic Outcomes to which they contribute. The PAA provides an overview of how the Department's programs and activities are linked and how their expected results help fulfill the Department's mandate and achieve its Strategic Outcomes. The PAA provides a skeleton structure to which financial and non-financial performance information are linked.

The Department of Canadian Heritage's PAA (that was effective from April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008) was anchored by two Strategic Outcomes:

• Canadians express and share their diverse cultural experiences with each other and the world.
  
  
• Canadians live in an inclusive society built on intercultural understanding and citizen participation.

These Strategic Outcomes and related Program Activities are aligned with Government of Canada priorities as expressed in a number of key Government of Canada documents, such as the Speech from the Throne, the Budget, and Canada's Performance Report, an annual report to Parliament prepared by Treasury Board Secretariat. Out of the 13 Government of Canada's Strategic Outcomes identified in Canada's Performance Report 2006–2007, two are specifically related to Canadian Heritage:

• A vibrant Canadian culture and heritage, and
  
  
• A diverse society that promotes linguistic duality and social inclusion.

A table in Section III illustrates how the Department's two Strategic Outcomes and related Program Activities align with these government-wide outcome areas over and above the ongoing delivery of its various programs and services.

Canadian Heritage's Strategic Outcomes were supported by seven Program Activities:

1. Creation of Canadian content and performance excellence.
2. Sustainability of cultural expression and participation.
3. Preservation of Canada's heritage.
4. Access and participation to Canada's cultural life.
5. Promotion of inter-cultural understanding.
6. Community development and capacity-building.
7. Participation in community and civic life.

In addition, Program Activity 8 describes Internal Services.

The following diagram depicts the Program Activity Architecture effective in 2007–2008.

1.4 Summary Information

1.4.1 Department's Reason for Existence

The Department of Canadian Heritage is responsible for formulating policies and delivering programs that help all Canadians to participate in their shared cultural and civic life. It was created in 1993 from components of former departments responsible for communications, national health and welfare, multiculturalism and citizenship, and the environment, as well as the Secretary of State.
The Department's legislative mandate is set out in the Department of Canadian Heritage Act, which offers an extensive but not exhaustive list of responsibilities for the Minister under the heading of "Canadian identity and values, cultural development, and heritage." The Department oversees the administration of a large set of governing legislation, notably: the Broadcasting Act, the Copyright Act (shared with Industry Canada), the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, the Official Languages Act (Part VII), the Museums Act, the Cultural Property Export and Import Act, the Status of the Artist Act, and the Physical Activity and Sport Act (shared with Health Canada). The Department of Canadian Heritage is specifically responsible for formulating and implementing policy related to multiculturalism, official languages, state ceremonial and protocol, Canadian symbols, and the formulating cultural policy related to copyright, foreign investment, and broadcasting.

The Department's main activities involve funding community and other third-party organizations to promote the benefits of culture, identity, and sport for Canadians. In pursuing its mission "toward a more cohesive and creative Canada," the Department works within a framework headed by two strategic outcomes:

• Strategic Outcome 1: Canadians express and share their diverse cultural experiences with each other and the world. The Department helps to ensure that Canadians can express their creativity, showcase their talents, and share their diverse experiences through the arts, heritage institutions, cultural industries, and sport activities, both professional and amateur. To achieve this outcome, the Department enacts policies and programs that seek to create an environment in which Canada's diverse voices and distinctive accent on democratic values can be strengthened and shared, both at home and abroad.
  
  
• Strategic Outcome 2: Canadians live in an inclusive society built on intercultural understanding and citizen participation. The Department seeks to respond both to certain challenges to cohesion and to the many creative opportunities that come with an increasingly diverse social fabric. To achieve this outcome, the Department provides programming in support of socio-economic inclusion for disadvantaged groups such as off-reserve Aboriginal people and official-language minority communities, but also exchange and dialogue on shared citizenship values among Canadians of all origins and backgrounds.

The Department of Canadian Heritage's two strategic outcomes are linked to the Government of Canada's overall strategic framework in the spending area "Social Affairs." (For more information, see Canada's Performance Report at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/reports-rapports/cp-rc/index-eng.asp).

• Strategic Outcome 1 is linked to a sub-area of Government spending described as "A vibrant Canadian culture and heritage." Its performance indicator is participation in cultural and heritage activities.
  
  
• Strategic Outcome 2 is linked to the sub-area "Diverse society that promotes linguistic duality and social inclusion." Its four performance indicators are: attitudes toward diversity, attitudes toward linguistic duality, volunteerism, and political participation.

More broadly, the Department of Canadian Heritage makes a strong contribution to Government of Canada social, economic, and international policy through its activities in support of dynamic cultural industries, world-class cultural institutions, and healthy communities. The Department's outcomes do much to create value and quality of life for Canadians, while attracting talent, investment, and tourism to Canada from around the world.

1.4.2 Financial Resources ($ millions)

2007–08
Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending
1,382.0	1,457.6	1,391.5

1.4.3 Human Resources (FTEs)

2007–08
Planned	Total Authorities	Actual
2 299	2 406	2 384

1.4.4 List of Departmental Priorities and Performance Status

Name	Type	Performance Status1
1. Audio-Visual Policy Framework	Ongoing	Mostly met
2. Focused Arts and Cultural Policies	Previously committed	Mostly met
3. Canada's Heritage	Previously committed	Met
4. An Inclusive and Participatory Society	Previously committed	Mostly met
5. Canada's Cultural Interests Abroad	Previously committed	Met
6. Aboriginal Languages and Cultures	Previously committed	Mostly met
7. Sport Development	Previously committed	Mostly met
8. 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games	Previously committed	Met

Priority 1: Audio-Visual Policy Framework

For the Audio-Visual Policy Framework, the primary objective continues to be making high-quality Canadian content available on radio, on television, and online. Activities in 2007–2008 focused on strengthening the Canadian audio-visual framework by improving the management and efficiency of federal institutions and policies.

The Department reviewed the December 2006 report of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission on the impact of evolving technologies on the broadcasting industry and consumer behaviour. The Minister articulated new broadcasting policy priorities in November 2007. Additional information on these priorities is included under the relevant key initiative in Section II.

The Department is continuing to work with Telefilm Canada and industry stakeholders to review and adjust the Canadian Feature Film Policy. To that end, an action plan was developed to establish an effective means of tracking and analyzing audience data.
Work continues on policy development related to international audio-visual co‑productions and is expected to be completed in 2008–2009.

Following analysis on how to centralize the certification of Canadian content, it was concluded that centralizing all certification in one organization should not proceed for strategic and operational reasons. Further, the review and modernization of the legislation for Telefilm Canada and the National Film Board was postponed.

Priority 2: Focused Arts and Cultural Policies

As technological advances open the way for innovation and renewed creativity, the Department continued to address the opportunities and the challenges amidst this rapid change. The Department carried on refining its arts and cultural policies, funding programs, and legislation to foster an environment in which Canadians, as creators and consumers, can enjoy the ongoing creation of and access to Canadian cultural content.

As set out in the Speech from the Throne (October 16, 2007) copyright reform continues to be a government priority. A bill amending the Copyright Act was drafted in 2007–2008 and introduced in June 2008, to bring the Act in line with advances in technology and with current international standards.

Public consultations were undertaken to inform the Department's review of its Canadian periodical support framework.

Priority 3: Canada's Heritage

Canadians expect that their heritage will be safeguarded for future generations and value the role that heritage institutions play in preserving and presenting Canada's history and works of art. The Department of Canadian Heritage also plays an important role in helping to support celebrations and commemorations that mark key events in Canada's history.

In 2007–2008, a new vision for national museums was inaugurated that is anchored in two key principles: that national institutions can be located anywhere in Canada and that their activities can be enhanced through public-private collaboration. In Budget 2008, the Government reinvested in the four existing national museums to address operating and infrastructure pressures. In March 2008, Royal Assent was given to legislation amending the Museums Act to establish the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, which will be the first national museum to be located outside the National Capital Region and which will benefit from significant contributions from the private sector and other orders of government. In keeping with this new vision, the Government also launched a Request for Proposals to establish Library and Archives Canada's Portrait Gallery in one of nine cities across the country.

The Government also placed new emphasis on small and mid-sized museums with the announcement in Budget 2007 of $5 million in new annual investment in summer internships for young people. The Department was able to make these funds available to museums in time to benefit their summer 2008 activities. Other grants and contributions programs in the Department for which museums of all sizes are eligible continued to enable institutions to carry out projects such as developing and circulating travelling exhibits, and enhancing their excellence in caring for collections. The Government also supports museums through measures other than direct funding, such as special tax incentives designed to encourage donations and sales of outstanding heritage to public institutions and the indemnification of major travelling exhibitions.

The two national centers of excellence located in the Department, the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) and the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN), provided leadership, expert services and training to museums and heritage volunteers and professionals across the country.

CHIN uses advanced technologies to support both professional learning in digital content and public access to the rich and diverse online content created by its 1 300 member museums across the country. The CCI laboratories returned to full function in 2007–2008 and CCI implemented a new comprehensive service framework. Its highly successful Symposium 2007: Preserving Aboriginal Heritage drew almost 400 participants from around the world. It became the basis for a report on best practices which will be published in 2008–2009.

The Department is reviewing the Cultural Property Export and Import Act to identify areas in which it may need to be modernized. Consultations with stakeholders took place in 2007–2008.

The Department also coordinated the federal contribution to the celebration of the 400^th Anniversary of Québec City. Celebrations and commemorations were held in Québec and across the country.

Priority 4: An Inclusive and Participatory Society

Canada's ability to leverage the benefits of diversity depends on its success at ensuring that all citizens have the opportunity to participate economically, socially, politically and culturally in Canada. The Department aims to identify the barriers to full participation in Canadian society and work towards addressing them through targeted interventions.

With respect to second-language learning and minority-language education, the Department continues to implement the agreements signed with the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada, and with the provinces and territories. The Department also continued to develop new tools to support federal institutions in implementing the obligations under Part VII of the Official Languages Act.

The Department continues to encourage greater participation by cultural communities through targeted and effective partnerships with federal institutions. New priorities for the Multiculturalism Program were defined that focus on promoting economic, social and cultural integration, mentorship, leadership and civic education; and inter-cultural understanding and Canadian values. A performance-reporting framework was established to monitor the implementation of Canada's Action Plan against Racism.

The details and preparation for the implementation of the Community Historical Recognition Program and the National Historical Recognition Program were completed, and both programs were launched in May 2008.

The Department of Canadian Heritage continues to collaborate with the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) to address the challenges facing the network of Friendship Centres and to ensure their long-term sustainability. The NAFC has begun implementing a four-point plan that focuses on securing sustainable core funding, increased private-sector partnerships and investments, innovative approaches to working with government, and more effective partnerships with national Aboriginal organizations.

Priority 5: Canada's Cultural Interests Abroad

The Department of Canadian Heritage is committed to working in close collaboration with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada to lead initiatives that will support its key international objectives, showcase Canadian excellence abroad, to expand foreign opportunities for Canadian cultural trade and expertise, ensure effective representation of Canadian cultural interests and policy in international trade negotiations, promote the importance of the diversity of cultural expressions, and foster democracy and pluralism by sharing Canadian experiences and best practices in the areas of culture, sport, identity, and governance.

Changes were made to the Trade Routes Contributions Program (TRCP) to speed up the application processing and reduce client response times. Clients are now better able to plan their activities and arrange project funding. Through the TRCP market development component, the Department also provided support that enabled Canadian arts and cultural businesses to pursue business opportunities in international markets.

Canada continues to play a leadership role in promoting the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and the Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Canada was elected to the Intergovernmental Committee established by the Convention and hosted the first session of the Committee in Ottawa in December 2007.

The Department is preparing for Canada's participation in Expo 2010 in Shanghai. A collaborative agreement was secured with the Cirque du Soleil for the creative design and public presentation aspects of the Canada Pavilion.

Priority 6: Aboriginal Languages and Cultures

The Aboriginal Languages and Cultures priority seeks to develop long-term strategies for preserving and promoting Aboriginal languages and cultures. The development of strategic language plans by national First Nation, Inuit and Métis organizations was initiated. Once completed, these plans will inform federal strategies and options in support of Aboriginal languages.

Priority 7: Sport Development

The Department seeks to enhance opportunities for Canadians to participate and excel in sport through program support to the national sport community and through collaborative efforts with the provinces and territories. Staging the Canada Games and hosting international sport events in Canada also help provide such opportunities.

A new Hosting Policy came into effect on January 1, 2008, with additional funds. By 2011–2012, these funds will reach $13.9 million annually in available contributions for hosting international sport events in Canada.

Priority 8: 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games

In 2010, Canada will welcome the world to Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia, for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Working with a broad spectrum of partners and with other government departments, the Department of Canadian Heritage contributes to the success of the 2010 Winter Games, by enhancing Canada's profile, advancing federal policies, and delivering essential federal services, so that these games will bring credit to Canada internationally and make Canadians proud.

The 2010 Federal Secretariat continued to provide leadership and coordination support to federal departments and partners to support and contribute to these objectives.

1.4.5 Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Program Activities	Expected Results	Performance Status	2007–2008 ($ millions)		Contributes to the Following Priorities
			Planned Spending	Actual Spending
Strategic Outcome 1: Canadians express and share their diverse cultural experiences with each other and the world.
1. Creation of Canadian content and performance excellence.	Canadian content reflective of Canada's diverse society is created and produced for domestic and international markets. Canadians excel domestically and internationally in culture and sport.	Mostly met	342.6	342.8	Priorities 1 and  7
2. Sustainability of cultural expression and participation.	Vibrant cultural and sport sectors in which Canadian cultural expression and participation can thrive and remain relevant at home and abroad.	Mostly met	217.2	245.5	Priorities 1, 2, 3, 5, 8
3. Preservation of Canada's heritage.	Canada's diverse heritage is preserved.	Mostly met	43.0	43.8	Priorities 3 and 6
4. Access and participation in Canada's cultural life.	Canadians have access to and participate in a diverse range of Canadian cultural experiences.	Mostly met	185.4	167.3	Priorities 2 and 3
Strategic Outcome 2: Canadians live in an inclusive society built on intercultural understanding and citizen participation
5. Promotion of inter-cultural understanding.	By promoting inter-cultural understanding, the Department fosters a society where Canadians interact across diverse communities and value the diversity and linguistic duality of Canadian society.	Mostly met	121.6	136.7	Priority 4
6. Community development and capacity-building.	The cultural vitality of Canada's official-languages minority communities and Aboriginal communities is advanced.	Met	250.1	247.9	Priority 4
7. Participation in community and civic life.	Canadians become more engaged in Canada's communities and civic life.	Mostly met	222.1	207.5	Priorities  3, 4, 5, 7, 8

The following table demonstrates how each of the eight priorities link to the Department's key initiatives as described in Section II.

Departmental Priorities, Program Activities and Key Initiatives at a Glance
Priority	Program Activity	Key Initiatives
1. Audio-Visual Policy Framework	Creation of Canadian Content and Performance Excellence Sustainability of Cultural Expression and Participation	1, 4, 5, 6, 13
2. Focused Arts and Cultural Policies	Sustainability of Cultural Expression and Participation Access and Participation in Canada's Cultural Life	11, 18, 19
3. Canada's Heritage	Sustainability of Cultural Expression and Participation Preservation of Canada's Heritage Access and Participation in Canada's Cultural Life Participation in Community and Civic Life	7, 8, 14, 15, 16, 20, 27
4. An Inclusive and Participatory Society	Promotion of Inter-cultural Understanding Community Development and Capacity-Building Participation in Community and Civic Life	21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26
5. Canada's Cultural Interests Abroad	Sustainability of Cultural Expression and Participation Participation in Community and Civic Life	10, 12, 28
6. Aboriginal Languages and Cultures	Preservation of Canada's Heritage	17
7. Sport Development	Creation of Canadian Content and Performance Excellence Participation in Community and Civic Life	2, 3
8. 2010 Games	Sustainability of Cultural Expression and Participation Participation in Community and Civic Life	29 (or 9)

1.4.6 Context and Operating Environment

Context

Canadian Heritage finds itself at the confluence of several important phenomena that include rapidly changing demographics, transformative digital technologies, and unprecedented opportunities to showcase Canada internationally.

Canadians, whether newcomers or born in Canada, contribute to the diverse linguistic, cultural and religious fabric of our society. Although our diversity can challenge Canadian society with the risk of polarization and fragmentation between and among communities, it holds tremendous potential for boosting Canada's economic competitiveness, cultural wealth, and international image.

The facts tell the story. Demographically, Canadians continue to age, diversify, and urbanize. In 2006, approximately 80% of Canadians lived in urban areas². A record 13.7% of Canadians were aged 65 or over, and a record low of 17.7% were under 15 years of age.³

Immigration is regarded as an important component for maintaining a healthy population growth and meeting anticipated labour shortages. Newcomers accounted for about two-thirds of the population growth between 2001 and 2006.⁴ At these rates, newcomers could account for virtually all net labour force growth by 2011.⁵

Canada 's Aboriginal population is growing faster than the general population, increasing by 20.1% from 2001 to 2006, comprising 3.8% of the Canadian population. Urban Aboriginal communities are growing at an advanced pace and currently 54% of Aboriginal Canadians live in urban areas.⁶

Canada is also becoming much more multilingual, with over 200 languages spoken and 20% of Canadians identifying their mother tongue as being other than English or French. It remains that more than 98% of Canadians can speak either English or French, or both.⁷

Today's pluralistic Canada presents new citizenship and identity challenges. While many members of Canada's diverse communities fully participate in all aspects of Canadian life, others encounter barriers to their full social, economic and cultural participation. Indeed, Canadians today are asking whether living side-by-side is enough and if there should not be greater emphasis on living together and affirming what we share in common as Canadians.

One way in which we share in our diversity is through our consumption of cultural content and participation in cultural activities. Over the last 10 years Canadian household spending on culture has grown from $13.6 billion to an estimated $18.9 billion.⁸

Average household spending on culture has increased 20% from $1,243 to $1,495 over this same period. In 2007, this expenditure was widely distributed across numerous cultural goods and services including broadcasting (32%), written media (26%), film and music (21%), and visual and performing arts (12%).⁹

Canadian attendance of at least one type of arts or cultural event or activity has also increased from 78% in 2001 to 86% in 2007. Furthermore in 2007, 69% of Canadians attended a live performance (compared to 65% in 2001) while 53% of Canadians attended a festival. In light of growing attendance, it is not surprising that 94% of Canadians agree that arts and culture make a community a better place to live.¹⁰ The Department of Canadian Heritage programs supporting live performing arts and festivals further access to cultural activities that enrich the lives of Canadians.

Rapid technological changes are transforming the dissemination of cultural products while they provide opportunities for Canadians to consume and participate in culture online. Today, three in four adult Canadians are online. This percentage has increased from 72% in 2004¹¹ to 76% in 2007¹². The average amount of time spent online has increased from 13 hours per week in 2004 to 17 hours per week in 2007.¹³

Canadian youth are leading the consumption of online culture and communications products. The variety of applications that youth use to support their communication, research and entertainment has grown significantly. For instance, Internet use is almost universal among Canadian youth, with 96% of 12 to 17 year-olds online.¹⁴

Overall, the cultural sector plays an important multi-faceted role in creating cultural content, promoting social cohesion and contributing to the Canadian economy. The cultural sector and its related industries continue to play a significant role in our economy contributing over $46 billion to the Canadian economy in 2007 (roughly 3.8 percent of total GDP) and employing more than 1.1 million Canadians.

Canada's athletes, artists and creators are international ambassadors who showcase Canada to the world. Today's globally integrated economy is providing an increasing number of opportunities for greater international engagement, allowing the Government to achieve domestic objectives while promoting the interests of Canada abroad.

Hosting international sport events is one such opportunity. Hosting these events provides Canadian athletes access to upgraded facilities, modern equipment and a higher level of competition. Also, hosting events such as the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver and Whistler yields significant, economic, social, sport and cultural benefits to Canadians.

Internal Context

The Department of Canadian Heritage encourages access to and participation in our country's cultural and civic life. The Department delivers over 60 programs. These programs support Canadians in sharing their cultural experiences with each other and with the world, and in living in an inclusive society based on intercultural understanding and citizen participation.

The Department provides financial assistance through grants and contributions, directly or indirectly, to individuals, institutions, community organizations, not-for-profit organizations, and other orders of government. The Department has established and closely adheres to a Grants and Contributions Management Policy, in accordance with Treasury Board policies, founded on principles of sound justification, reasonable analysis, and accountability. Programs are managed in accordance with a legislative and strategic framework that encompasses the Financial Administration Act, the Official Languages Act, and Treasury Board Secretariat policies such as the Policy on Transfer Payments, the Policy on Payables at Year-End, and the Official Languages Policy Framework.

The Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women and Minister for La Francophonie is accountable to Parliament for the department and 19 other organizations (see Appendix B) that make up the Canadian Heritage Portfolio.

The portfolio organizations involve these policy areas: museums and heritage, audio-visual, arts, human rights, and human resources. The Minister is accountable to Parliament for the overall policies and priorities that guide the Portfolio and for the resources allocated to all organizations. In this context, the Minister is responsible for providing general direction to achieve good governance, coherent coordination of policy, legislation, and the Government's programs. The relationship between the Minister and the organizations is generally "arm's length", relative to their day-to-day operations and programming decisions, albeit this relationship differs depending on the nature of the organization.

The Department and its Portfolio continue to operate in a context of enhanced accountability, with an emphasis on value-for-money that is consistent with significant new Government measures to ensure financial responsibility and public sector integrity.

To this end, the Department of Canadian Heritage has taken an integrated approach to risk management across the organization by working to identify, detail and mitigate key risk areas identified within its Corporate Risk Profile. To address corporate risks, the Department made the strengthening of management practices one of the five priorities outlined in its 2008–2009 Report on Plans and Priorities.

In 2007–2008, the Department did significant work to review its current activities and renew its Program Activity Architecture (PAA). The new PAA for 2009–2010 is designed to address the need for financial and non-financial information in compliance with the new legislation, with the Management, Resources, and Results Structure (MRRS) Policy, and with results-based management. It will also provide the Department with improved performance-based data and information in support of program evaluations, especially in relation to programs' success, cost-effectiveness, and value for money.

To support its new PAA, the Department also began to develop its Performance Management Framework (PMF) for 2009–2010. The PMF is a management tool that provides an objective basis for collecting information supporting the intended results. The PMF links program results to the departmental Strategic Outcomes outlined in the PAA. Performance measures are developed for each level of the PAA.

To support implementation of the PAA/PMF, the Department's results-based management agenda required the development of a robust integrated planning and reporting infrastructure, including committees, processes, systems, tools, training and communication. To respond effectively to the pending information requirements of the PAA/PMF, the Department proactively began to develop its Integrated Business Planning Strategy (IBP). The IBP is a process by which the Department will continue to synchronize its business activities, resources and support functions for effective and efficient delivery of expected results.

Government Announcements

A number of announcements in Budget 2008 have impacted the Department, such as:

• Official Languages: The Budget reaffirms the commitment made in the last Speech from the Throne regarding the renewal of the Action Plan for Official Languages. Building on this commitment, the Government of Canada announced in June 2008 the Roadmap for Canada's Linguistic Duality 2008–2013: Acting for the Future, which invests $1.1 billion to strengthen, adapt and modernize a variety of existing initiatives aimed at promoting the country's linguistic duality.
  
  
• Summer Sport Excellence: Budget 2008 provides funding of $24 million over the next two years and $24 million per year ongoing to support the Road to Excellence program for summer sport athletes.
  
  
• 2010 Torch Relays: Budget 2008 provides $25 million in fiscal year 2009–2010 to make Torch Relays the centrepiece of the Government's outreach to communities across the country as part of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, through relay-related celebrations and other activities to build community and national pride.
  
  
• Initiatives related to Canadian Heritage presented in the Budget are expected to be funded with monies reallocated from the Strategic Review proposals made by departments and agencies or by other funding.

Strategic Review

As part of the government-wide Strategic Review exercise, the Department of Canadian Heritage was asked to conduct an in-depth review of the relevance and performance of all its programs. The results of the Strategic Review were submitted to the Treasury Board and to Cabinet in proposal form.

Many of the decisions made by the Treasury Board were announced in Budget 2008. Programs that have fulfilled their original objectives have been discontinued, and others have been eliminated or reduced to ensure value for money. Reporting on all decisions will be part of the Department's usual reporting cycles.

¹The performance status "mostly met" is used to indicate that significant progress has been made towards achieving the expected results under a Departmental Priority or a Program Activity. It takes into consideration the results achieved under the key initiatives described in Section II.

² Human Resources and Social Development Canada. Indicators of Well-being in Canada (Geographic Distribution)

http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/indicator.jsp?lang=en&indicatorid=34#MOREON_2

³Statistics Canada. Portraitof the Canadian Population in 2006, by Age and Sex: National portrait. http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/analysis/agesex/NatlPortrait2.cfm

⁴ Statistics Canada. Immigration in Canada: A Portrait of the Foreign-born Population, 2006 Census: Immigration: Driver of population growth.

http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/analysis/immcit/foreign_born.cfm

⁵ Statistics Canada. The Daily - Study: Canada's immigrant labour market, September 10, 2007, http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/070910/d070910a.htm

⁶ Human Resources and Social Development Canada. Indicators of Well-being in Canada (Aboriginal Population)http://www4.hrsdc.gc.ca/indicator.jsp?lang=en&indicatorid=36

⁷ Statistics Canada. The Evolving Linguistic Portrait, 2006 Census:Highlightshttp://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/analysis/language/highlights.cfm

⁸ These figures are stated in constant 2002 dollars. The Conference Board of Canada. Valuing Culture: Measuring and Understanding Canada's Creative Economy,2008, p. 26.

⁹ The Conference Board of Canada. Valuing Culture: Measuring and Understanding Canada's Creative Economy,2008

¹⁰ Phoenix Strategic Perspectives. A Report for the Department of Canadian Heritage: The Arts and Heritage in Canada - Access and Availability 2007.

¹¹ Canadian Internet Project. Canada Online – A comparative analysis of Internet users and non-users in Canada and the world: Behaviour, attitudes and trends, 2004, p. 5. http://www.cipic.ca/en/documents/Canada%20Online%20Final%20English%20Version%2010302005.pdf

¹² Canadian Internet Project II 2007, "Canada Online! The Internet, media and emerging technologies: Users, attitudes, trends and international comparisons", section 3, p. 2.

¹³ Ibid., p. 1.

¹⁴ Ibid., p. 1.

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