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MINISTER’S MESSAGE

Christian Paradis

I am pleased to present the Departmental Performance Report for Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) for the year ending March 31, 2008.

During this past year, Public Works and Government Services Canada continued to deliver high-quality services and programs to meet the needs of federal organizations and ensure sound stewardship on behalf of Canadians.

We are ensuring this country’s many small and medium enterprises have open and fair access to government contracts. By improving procurement instruments and providing a broad range of services, PWGSC is promoting fairness and accessibility for Canadian businesses from coast-to-coast.

PWGSC is also making military procurement faster and more efficient, enabling us to meet the safety and security needs of our soldiers. This year alone saw the procurement of, among other things, 17 tactical aircraft, the delivery of four strategic airlifts and the maintenance and modernization of Canada’s 12 frigates.

PWGSC has also taken a number of measures to fulfill the government’s commitments under the Federal Accountability Act including the introduction of a Code of Conduct for Procurement and the establishment of the Office of the Procurement Ombudsman. The department is also moving forward with its commitment to reduce public opinion research expenditures by $10 million.

As part of our ongoing efforts to provide sound and transparent management of real property, PWGSC this year concluded the sale-leaseback of seven federal office properties. This $1.41-billion transaction will produce positive long-term benefits for Canadians.

By the same token, PWGSC continued with the renovation of our historic Parliamentary Precinct, working not only to preserve and enhance the beauty of these national treasures but also to meet the needs of a functioning Parliament as well.

Finally, PWGSC is doing its part to ensure Canada remains green and healthy for generations to come. Our efforts include contributing to the clean up of the Sydney Tar Ponds and constructing and renovating green buildings from sea-to-sea.

In conclusion, Public Works and Government Services Canada has continued to excel in government operations on behalf of all Canadians.

The original version was signed by:

The Honourable Christian Paradis

MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATION STATEMENT

François Guimond

I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2007-2008 Departmental Performance Report for Public Works and Government Services Canada.

This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in the Guide to the Preparation of Part III of the 2007-08 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 Strategic Outcomes 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.

The original version was signed by

François Guimont
Deputy Minister of Public Works and Government Services


DEPARTMENTAL OVERVIEW

Summary Information

Our Vision - To excel in government operations.

Our Mission - To deliver high-quality services and programs that meet the needs of federal organizations and ensure sound stewardship on behalf of Canadians.

Our Business - PWGSC has annual expenditures of approximately $5.2 billion and employs about 13,000 people. We provide a wide range of services such as purchasing goods and services, managing the government’s accommodations and real estate portfolio including restoration of the Parliament Buildings, pay and compensation, Information Technology (IT), as well as industrial security, audit and linguistic services.

Our Strategic Outcomes – PWGSC has two strategic outcomes: Quality Services and Sound Stewardship. Our focus on Quality Services and Sound Stewardship contributes directly and indirectly to the Government of Canada’s four strategic outcome areas: those related to economic, social, international and government affairs. (See Canada’s Performance 2007 at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/reports-rapports/cp-rc/index-eng.asp). The program activities that support our strategic outcomes are outlined below.


PWGSC - 2007-2008 Program Activity Architecture

Quality Services

Departments and agencies benefit from a range of efficient government-wide central services.

 

Sound Stewardship

Canadians benefit from the application of sound stewardship and oversight in the provision of government-wide central services.

(16 Program Activities)

  1. Federal Accommodation and Holdings
  2. Real Property Services Revolving Fund
  3. Real Property Disposition Revolving Fund
  4. Acquisition Services
  5. Optional Services Revolving Fund
  6. Defence Production Revolving Fund
  7. IM/IT Services
  8. Telecommunications Services Revolving Fund
  9. Receiver General Services
  10. Public Service Compensation Services
  11. Government Information Services
  12. Consulting and Audit Canada Revolving Fund
  13. Business Integration Services
  14. Translation and Interpretation to Parliament, Conference Interpretation, Terminology
  15. Translation Bureau Revolving Fund
  16. Greening Government Operations Services

(10 Program Activities)

  1. Real Property Stewardship
  2. Supply Operations Stewardship
  3. IM/IT Stewardship
  4. Receiver General Stewardship
  5. Public Service Pay Stewardship
  6. Public Service Pension Stewardship
  7. Government Information Stewardship
  8. Business Integration – Performance Management
  9. Translation Stewardship
  10. Greening Government Operations Stewardship

Note 1: For details of the PWGSC 2007-2008 Program Activity Architecture (PAA), including sub-activities, see http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/reports/.

Note 2: The Corporate Management Program Activity is on-line and may be found at http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/reports/. Following a re-organization in May 2007, the Business Integration - Client Relations Management Program Activity was eliminated.


Financial and Human Resources

(in millions of dollars)


    2007-2008
  Actual 2006-2007 Main Estimates Planned Spending Total Authorities Actual
GOVERNMENT SERVICES PROGRAM          
Operating (including Special Purpose Allotments), Capital, Grants and Contributions and Statutory Votes          
Federal Accommodation and Holdings(Note 1) 1,728.3 1,868.5 2,306.1 1,672.1 1,521.0
Real Property Services Revolving Fund - - - - (0.5)
Real Property Disposition Revolving Fund (6.1) (8.0) (8.0) (8.0) (8.7)
Acquisition Services 169.5 149.3 151.0 161.6 164.7
Optional Services Revolving Fund (0.9) - - - (3.3)
Defence Production Revolving Fund - - - - -
IM/IT Services 259.0 136.4 182.0 217.1 214.7
Telecommunications Services Revolving Fund (6.8) - - - (0.7)
Receiver General Services 7.3 8.6 8.7 8.6 7.8
Public Service Compensation Services 1.9 1.7 1.8 2.3 2.1
Government Information Services 30.8 25.2 30.1 13.2 14.5
Consulting and Audit Canada Revolving Fund (0.5) - - - -
Business Integration Services 15.5 7.5 7.5 18.3 16.4
Translation and Interpretation to Parliament, Conference Interpretation, Terminology 58.2 55.7 55.7 57.7 57.8
Translation Bureau Revolving Fund 4.6 - - 6.2 3.3
Greening Government Operations Services - - - 10.6 10.2
Total Quality Services 2,260.8 2,244.9 2,734.9 2,159.7 1,999.3
Real Property Stewardship 51.3 41.8 42.2 73.0 67.1
Supply Operations Stewardship 64.4 28.2 57.2 62.8 47.4
IM/IT Stewardship 14.2 13.3 13.5 17.7 13.9
Receiver General Stewardship 128.0 130.3 130.5 131.1 126.6
Public Service Pay Stewardship 31.9 26.6 26.9 38.0 36.7
Public Service Pension Stewardship 23.3 17.8 19.0 24.8 23.3
Government Information Stewardship 20.3 17.5 17.5 22.1 21.5
Business Integration - Performance Management 6.1 4.5 4.4 7.0 7.0
Translation Stewardship 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4
Greening Government Operations Stewardship 0.7 6.4 5.7 3.0 2.7
Total Sound Stewardship 342.6 288.8 319.3 381.9 348.6
Gross Expenditures 5,031.2 4,622.3 5,142.9 5,227.5 5,225.7
Less: Respendable Revenues 2,427.9 2,088.6 2,088.7 2,685.9 2,877.7
DEPARTMENT TOTAL 2,603.4 2,533.7 3,054.2 2,541.7 2,347.9
Less: Non-Respendable revenues 63.8 20.9 20.9 1,417.3 1,417.3
Plus: Cost of services received without charge 60.2 38.3 38.3 53.8 53.8
NET COST OF DEPARTMENT 2,599.8 2,551.1 3,071.6 1,178.2 984.4
FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTS (FTEs) 12,338 12,718 11,870 12,581 12,764

Note 1: The variance between authorities and actual spending is due to uncontrollable and unpredictable nature of the real property activities that impact the delivery of some projects such as: market fluctuations driving the price of commodities; weather conditions impacting the consumption of utilities and the delivery of some projects; delays in the delivery of several repair and Sustainable Development Strategy projects; reduction of rental payments resulting from lease negotiations and also, reduction in Payments In Lieu of Taxes due to revised valuation. It is also attributable to capital projects that could not be implemented according to schedule because of contractor delays, or contractor delivery issues.
Note 2: Totals may not add up due to rounding.


 

Operating Environment

PWGSC is the Government of Canada’s principal provider of common and central services. We support the daily operations of 125 federal departments and agencies, and administer the legislative and policy requirements of 19 Acts of Parliament (see Section IV for details).

Our operating environment is influenced by the priorities of government and the service demands of our client departments and agencies.

PWGSC’s work in meeting the government’s priorities has focused on: supporting the government’s “Canada First” Defence Strategy in the area of military procurement; advancing the government’s environmental agenda in the area of greening of government operations; and, supporting the implementation of the Federal Accountability Act with the introduction of a Code of Conduct for Procurement, and the appointment of a Procurement Ombudsman.

Various areas of PWGSC's business have been strongly influenced by external conditions. Some key examples are: the ongoing engagement of our forces in Afghanistan, which has significantly increased our activities in the area of military procurement and the associated demands for high standards of timeliness, efficiency and quality; the high demand for construction services and the related skilled labour, particularly in western Canada, which has led to challenges in carrying out work in the area of real property; and the low number of translators emerging from university and college programs compared to the demand, which poses ongoing challenges to our recruitment efforts in this area.

The principal internal factor affecting PWGSC is the challenge posed by our aging workforce and the related need to attract highly skilled professionals. We are facing a significant loss of professional and technical expertise in a wide range of disciplines, such as translation, accounting, engineering, Information Technology, and procurement. We must address workforce renewal in order to continue providing the highest quality services to our clients and Canadians.
Results for Canadians
PWGSC Strategic Outcomes
Quality Services Sound Stewardship
Accommodated 241,000 federal employees at more than 1,800 locations.
Purchased over $12 billion worth of goods and services with about 60,000 procurement transactions.
Provided IT services to 125 departments and agencies.
Started the rehabilitation of the Parliament Buildings.
Worked towards modernizing pension and pay systems.
Continued leading federal government involvement in remediation of the Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Oven sites.
Completed the sale/leaseback of seven office properties, creating $1.41 billion in revenues.
Published the Canada Gazette, the official journal of the Government of Canada, which is consulted by people in more than 200 countries worldwide.
Provided Parliament and its committees with translation and interpretation services for over 1,500 sessions.
Introduced an on-line inquiry service to immediately confirm the status of personnel security clearances.

Continued using Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Rating System for federal office buildings; began third-party assessment of environmental performance.
Introduced green procurement plans for 31 categories of goods and services, representing $2.3 billion in spending.
Introduced a Code of Conduct for Procurement and appointed a Procurement Ombudsman.
Through the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises, helped 18,000 enterprises do business with the federal government.
Adopted a risk-based approach to looking at the total cost of ownership when making real property decisions for long-term office accommodation.
Handled $1.6 trillion in Receiver General cash flow, involving 255 million payments in almost 150 countries.
Administered compensation for over 318,000 government pay accounts and 342,000 pensioner accounts, issuing approximately 13.5 million payments.
Provided Public Opinion Research services used by 45 departments and agencies: Advertising Coordination for 68 institutions.


Our 2007-2008 Performance

Our 2007-2008 Report on Plans and Priorities identified four priorities:

  • Continuing to transform our business so that we can deliver services faster, smarter and at reduced cost, while improving accountability of our operations;
  • Supporting the government’s agenda, particularly in key areas such as military procurement, security, accountability and the environment;
  • Managing effectively our major projects of national importance, notably the extensive renovations to the Parliamentary Precinct; and
  • Continuing to deliver the full range of common and central services to departments and agencies.

The following lists the highlights of our 2007-2008 performance results for these priorities:

  • We continued to lead procurement renewal, improving government-wide procurement of goods and services by enhancing guidelines, processes, tools and instruments. For example, along with client departments, we improved procurement instruments such as standing offers and supply arrangements. We also developed preliminary government price indices to track price variations of five selected commodities in order to ensure that government receives best-value procurement. Additional price indices are being developed.
  • In the area of real property, we completed the sale-leaseback of seven office properties for $1.41 billion. We also adopted a new business model applying industry best practices to manage our real property services, thereby reducing long-term financial risks to the government by transferring these to the private sector. In addition, we achieved savings of more than $160 million in real property management.
  • Information technology services were provided to 125 departments and agencies without a single significant operational incident during the entire year, an excellent achievement demonstrating high service excellence. In the area of IT shared services, we continued with our vision to become the centre of excellence for the delivery of IT shared services to government; and to build a common IT infrastructure across government. Five departments and agencies participated in our IT shared services pilot project, which offered great potential to be applied progressively to all departments and agencies. PWGSC has sought TB Approval for a Data Centre Consolidation project, which will result in significant cost savings as well as improved security and reduction in power consumption.
  • In 2007-2008, we obtained approval for the modernization of the Government of Canada’s public service pension administration. Central to this effort will be the replacement of a 40 year-old system with sustainable and modern technology, which will enable industry-standard levels of service and new business processes. A similar modernization is being considered for the Public Service Pay system.
  • We supported the “Canada First” Defence Strategy by placing special emphasis on making military procurement more efficient. Greater interdepartmental cooperation has resulted in significant reductions in procurement times for military equipment, thereby providing improved support to Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan.
  • As part of the Federal Accountability Act, we assisted in the establishment of the Office of the Procurement Ombudsman to provide a neutral forum to address the concerns of suppliers. This office became fully operational in May 2008. We also introduced a Code of Conduct for Procurement, which provides a concise statement of acceptable conduct, when contracting with the government, to ensure that both government employees and suppliers share the same expectations and commitments.
  • In support of the Federal Accountability Act, and its accompanying Action Plan, the Minister of PWGSC and the President of the Treasury Board announced the appointment of an independent advisor, in April 2007, to conduct a full review of government public opinion research (POR) activities. We supported the work of the Independent Advisor, whose report was released along with the government’s response in December 2007. We also supported development of additional measures to improve POR oversight, planning and expenditure control, which will help support the government’s plan to cut POR expenditures by $10 million in 2008-2009.
  • As part of our responsibilities for industrial security, we responded to all recommendations from the Auditor General’s 2007 Report – Chapter on Safeguarding Government Information and Assets in Contracting. We strengthened the Industrial Security Program by: undertaking a third-party management review of program operations; creating a new industrial security management board for advice and oversight; and completing a business improvement project to automate data transfer between procurement and security information systems.
  • We led the greening of government operations, working closely with other departments to develop government-wide policies and strategies for sustainable buildings, green procurement and the measurement of environmental performance improvement. PWGSC led the Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens hazardous site clean-up in a joint effort between Canada and Nova Scotia. We also worked with the Canada Green Building Council to develop a new rating system that evaluates a building’s life-cycle, consulted federal departments on electronic waste disposal, and implemented our new Policy on Green Procurement.
  • In June 2007, the government approved the revised Long-Term Vision and Plan for the Parliamentary Precinct. This plan adopts a more accountable and strategic approach to the renovation and restoration of the buildings on Parliament Hill. The first five-year program of work focuses on stabilization and preparation of the West Block for major renovations and preservation work on the East and Centre Blocks.
  • Over the last ten years, federal, provincial and territorial governments have jointly collaborated in the Bulk Purchasing of Drugs and Vaccines Program, resulting in reduced health care costs for Canadians. In 2007-2008, two long-term contracts were signed to supply pertussis-containing vaccines, saving federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions in excess of $82 million. This program has grown by more than 500% since its inception.
  • We modernized our linguistic services, introduced new technologies, and expanded the scope of our offerings so that more Canadians can participate in the democratic process of our nation. We implemented a voice recognition system that will provide Francophones, who are hard of hearing, with access to live broadcasts of Question Period. We provided translation and interpretation services for more than 1,500 sessions of Parliament and its committees, as well as 1.5 million pages of translation for other federal organizations, at some 60 points of service across Canada.
  • We placed increased emphasis on improving the management structures, tools and processes to drive quality and efficiencies into all facets of our operations. We have also made improvements to our performance measurement framework and upgraded our financial management system (SIGMA) in order to provide consistent and integrated financial information. We also established a procurement oversight committee to ensure due diligence in our departmental procurement plans and activities.
  • We developed a five-point human resources plan and renewal strategy, which included the recruitment of more than 360 new post-secondary graduates.

Lessons Learned

During 2007-2008, PWGSC identified a number of key lessons learned which we will incorporate into our future strategic planning efforts, including:

  • Engagement - A key lesson learned from our transformation initiatives was the importance of consulting early and often with stakeholders, ensuring a shared understanding of our goals and implementation plans. Much of PWGSC's business activities are carried out in conjunction with client departments, who have their own role to play in the process, and with our suppliers. Since successful partnership requires a shared understanding of priorities and directions, we have worked hard over the past year to engage clients and to ensure their views are reflected in our strategies and plans.

  • Managing for Quality - Our work to improve service to clients and provide good value to Canadians has led to a focus on improving our tools and processes. These include items such as procurement manuals, contract oversight, project management, technical training, and other tools and activities essential to our business. By building quality into these fundamentals, we can ensure quality outputs, with fewer errors, and greater efficiency.

    Our Management Accountability Framework (MAF) is part of our effort to improve quality. We are taking steps to improve our use of different departmental planning, performance measurement and reporting tools, as well as different change management frameworks and diagnostic tools used in human resources management. Results of our efforts were evident in the department’s annual MAF assessment, with improved ratings in 11 of 20 areas of management in 2007-2008.

  • Renewing our Workforce – An important lesson learned during 2007-2008 is that renewal of our workforce has been, and will continue to be, a challenging priority for PWGSC. We must confront the major risks posed by increasing retirements, changing demographics, and growing demands for leading-edge knowledge and skills. Over the coming years, we must also continue our renewal efforts to recruit, develop and retain the people that PWGSC needs to strategically support the public service of the future. In doing so, PWGSC will be supporting the Clerk of the Privy Council’s priority on Public Service Renewal.

2007-2008 Summary – Planned and Actual Results

Key Planned Results

Actual Performance Results

Real Property
  • Five-year savings of $1.025 billion: $150 million in each of the first two years (2005-2007), and $170 million in 2007-2008.
  • Achieved savings of $160 million for 2007-2008, from the five-year savings of $1.025 billion. This represents $142 million of efficiencies within PWGSC and $18 million attributable to organizations that reimburse PWGSC for services. As a result, we have achieved 77% of our five-year targets in just over three years ($792 million of $1.025 billion).
  • Review the recommendations from the study of 40 properties within PWGSC’s Crown-owned real property portfolio to determine the most cost-effective and efficient way to provide accommodation while generating savings.
  • Completed the sale and 25-year leaseback of seven federal office buildings for $1.41 billion.
  • Reduce the average space per Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) employee from the 2005-2006 baseline of 21.4 to 18.4 m2 by March 2011.
  • As of 2007-2008, space has been reduced to 19.6 m2/FTE.
  • Continue to implement the National Capital Area Accommodations Strategy of a 75/25 distribution ratio for Ontario and Quebec.
  • In 2007-2008, this ratio was 77/23. Competitions for the development of new Gatineau office space were announced in 2007 as part of the commitment to achieving the 75/25 target. These new buildings will be operational in September 2011 and leased for a 25-year term.
Acquisitions
  • Implement a Code of Conduct for Procurement.
  • The Code of Conduct for Procurement was introduced in September 2007.
  • Create savings for government’s annual expenses for travel and hotel accommodation and associated administrative support through the Shared Travel Services Initiative (STSI).
  • Estimated STSI savings for 2007-2008 are 3% for accommodation services, and 4% for car rental services.
  • Increase the number of suppliers registered on the Supplier Registration Information (SRI) service.
  • During 2007-2008, the number of companies registered on SRI increased by 8.16%.
  • Increase our efforts to involve suppliers and give them more time to adjust to changes with respect to Procurement Transformation.
  • During 2007-2008, PWGSC assisted approximately 18,000 Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) representatives.
  • Work with the Department of National Defence (DND) to address the pressing recruitment, retention and training challenges for military procurement and project management.
  • PWGSC worked with DND to develop an integrated strategy, addressing challenges facing the federal procurement community involved in military procurement, including a proposal to harmonize an intern officer program with the professional development program at DND.
Information Technology Services
  • Increase the number of organizations participating in a shared services approach in the area of Information Technology (IT) over the next five years.
  • Actions taken included: initiation of a client portfolio framework; establishment of an IT-Shared Services Council; and strengthening of product governance resulting in a 12% growth in shared services.
  • Work with public and private partners to ensure that we have the needed internal expertise to create new enterprise-wide shared IT products and services.
  • An integrated human resources plan was approved, a mentoring program was launched, individuals were sponsored in graduate studies, recruitment initiatives both internal and external were undertaken and a Workplace of Choice program was implemented coast to coast.
  • Move the Secure Channel to a full cost-recovery mode of operations.
  • The Secure Channel is now on full cost-recovery.
  • Finalize an agreement with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for data centres facilities management.
  • Completed a Letter of Intent with the CRA to partner in Data Centre Consolidation. Further actions will be undertaken in 2008-2009 on data centre facilities and funding.
  • Continuing to work with partners responsible for delivering and managing IT infrastructure and shared services to ensure better technology and business alignment.
  • Process and technology improvements were made. IT services were aligned to the Treasury Board Secretariat Profile, the Product Maturity Index was significantly improved, the business process model was finalized and the newly implemented PWGSC financial system will permit more analysis of the cost-effectiveness of each product.

Receiver General/Public Service Compensation

  • Continue to modernize the Public Accounts of Canada to provide the government with better information to manage its finances.
  • Continued to improve reporting to Parliament and to the public, particularly for the production of the Monthly Statements of Financial Operations, which bettered the target of an average 25 working days after month-end. The 2006-2007 Public Accounts of Canada were produced in compliance with the established schedule.
  • Continue to expand the use of direct deposit in Canada and abroad.
  • In 2007-2008, 70.8% of payments were made electronically. Direct deposit participation increased by 5.3 million for a total of 172 million direct deposit payments, an increase of 2.7% over the previous year. This method of payment was established in 14 additional countries. The direct deposit program eliminated approximately 2,500 metric tonnes of paper last year, saving approximately 60,000 trees.
  • Continue to work with the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) in its insurance renewal initiative, which will modernize the delivery of federal government benefit programs. In 2007-2008, a new service delivery model will be completed using current and enhanced systems to prepare for the requirement to enrol members in two additional plans – the Public Service Health Care and the Public Service Dental Care plans.
  • A proposed service delivery model to address insurance renewal for three plans: the Public Service Health Care Plan; the Public Service Dental Care Plan; and the Pensioners Dental Service Plan, was presented to TBS. In September 2007, TBS re-evaluated its original renewal plans and changed its scope to include the Public Service Health Care Plan only and to address specific issues. Additional recommendations will be made to TBS in 2008.
  • Broaden the existing PWGSC pay administration services, to generate significant government-wide operational savings, especially in employee and manager self-service capabilities.
  • In 2007-2008, two payroll-benchmarking studies were conducted with the TBS requirement to include a jurisdictional analysis as part of the business case. The Pay Modernization Project team also initiated discussions with other key stakeholders to look at possible options to resolve the crisis in the federal government compensation community.
  • Centralize pension services currently provided by compensation advisors in more than 100 departments and agencies to address the significant impact of retirement and resulting decline of compensation expertise.
  • Pension centralization is progressing and the delivery within PWGSC is consolidating. The Division of Pension Benefits and Pension Transfers has been centralized and in 2007-2008 retirement planning information sessions were completed. The level of client satisfaction for these services has increased from 66% to an average of 79%.
Consulting, Information and Shared Services
  • Collaborate with the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) on the development of a revised Communications Policy and Directives and Government Security Policy.
  • Clarified roles and responsibilities related to advertising, public opinion research, publishing, and exhibitions for inclusion in the revised government Communications Policy and Directives. Introduced amendments encouraging use of ethnic and non-traditional media in advertising. Also clarified roles and responsibilities for the Industrial Security Program in the development of the revised Government Security Policy.
  • Industrial Security Sector (ISS) to implement a secure on-line inquiry service for private sector and departmental clients to verify the status of their personnel security clearance requests held in the ISS database.
  • The on-line inquiry service was released in October 2007. By March 31, 2008, nearly 3,000 new users from industry and government had performed over 32,000 searches to immediately confirm the status of personnel security clearances.
  • ISS to participate in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Real Time Identification (RTID) initiative.
  • ISS continued to improve the security clearance process by preparing for the implementation of the RCMP Real Time Identification initiative. Upon activation, the system will enable the electronic transmission of fingerprints directly to the RCMP, thereby significantly reducing security clearance turnaround times.
  • Implement an action plan to integrate the electronic advertising information system with the production of the Annual Report on Government of Canada Advertising Activities.
  • Upgraded the Advertising Management Information System (AdMIS). The upgrades improved accuracy and timeliness of expenditure reporting. This provided departments with the ability to monitor their expenditures and provide accurate year-end data in support of the Annual Report on Advertising Activities.
  • Assist in developing standards and benchmarks on survey quality by Public Opinion Research and Advertising Coordination‘s newly established advisory panel.
  • In addition to previous work on telephone survey quality, established an advisory panel to assist in developing standards and benchmarks for on-line research. The panel produced recommendations on new on-line survey standards for Government of Canada surveys. These standards will be incorporated into renewed contracting tools planned for 2008-2009.
Audit Services Canada
  • Continue to work with the Office of the Comptroller General (OCG) to strengthen the internal audit capacity of government.
  • $3 million Memorandum of Understanding with the OCG to assist with the Management Accountability Framework (MAF) Round 5 and OCG Horizontal Audits.
  • Develop a communications strategy with our clients to ensure awareness of our services, strengths and value proposition, as well as improve relations with our staff from coast to coast to promote organizational cohesiveness.
  • Strategy developed and implemented.
Translation Bureau
  • Begin the implementation phase of the debates captioning system in the House of Commons.
  • Since October 22, 2007, Francophones who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can follow live broadcasts of Question Period in the House of Commons thanks to a voice recognition closed captioning system.
  • Represent Canada at major national and international language forums and on standardization networks and committees, such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
  • We added 12 new forums and national and international standardization committees, including ISO’s new technical committee for the production of international and linguistic standards.
  • Work with federal partners to strengthen career opportunities in the language professions, to attract more students and thus guarantee security of supply in the long term.
  • PWGSC has been actively promoting the language professions to young people at the college and upper secondary levels in those provinces whose universities offer language study programs.
  • Special attention will be given to recruitment and training of translators in specialized areas or those areas experiencing critical shortages.
  • Approximately one-third of the 100 or so recruits were assigned to scientific, technical or legal translation units, thereby reinforcing capacity in specialized areas and areas experiencing critical shortages.
Greening of Government Operations
  • Work with Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) and our clients to develop policies and performance measures to green government operations.
  • PWGSC has worked with TBS, Natural Resources Canada, Environment Canada and other federal departments to develop and bring forward a renewed policy framework for greening government operations aimed at clarifying accountabilities, and improving performance monitoring.
  • Increase capacity to measure, monitor and report on government-wide environmental performance improvement.
  • PWGSC initiated discussions on a government-wide performance measurement and reporting strategy that will be developed in consultation with TBS, Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada and other federal departments.
  • Work with other departments, including Environment Canada and Natural Resources Canada, to develop a government-wide strategy for the environmentally sound management of electronic waste.
  • Strategy development is ongoing. Context changes have necessitated development and assessment of new options.
  • Develop the Sustainable Buildings Policy, and implement it by 2010, to achieve cost-effective environmental performance throughout the PWGSC portfolio by means of life-cycle analysis and environmental performance assessment tools.
  • Extensive research has been completed that will contribute to the development of this policy.

Note 1: PWGSC’s planned results, identified in our 2007-2008 Report on Plans and Priorities, were all or mostly met during the reporting period. Section II provides further details.

Note 2: The full Detailed Table of Planned and Actual Results may be viewed on-line at http://www.pwgsc.gc.ca/reports/text/dpr_2007-2008/rpe-cpt-e.html.