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Section I – Overview

Chief Electoral Officer's Message

In 2008–09, Elections Canada faced challenges but also showed its strengths as an organization. The year saw our country’s third general election in little more than four years and the first since I was appointed Chief Electoral Officer of Canada in February 2007. Like the previous two elections, it resulted in a minority government – an outcome that continues the pressure to which the agency has been subject in recent years.

Under its mandate, the agency must be prepared at all times to conduct an electoral event. In the past fiscal year, it clearly demonstrated that it is fulfilling that part of its mandate. During the year, Elections Canada was ready when called upon to conduct four by‑elections, which were eventually superseded when Parliament was dissolved on September 7, 2008. The agency was equally ready to conduct the 40th general election, launched on that date.

Our post-event evaluations indicated that the agency was largely successful in its delivery of the 40th general election. This was the first general election in which electors had to prove identity and address before voting. Elections Canada implemented several measures to ensure that electors were informed of the new requirements and would not experience delays at the polling stations. While the conduct of the election was a success overall, there were some areas of concern. These are matters to which the agency will give attention in the 2009–10 fiscal year, particularly as I prepare my report to Parliament with recommendations for legislative changes.

In the past fiscal year, the agency also began implementing its Strategic Plan 2008–2013. This plan guides Elections Canada’s change agenda, with the aim of improving the way we carry out our business. However, because of the timing of the 40th general election, some of the initiatives planned for 2008–09 were delayed or could not be completed.

I wish to thank the public and private sector organizations and the individuals who helped Elections Canada fulfill its mandate in 2008–09 – particularly the 308 returning officers, the thousands of workers in the general election and Elections Canada’s dedicated staff. With their steady contribution, I am confident that we will continue meeting the high expectations of Canadians.

____________________________
Marc Mayrand
Chief Electoral Officer of Canada

Summary Information

Raison d’être

The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, commonly known as Elections Canada, is an independent, non-partisan agency that reports directly to Parliament. Its mandate is to:

• be prepared at all times to conduct a federal general election, by‑election or referendum
• administer the political financing provisions of the Canada Elections Act
• monitor compliance with and enforce electoral legislation
• conduct voter education and information programs
• provide support to the independent commissions in charge of adjusting the boundaries of federal electoral districts following each decennial census
• carry out studies on alternative voting methods and, with the approval of Parliament, test on-line voting processes for future use during electoral events

In fulfilling its mandate, Elections Canada appoints, trains and supports 308 returning officers and retains the services of 30 field liaison officers across Canada. It maintains the National Register of Electors, as well as electoral geography information that provides the basis for preparing maps and other geographic products used during electoral events.

The agency also:

• registers political entities, including political parties, electoral district associations, candidates, leadership contestants, third parties that engage in election advertising and referendum committees
• administers the allowances, reimbursements and subsidies paid to eligible candidates, registered political parties and auditors
• monitors compliance with the Canada Elections Act, including compliance with political financing rules, during and between elections
• discloses information on registered parties and electoral district associations, registered parties’ nomination and leadership contestants, candidates, third parties and referendum committees, including their financial returns
• recommends to Parliament amendments for the better administration of the Canada Elections Act. It does this through the statutory reports of the Chief Electoral Officer after electoral events, as well as through the provision of expert advice when Parliament studies electoral reform.

In addition, the Chief Electoral Officer appoints the Commissioner of Canada Elections whose mandate is to ensure that the provisions of the Canada Elections Act and the Referendum Act are complied with and enforced.

Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture

Elections Canada has a single strategic outcome supported by the following Program Activity Architecture (PAA):

Summary of Performance

2008-09 Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending
110,501	358,523	355,164

2008–09 Human Resources – Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs)

Planned	Actual	Difference1
388	487	99

¹ Planned FTEs did not include the additional resources required to deliver the 40th General Election

Performance Summary

The following chart summarizes Elections Canada’s four key programs (mandated priorities), which complement our single strategic outcome.

Strategic Outcome: An electoral process that contributes to fairness, transparency and accessibility for all participants, in compliance with the legislative framework

Program Activity	2007–08 Actual Spending ($ thousands)	2008–09 Main Estimates	2008–09 Planned Spending	2008–09 Total Authorities	2008–09 Actual Spending
Key Program 1: Electoral event delivery, political financing, and compliance and enforcement	42,249	36,245	36,245	270,833	270,314
Key Program 2: Electoral event readiness and improvements	71,515	62,799	62,799	80,397	78,007
Key Program 3: Public education and information, and support for stakeholders	6,976	11,457	11,457	7,293	6,843
Key Program 4: Electoral boundaries redistribution	-	-	-	-	-
Total	120,740	110,501	110,501	358,523	355,164

Contribution of Priorities to the Strategic Outcome

The chart below summarizes progress on the agency’s 2008–09 priorities. Each priority supports Elections Canada’s strategic outcome.

Operational Priorities	Type	Assessment of Progress Toward Priorities
1. Maintain a state of readiness to deliver electoral events	Ongoing	The agency established readiness dates and objectives throughout the period. Preparations and projects were completed in accordance with the timelines established. Along with readiness plans, Elections Canada developed contingency plans for the possibility that a general election would be called before readiness projects had been completed.
2. Redevelop the Special Voting Rules (SVR) system	Previously committed to	The agency proceeded with the application-construction phase of the SVR system redevelopment. A testing phase will follow and the project will reach completion during 2009–10.
3. Develop a framework for evaluating all event advertising campaigns	Previously committed to	The scope of the framework was expanded to cover all communications activities carried out during electoral events. A first draft of the framework was received in late March 2009.
4. Train and educate political entities on the rules of political financing	New	In preparation for the 40th general election, the agency held training sessions on political financing for official agents of candidates and financial agents of electoral district associations. We also provided training for these clients at the request of the parties. We developed various new training materials.
5. Review the mandate and composition of the Advisory Committee of Political Parties (ACPP)	New	At the committee’s June 2008 meeting, members had a first opportunity to discuss its current mandate and structure, and to share long-term expectations.

Management Priority	Type	Assessment of Progress Toward Priorities
1. Update our Information Technology (IT) and field systems	Previously committed to	The agency developed infrastructure for the multi-year renewal of its IT environment. Progress was slower than planned as a result of activities associated with the 40th general election.
2. Modernize our human resources	Previously committed to	Elections Canada’s human resources strategy for 2009–13 entered the final drafting stage.

During the last fiscal year, Elections Canada also started work on its five-year strategic plan, which is driven by the three objectives of Trust, Accessibility and Engagement. Some of the initiatives listed in the tables above also contributed to these strategic objectives.

Trust

• Elections Canada focused on providing training to political entities and improving its audit and system functions.

Accessibility

• The agency established a management framework for this strategic objective and initiated on-line registration and voting projects. It also developed a short-term accessibility agenda.

Engagement

• The agency commissioned a study of youth electoral engagement in Canada.
• It initiated a review of the structure and mandate of the ACPP.

Each of these initiatives is discussed further under the relevant key program.

Operating Environment and Risk Analysis

Elections Canada’s 2008–09 Report on Plans and Priorities identified three main risks or challenges confronting the agency:

• a short and uncertain business cycle in a context of minority governments
• organizational strain caused by maintaining a constant state of heightened readiness
• an aging IT infrastructure

Following is a brief overview of how these risks materialized in 2008–09, how the agency managed them and what the implications are for the agency’s performance.

Short and uncertain business cycle – The length of Elections Canada’s business cycle continues to vary in the ongoing situation of minority governments. Although the Canada Elections Act provides for intervals of up to four years between general elections, the 40th general election took place less than three years after the 39th general election. The timing of the election slowed or delayed a number of initiatives: renewal of the agency’s IT infrastructure (see below), improvements to the National Register of Electors, redevelopment of the SVR system and consideration of the feedback we received through consultations we held in spring and summer 2008 on the new voter identification requirements. The uncertainty about election dates also continues to make long-term planning a challenge for Elections Canada.

Organizational strain – Maintaining a constant state of heightened readiness imposes a strain on the organization. The current succession of minority governments is unprecedented; it brings with it an increased volume of work resulting from closely spaced general elections, recent far-reaching electoral reforms and further proposed reforms. Elections Canada is simply not designed to handle such a high level of continuous demands for such a long time. In 2007–08, the Treasury Board of Canada approved the agency’s submission for an increase in annual funding to augment our base of indeterminate employees by 74 full-time equivalents. Staffing began in 2007–08 and continued in 2008–09. To continue dealing with this pressure in 2009–10, the agency is planning an internal allocation exercise to optimize program resources (A-base review) as well as the launch of a human resources strategy. While these initiatives can provide some relief to the organization, additional long-term funding may be needed to ensure that the agency continues to fulfill its mandate.

Aging IT infrastructure – Elections Canada’s IT infrastructure has reached the limits of its capability and cannot be augmented to meet new requirements. The constraining factors include a decentralized model for IT services, a lack of architecture and standards, the slow speed of networks and a low level of IT services at maturity. The agency has mitigated the constraints by adopting additional processes, procedures and workarounds, or in some cases by postponing new services. A multi-year project began in 2005–06 to renew our IT infrastructure; it will replace our current infrastructure with one better suited to our needs.

Expenditure Profile

The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer is funded by an annual appropriation, which covers the salaries of permanent full-time staff, and by the statutory authorities contained in the Canada Elections Act, the Referendum Act and the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act. The statutory authorities provide for all other expenditures, including the costs of electoral events, reimbursements of election expenses to eligible candidates and parties, quarterly allowances for eligible political parties, redistribution of electoral boundaries and expenses incurred by the Commissioner of Canada Elections or on behalf of the Commissioner to enforce the legislation. There are two further statutory items: the salary of the Chief Electoral Officer and contributions to employee benefit plans.

Spending Trend

Total spending in fiscal years 2005–06 and 2008–09 was higher because general elections occurred during those fiscal years.

The $41 million increase in total spending between FY 2005–06 and FY 2008–09 occurred largely because:

• The 40th GE costs recorded in FY 2008-09 were $15 million higher than those recorded in FY 2005–06 for the 39th GE².
• IT investments were $17 million higher in FY 2008–09.
• Salary costs were $6 million higher in FY 2008–09

Voted and Statutory Items

($Thousands)

Vote # or Statutory Item (S)	Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording	2006–07	2007–08	2008–09	2008–09	2008–09
		Actual Spending	Actual Spending	Main Estimates	Total Authorities	Actual Spending
15	Program expenditures	18,569	20,627	22,062	27,097	23,738
S	Expenses of elections	92,088	95,167	84,318	325,345	325,345
S	Salary of the Chief Electoral Officer	480	253	260	265	265
S	Contributions to employee benefit plans	4,079	4,693	3,861	5,816	5,816
	Total	115,216	120,740	110,501	358,523	355,164

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