ARCHIVED - Public Appointments Commission Secretariat

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Section I: Departmental Overview

Raison d’être

The mandate of the Public Appointments Commission is to oversee and report on the selection process for Governor-in-Council appointments, in agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations. To achieve efficiency in the public sector, there is a need for the federal government to provide greater certainty and consistency in appointment policies and in the process and standards that are followed.

The Public Appointments Commission Secretariat’s role is to provide advice and support respecting the development of the Public Appointments Commission, and once the Commission is established, to assist it in developing and implementing policies and procedures and partnerships necessary to successfully carry out its mandate.

Responsibilities

The Public Appointments Commission Secretariat was created by Order-in-Council on April 21, 2006. The Commission, once established, and its Secretariat are within the portfolio of the Prime Minister, reflecting the prerogative of the Prime Minister with respect to Governor-in- Council appointments.

The Secretariat’s main responsibility is to lay the groundwork for the establishment of the Public Appointments Commission which is provided for in the Federal Accountability Act, and once established, to provide ongoing support. Specifically, the Secretariat will: advise the Commission on the development of a Code of Practice and associated guidance governing the selection process for Governor-in-Council appointments to agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations; provide advice and support on implementing the Code of Practice; provide advice and support to the Commission in carrying out the mandate to conduct audits on compliance with the Code of Practice; andprovide advice and support to the Commission on the preparation of an annual report to the Prime Minister, and through the Prime Minister, to Parliament.

Strategic Outcome and Program Activity

The Public Appointments Commission has one Strategic Outcome, as described below, which in turn, is supported by one Program Activity.

Strategic Outcome:  To ensure fair and competency-based processes are in place for the recruitment and selection of qualified individuals for Governor-in-Council appointments across agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations.

Program Activity:  Oversight of Governor-in-Council appointments.

Summary of Performance

2008-09 Financial Resources (thousands of dollars)

Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending
1,067	1,036	347

2008-09 Human Resources (FTEs)

Planned	Actual	Difference
4	1	3

During the year 2008-09, the Public Appointments Commission Secretariat had a small team of two, a Deputy Executive Director on assignment and an Administrative Assistant, on contract.¹

Performance Summary

(thousands of dollars)

Program Activity	2007-08 Actual Spending	2008-09				Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes
		Main Estimates	Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending
Oversight of Governor- in- Council appointments	113	1,067	1,067	1,036	347	The Program Activity is aligned with all Government of Canada outcomes
Total Spending	113	1,067	1,067	1,036	347
Full-time Equivalents	1	4	4	4	1

Departmental Priorities/Contribution to Strategic Outcome

Name	Type	Performance Status
1. Support the Commission	Ongoing	Successful completion requires establishment of Commission
2. Build the Organization	Ongoing	Successful completion requires establishment of Commission
3. Develop the Code of Practice	Ongoing	Successful completion requires establishment of Commission
4. Monitor, Audit and Report	Ongoing	Successful completion requires establishment of Commission

Priority 1: Support the Commission

Once the Commission is established, the Secretariat will provide policy and operational support to the chair and any members appointed.

Priority 2: Build the Organization

In order to support the Commission once established, the Secretariat is implementing the plans for its organizational structure including fulfilling planning and reporting obligations under Section 1.1 of the Financial Administration Act.

Priority 3:  Develop the Code of Practice

The Secretariat’s work focuses on researching best practices, conducting literature reviews, consulting with federal departments, agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations and with other levels of government in Canada and abroad to develop, for the early consideration of the Commission, a Code of Practice and associated guidance for selection processes regarding Governor-in-Council appointments.

Priority 4: Monitor, Audit and Report

The Federal Accountability Act requires the Commission to provide advice and to monitor the application of the Code of Practice, and to provide the Prime Minister with an annual report for tabling in both Houses of Parliament.

Risk Analysis

As the Commission was not established/operational for this time period, the Secretariat’s work was completed in “draft,” that is, subject to the approval of the Commission once established, and there was no permanent staffing of the Secretariat.

Expenditure Profile

The Secretariat was established by Order-in-Council in April 2006, and was headed at that time by an Executive Director as its Deputy Head.

The total planned spending will only be required once the Commission is fully operational.

Voted and Statutory Items
(thousands of dollars)

Vote # or Statutory Item (S)	Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording	2006-07 Actual Spending	2007-08 Actual Spending	2008-09 Main Estimates	2008-09 Actual Spending
25	Program expenditures	578	103	945	303
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	54	10	122	44
Total		633	113	1,067	347

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