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ARCHIVED - Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency - Supplementary Tables
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Responses to Parliamentary Committees and External Audits
| Responses to Parliamentary Committees |
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| The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) appeared before three Parliamentary committees in 2010-11. On April 14, 2010, Mr. Robert Smith, Director General, Community Development, and Mr. Kent Estabrooks, Director General, Finance and Administration, appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on National Finance. ACOA was one of five regional development agencies to appear before the committee to discuss funding appropriation under the Main Estimates. The regional development agencies specifically discussed the administration of the Community Futures Program within their respective region of Canada. Mr. Smith and Mr. Estabrooks provided the members with an understanding of how the program is administered in Atlantic Canada and explained the role played by Community Business Development Corporations in delivering funding under this program. On March 2, 2011, Mr. Andrew Noseworthy, Senior Advisor (Energy), appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources. Mr. Noseworthy provided the members with an understanding of how ACOA is structured and its role in supporting economic development in Atlantic Canada. He explained ACOA’s role as a facilitator in the Atlantic Energy Gateway and the Atlantic Canada Energy Office. In response to a member’s question, Mr. Noseworthy discussed the Atlantic Innovation Fund and gave examples of projects that have received funding under this program. On March 10, 2011, Mr. Kent Estabrooks, Acting Vice-President, Finance and Corporate Services, and Mr. Peter Hogan, Acting Vice-President, Nova Scotia, appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology. ACOA, Industry Canada and the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario were present at this meeting to provide clarification and to answer questions related to Supplementary Estimates (C). Mr. Estabrooks outlined that the Agency is continuing to focus on finding internal efficiencies to function within its budgetary envelope without affecting program delivery. Mr. Hogan outlined how ACOA collaborates with the Atlantic provincial governments and local organizations to foster economic development. He also explained that the Agency’s priorities continue to focus on innovation, productivity, community development and trade. Mr. Estabrooks noted the stringent due diligence process used by the Agency to evaluate all project proposals. No recommendations were received from committees during the 2010-11 fiscal year. |
| Responses to the Auditor General (including to the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development) |
| The October 2010 report of the Office of the Auditor General's (OAG) first audit of Canada’s Economic Action Plan (CEAP) included initiatives delivered by ACOA (i.e. the Community Adjustment Fund and Recreational Infrastructure Canada program). While the audit resulted in a number of recommendations relating to timeliness, compliance
with eligibility and legal requirements, assessing and responding to risks, and reporting to Parliament, ACOA was not specifically mentioned in any of these recommendations; therefore, ACOA was not required to provide a response. The complete report is available on the Office of the Auditor General
website. The OAG’s second audit of the CEAP, including the Community Adjustment Fund delivered by ACOA, is in progress at the national level. The report, which will focus on how stimulus money was spent, is to be tabled in the fall of 2011. |
| External Audits: (Note: These refer to other external audits conducted by the Public Service Commission of Canada or the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.) |
| Public Service Commission of Canada (PSC) Audit The PSC undertook an audit of the staffing function in November 2009, with the final report released in the fall of 2010 and available on the PSC website. A management action plan was developed and includes the implementation of a monitoring framework for staffing, with increased emphasis on defining roles and responsibilities in the staffing function, as well as efforts in providing training and an increased focus on non-advertised staffing processes. The monitoring framework for staffing, which specifically includes measures to report findings to senior management, was approved in March 2011 and will be implemented in 2011-12. Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (OCOL) – in progress The Agency is one of several departments participating in a report card exercise being conducted by the OCOL. The exercise began in November 2010 and the results will be included in the OCOL’s 2010-11 annual report, to be published in the fall of 2011. ACOA was selected to participate in this report card exercise because of the important role it plays with respect to Part VII of the Official Languages Act, particularly in the area of grants and contributions. The Agency expects the results will be positive as it continues its commitment to serve clients in the official language of their choice and to enhance the vitality of the official languages minority communities. These objectives remain a priority for the Agency. Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) – in progress In February 2011, the CHRC indicated that it would conduct an audit of its employment equity policies and practices, as well as assess the extent of compliance with relevant acts and regulations. Results will be available in the fall of 2011. With the completion of the self-identification campaign for Agency employees and the renewal of its employment equity action plan in March 2011, the Agency is well-positioned to meet most of the requirements of this audit. |