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Section II: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Strategic Outcome

The Government’s agenda and decision making are supported and implemented and the institutions of government are supported and maintained.

Program Activity 1.1:

Prime Minister and portfolio ministers’ support and advice

Performance Summary and Analysis of Program Activity

Under this Program Activity, PCO provides specialized, non-partisan public service advice to the Prime Minster, portfolio ministers and the Clerk.

As part of its broad role of providing strategic policy advice and analytical support, PCO supported the Prime Minister in managing a variety of files for discussion and decision in 2010-11.

For example, in 2010-11, PCO provided policy advice and support to the Prime Minister on the implementation of the second year of the two-year Economic Action Plan (EAP) and on strategic communications linked to this plan. PCO also provided advice and support for the Government’s extension of EAP funding to October 31, 2011—a decision that allowed greater flexibility in the completion deadlines for construction projects that met the criteria for extension, thus, maximizing the economic benefits from these activities.

In 2010-11, PCO engaged in short and medium-term strategic thinking to inform deliberations and provide advice on the Government’s forward-looking economic agenda, including policy advice on building the jobs and industries of the future.

PCO also helped the Government to achieve other important economic objectives, for example, by advising on measures to balance economic growth and fiscal restraint, by supporting the Government’s efforts to ensure that Canadians were consulted regarding Canada’s economic recovery, and by providing timely, issue-specific economic and fiscal advice.

In 2010-11, PCO also engaged in short- and medium-term strategic thinking to inform deliberations and provide advice on a variety of domestic issues, including economic, environmental and social development issues. This included support and advice on advancing the forward agenda in the context of fiscal restraint and strategies to improve attachment to the labour force.

PCO’s unique mandate also includes support for the functioning of government institutions, including support for the functioning of Parliament. In 2010-11, PCO provided public service advice and support to the Prime Minister and ministers in the Prime Minister’s portfolio—including the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, the Leader of the Government in the Senate and the Minister of State (Democratic Reform)—on the development and implementation of the Government’s parliamentary and legislative programs and the democratic reform agenda. For example, PCO provided policy and procedural advice on parliamentary and legislative issues; ensured that all government bills for introduction in Parliament were prepared in a form consistent with Cabinet decisions; developed a timetable to meet the Government’s parliamentary and communications agendas; provided policy, legislative, and operational support to the Minister of State (Democratic Reform) on democratic reform issues; and managed and coordinated the Government’s responses to Parliamentary Returns. PCO also provides legal advice and support to the Prime Minister, portfolio ministers and senior officials on a wide range of policy, program, personnel and operational issues. In 2010-11, this advice responded to emerging issues as well as to ongoing legal and policy concerns.

To give an idea of the extent of this work, consider that from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011, the Government introduced 60 bills in Parliament and that 31 bills received Royal Assent. PCO supported the Government by providing policy advice and coordinating the logistics of the decision-making process. In the end, these bills not only helped to sustain Canada’s economic recovery by enacting key parts of the EAP, they also strengthened protection for Canadian individuals, families and communities. Some examples of legislation for which PCO provided advice and support in 2010-11 are shown in the box above.

PCO also provided a broad range of advice and leadership to other government departments on the management of parliamentary and legislative issues, to ensure that the Government’s legislative and parliamentary program and decision making were supported and implemented and that the institutions of government were supported and maintained. This included regular briefings provided to deputy ministers on the Government’s priorities and on the management of specific issues in Parliament, as well as support to officials in government organizations on parliamentary procedures, committee issues, private members’ business and Parliamentary Returns issues.

Finally, in 2010-11, PCO provided advice and support regarding the management of specific issues such as the Prime Minister’s prerogative for machinery of government and legal, parliamentary and constitutional challenges facing the Government. These efforts support the proper functioning of government institutions.

A large part of PCO’s policy work under this Program Activity is determined by the Government’s forward policy agenda. While the majority of the forward agenda is typically set out by the Government in advance as commitments made in the Speech from the Throne and the Budget, this is not always the case. Unexpected events and crises can arise, and when they do, the Government must respond in short order. PCO provides advice and support to the Government in relation to Canada’s role in the management of events and crises of domestic and international scope and bearing. This work can range from analytical advice to support for coordination efforts.

The Government also adjusts its forward agenda to include decisions needed on emerging issues, replacing less urgent items from the planned schedule. As with unexpected events and crises, emerging issues may relate to domestic as well as international affairs.

Given that dealing with unexpected events, crises and emerging issues is part of the business of governing a country, the forward agenda is typically set up to allow for some flexibility. Similarly, PCO plans its own work with a view to the possibility that it may need to adapt and adjust its course as needed.

PCO is also responsible for policy advice and support to the Prime Minister and portfolio ministers in a number of specific areas. For example, PCO advises the Government on policy issues linked to foreign policy, defence, international development, international trade and national security priorities.

In a similar vein, in 2010-11, PCO provided advice and support to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and the Prime Minister on issues that impact federal-provincial-territorial relations. The management of intergovernmental affairs is an ongoing priority of the Government and the Prime Minister, since effective and efficient collaboration among Canada’s various orders of government is critical to the country’s competitiveness and prosperity. In 2010-11, PCO played a key role in facilitating this important national priority by providing expertise on issues linked to jurisdiction and accountability and by providing advice to support the strategic management of the intergovernmental agenda. Specific activities included: advice and support to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and the Clerk of the Privy Council on bilateral and multilateral engagement with the provinces and territories, and on intergovernmental policies and commitments, including open federalism, federal spending power and the EAP.

Finally, during the past fiscal year, PCO provided advice and support related to the Public Service to the Prime Minister and Cabinet on the recruitment, selection, appointment and compensation of senior officials in the public sector (i.e., Governor-in-Council appointments, deputy ministers, heads of agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations). This advice and support included legal and operational advice and support as well as analysis of leadership needs, succession planning, leadership development, performance management and the general management of the Public Service’s senior leaders. PCO also supported the Clerk in his role as Head of the Public Service. The appointment function is central to the Government’s ability to carry out its mandate. Making competency-based, quality appointments ensures that public sector organizations are effectively managed and able to meet their mandated objectives in a way that demonstrates accountability. PCO works to ensure that the expectations of the Prime Minister with respect to Governor-in-Council appointees, as set out in Accountable Government—A Guide for Ministers and Ministers of State, are fully met. These expectations state that “It is essential that all appointees be well qualified, and senior government appointees must be chosen through a process that ensures broad and open consideration of proposed candidates.” 

Lessons Learned

Advice and support to the Prime Minister and portfolio ministers on issues and policies—including advice on fiscal and economic matters, support for the institutions of government and strategic communications regarding initiatives—are critical aspects of PCO’s mandate. These advisory functions support the Government’s ability to identify, act on and communicate its priorities.

As illustrated in the preceding section, in 2010-11, PCO successfully delivered on the plans and priorities outlined in its 2010-11 Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP), including, for example, the provision of advice and support related to the ongoing implementation of Canada’s Economic Action Plan (EAP) and economic and fiscal advice linked to stimulus efforts and the return to fiscal balance. It also provided advice and support linked to the implementation of Canada’s engagement in Afghanistan; the facilitation of the Prime Minister’s leadership in hosting the G8 and G20 summits; the advancement of Canada’s relations with emerging economies and the strengthening of the Canada-U.S. relationship.

However, a major part of fulfilling PCO’s unique role of supporting the development and implementation of the Government’s agenda involves being sensitive to and anticipating the need for adjustments to its own operations, particularly as the forward agenda changes over the course of the year. Accordingly, PCO regularly engages in self-appraisals and anticipates its own short and medium-term needs for policy and advisory support—particularly in cases where a heightened response to unexpected events, crises and emerging issues is required. One good example relates to the creation of the office of Special Advisor on Human Smuggling and Illegal Migration, an office created for the coordination of the Government’s strategy and response to human smuggling.

PCO also mitigated risks associated with its support for the EAP and with its provision of economic and fiscal advice in 2010-11. One of the biggest risks that Canada’s Auditor General identified for the EAP was that money would flow without appropriate accountability mechanisms—this, in part, as a result of the need to roll out the program quickly in response to the economic downturn. However, as the Auditor General indicated in the 2010 Fall Report of the Auditor General, PCO and other central agencies have done a good job of identifying and managing the risks associated with the need to roll-out the EAP quickly. This recent experience assisted PCO in responding quickly and effectively to the Government’s decision to extend the deadline for EAP infrastructure projects that met the Government’s criteria. Accordingly, PCO provided timely communications support for the announcement as well as support for the report to Parliament. Additionally, and as a typical instance of PCO’s self-monitoring process, in 2010-11, PCO recognized a need to hire specialist staff to strengthen its capacity for providing fiscal and economic advice in response to changing economic conditions. This sort of ongoing self-assessment is part of PCO’s regular work and is crucial to the successful fulfillment of PCO’s advisory and supporting roles.

Through its core functions, PCO provides specialist advice and support to senior government officials that no other department is equipped to provide. An especially good example of this relates to PCO’s ongoing support for the Government’s program in Parliament and its mandate to provide timely advice and support on the development of legislative initiatives required to implement government decisions—two areas where PCO is uniquely qualified to provide advice and support to government. In 2010-11, the parliamentary environment gave rise to the need for timely and relevant expert public sector advice on machinery of government and legislative issues. Furthermore, growing challenges around managing public policy issues—characterized by the increasing complexity of legal regimes and increasing demand for timely, quality advice on litigation—resulted in greater demand on supports for the work of Cabinet. The lesson gained from this experience is that PCO will need to find new and more efficient ways to deliver on its core advisory and supporting roles.

Additionally, in 2010-11, PCO also addressed a recognized need to adapt its policy and support on parliamentary issues to serve changing requirements in Paliament. For example, in 2010-11, PCO strengthened its monitoring and tracking systems to enable the Government to respond to a record number of Parliamentary Returns within the deadlines established by Parliament.

Finally, in 2010-11, PCO worked to meet heightened expectations for greater transparency and accountability in the senior appointment process. For example, recruitment for Governor-in-Council positions in leadership and for full-time positions follows rigorous, competency-based selection processes.

Program Activity 1.2:

Cabinet and Cabinet committees’ advice and support¹⁰

Performance Summary and Analysis of Program Activity

In addition to its broad role of providing policy advice and support to the Prime Minister and portfolio ministers, PCO devotes about one-fifth of its resources to advising and supporting Cabinet and its committees. Cabinet and Cabinet committee meetings cover a wide range of topics, including social, economic and regional development, foreign affairs, defence, international development, public safety, national security and intelligence. PCO’s work in support of Cabinet and its committees is carried out in an environment of strict confidentiality. For this reason, a general description of PCO’s work in support of Cabinet operations and integration across the federal government is given below.

As part of their work in support of Cabinet and Cabinet committee meetings, PCO analysts provide non-partisan advice to committee chairs. For example, PCO performs due diligence on policy proposals and provides early-stage feedback to departments. This work helps to ensure that departments have undertaken a complete analysis, considered all implications (including legal ones), and consulted the relevant stakeholders. The review of departmental proposals also informs several related advisory activities, such as the preparation of scenario and briefing notes for items going to Cabinet; the preparation of summaries of discussions and records of decisions; and the communication of Cabinet decisions across government. Through this work, PCO ensures that proposals meet standards of quality suitable for ministerial consideration before they are presented to Cabinet and Cabinet committees.

While much of this advisory work is planned in advance (in support of the anticipated work of committees on priorities and planning, operations, social affairs, economic growth and long-term prosperity, environment and energy security, foreign affairs and defence, and Afghanistan); some of it is not. For instance, 2010-11 witnessed a number of developments that required the urgent attention of Cabinet and its committees, such as the sinking of a South Korean naval ship, the situations in the Middle East and North Africa and the irregular arrival of migrants off Canada’s west coast. In 2010-11, PCO provided advice and support for the work of Cabinet and its committees in relation to these and other developments.

PCO also plays an important role in the operation of Cabinet committees; its role is to ensure that the functioning and integrity of Cabinet decision-making processes are maintained. To this end, PCO provides secretariat support and manages the flow of Cabinet business. In 2010-11, PCO provided logistical support for Cabinet and Cabinet committee meetings, maintaining a comprehensive forward agenda of Cabinet business, scheduling meetings, proposing agenda items; formatting Cabinet papers; and arranging for departmental representation, translation, audio-visual support and security. PCO also worked with other government departments to meet deadlines for the filing of Cabinet documents, to provide ministers with adequate time to review documents, to brief ministers on the subject-matter of meetings and to consider policy proposals. This work helps to ensure that ministers are provided with the information required for Committee discussions.

In addition to providing Cabinet chairs with non-partisan advice and Cabinet committee operations with logistical support, the second major function that PCO performs under this Program Activity is to facilitate policy integration across the federal government. This integration helps to ensure that items for Cabinet committee consideration are reflective of the Government's priorities and are the result of broad departmental consultation. For example, as part of its challenge function of providing feedback to departments, PCO works with other departments to ensure that new policies are consistent with the Government’s broad policy objectives. In addition, PCO helps to ensure that departments proposing new policies have consulted relevant stakeholders. Whether acting in an advisory or a supporting capacity, the primary goal is to facilitate an integrated and coordinated approach to policy development and implementation across the federal government.

PCO’s administrative and coordinating support for the operation of Cabinet committees also contributes to policy integration. In 2010-11, PCO facilitated a variety of deputy ministers’ forums, including the Coordinating Committee of Deputy Ministers and the Coordinating Committee on Afghanistan, helping to ensure that deputy ministers had opportunities to discuss key issues and to develop an integrated federal approach to the Government's major policy initiative.

Finally, in 2010-11, several international events and initiatives required PCO to provide significant interdepartmental coordination, which also assists with policy integration at a federal level.

Lessons Learned

As planned for 2010-11, PCO provided policy advice and logistical support to the Cabinet and its committees and facilitated policy integration across the entire federal government.

The policy advice provided to Cabinet and its committees in 2010-11 was essential to the implementation of the Government’s agenda, as expressed in the Speech from the Throne, the Budget, ministers’ mandate letters and government priority announcements. This advisory support helped to maintain the effectiveness of the Government’s decision-making system and to ensure that the decisions of Cabinet ministers are implemented. The work constitutes a core government service, enabling the effective functioning of the entire federal system. 

PCO also provided advice and support for processes that affect the Cabinet decision-making system in 2010-11. As in previous years, the renewal process for “time-limited” or “sunsetting” programs provided permanent funding to effective programs and terminated underperforming ones. In 2010-11, PCO made adjustments to the process to better ensure a thorough review of programs. Going ahead, the sunsetting programs that are provided permanent funding will be evaluated as part of ongoing department–wide spending reviews. This will eventually eliminate the need for a separate Cabinet committee approval process for renewing sunsetting programs and will therefore support a more efficient use of Cabinet time.

In addition to ensuring the availability of appropriate policy expertise and operational support to advance the work of Cabinet and its committees, PCO must also ensure that it has the flexibility and versatility needed to assist the Government in addressing unexpected events, crises and emerging issues that require urgent Cabinet attention. With regards to the latter, PCO’s 2010-11 work in coordinating the Government’s response to human smuggling and illegal migration led to the recognition that additional specialized training was needed for Canadian officials working in interdepartmental, whole-of-government teams. PCO addressed this need through integrated training and briefing sessions. These sessions supported PCO’s policy integration efforts in a variety of ways, including, for example,  helping to clarify participant roles and responsibilities in relation to departmental mandates and legislative frameworks.

In 2010-11, despite the risks associated with competing demands for resources to deliver on planned activities, the changing forward agenda and unexpected events, crises and emerging issues, PCO succeeded in working closely with line departments and other central agencies to ensure that high-priority proposals were prepared for Cabinet consideration. This served to ensure that policies in priority areas were appropriately advanced and helped to maximize efficiencies with respect to implementing the Government’s forward agenda.

Program Activity 1.3:

Public service leadership and direction

Performance Summary and Analysis of Program Activity

In 2010-11, PCO supported the Clerk’s leadership on Public Service Renewal, through the coordination of renewal activities with other central agencies and departments, as well as through the preparation of the Clerk’s Eighteenth Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service—a document that sets out the corporate blueprint for renewal of the Public Service as a whole. PCO also provided ongoing advice, and secretariat research and analytical support to the Deputy Minister’s Committee on Public Service Renewal and to the Prime Minister’s Advisory Committee on the Public Service (a body comprised of eminent Canadians that offer advice and recommendations to the Prime Minister on how to renew and improve this national institution). Further, in 2010-11, PCO supported the process whereby deputy ministers reported to the Clerk on progress in implementing renewal within their departments: namely, in knowledge transfer; learning, development and recognition; and in the tools and systems used to collaborate. Overall, renewal activities and initiatives carried out over the past fiscal year fostered a high-performing and accountable Public Service—one with the capacity to serve the Government and Canadians with excellence in the years ahead.

Renewal of the Public Service remains the Clerk’s top management priority. 
Further to Budget 2010, PCO supported the Clerk’s leadership in the renewal
effort by conducting a comprehensive review of government administrative
functions and overhead costs, i.e., the Administrative Services Review.

The quality of the senior leadership of the Public Service is central to the Government’s ability to carry out its mandate. Proactively addressing leadership challenges in the Public Service requires a commitment to strong people management. In 2010-11, PCO supported the Clerk and the Prime Minister in building a strong and substantial contingent of senior leaders. This was accomplished through analysis of current gaps and risks, development of corporate-wide plans to address succession challenges, and effective management of the leadership community. Over the last year, the Public Service has successfully met many challenges, such as the implementation of the EAP. This is due, in large part, to the quality of its senior leaders and to their ability to deliver the priorities of the Government while also maintaining high standards in the provision of services to Canadians. PCO’s role in supporting effective succession, talent and performance management of senior leaders is crucial to ensuring that the Public Service can effectively handle these challenges.

PCO’s work under this Program Activity also involves providing advice and support to the Committee of Senior Officials (COSO) and its sub-committees. In 2010-11, this support helped in managing the challenges facing the leadership cadre, such as changing demographics, succession planning, performance management and leadership development. Over the years, support to COSO has helped to develop a culture of high performance—a culture that has ensured public institutions have the leadership and management capacity, now and in the future, to deliver on the Government’s agenda.

Lessons Learned

Renewal of the Public Service is a key initiative in support of the Government’s ability to carry out its mandate. The implementation of the Public Service Renewal initiative has met with considerable success since its inception in 2006. This success led PCO, in 2010-11, to adjust the initiative to meet current needs.

When the Public Service Renewal initiative was launched in 2006, Public Service Renewal action plans were developed by PCO. These action plans contained enterprise-wide targets for specific aspects of Public Service Renewal, including integrated planning, recruitment, employee development and enabling infrastructure. Since then, significant progress has been made; in fact, to the extent that renewal has itself evolved to become a sustained strategy aimed at continuous improvement of the Public Service. As such, it is no longer necessary for departments and agencies to produce detailed, specific action plans outlining their short-term activities and deliverables. Instead, deputy ministers have been asked to report annually to the Clerk on progress in their departments and, in particular, on efforts to achieve excellence in three areas: engagement of employees in the excellence agenda; renewing the workforce; and renewing the workplace. The first such report is due in February 2012.

In 2010-11, PCO continued to work to support excellence in senior leadership, not only by addressing the demographic realities facing the Public Service, but also by ensuring that Public Service leaders have the support and skills needed to meet challenges in the years ahead. It is expected that ongoing efforts will be needed in these areas, including efforts to recruit senior leaders as the workforce ages and to support senior leaders in their advancement of the Government’s priority of returning to fiscal balance.

Given the ongoing need for professional, non-partisan advice in support of the Public Service, PCO will continue to work toward ensuring that the Public Service remains a vibrant and accountable organization dedicated to the service of the Government and Canadians.

Program Activity 1.4:

Commissions of inquiry

Performance Summary and Analysis of Program Activity

Commissions of inquiry are small organizations that operate at arm’s length from the Government. PCO facilitates the organization and establishment of commissions of inquiry and provides them with ongoing administrative support. For example, PCO can initiate arrangements for accommodation, furnishings and equipment for commissions, which helps to ensure that the work of commissions proceeds efficiently. PCO can also provide for ongoing administrative advice and support in the following areas: staffing, acquisition services, contracting, financial services, accessing funding, records management, payroll support, posting information on the Internet, translation, legal services, security and systems support. 

In 2010-11, the planned spending and human resources identified for this Program Activity covered the forecast cost for the full operation of the following commissions of inquiry:

• Commission of Inquiry into the Investigation of the Bombing of Air India Flight 182
• Commission of Inquiry into Certain Allegations Respecting Business and Financial Dealings Between Karlheinz Schreiber and the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney
• Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River

The Commission of Inquiry into the Investigation of the Bombing of Air India Flight 182 and the Commission of Inquiry into Certain Allegations Respecting Business Financial Dealings Between Karlheinz Schreiber and the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney came to a close in 2010-11.

Lessons Learned

Commissions of inquiry respond to unique sets of needs and situations. As such, it is difficult to generalize about commission practices that will successfully carry over into future commissions. PCO’s role is primarily that of providing advice on organization and administrative support. As such, PCO’s focus is on ensuring that commission mandates are well prepared and that administrative efficiencies are maximized.

In 2010-11, PCO provided commissions of inquiry with organizational and internal services support, resources and guidance to accomplish their mandates to investigate incidents of public interest. This support provided the commissions with a consistent administrative framework and immediate access to internal services through PCO’s existing infrastructure—all of which contributed to the transparency and accountability of the Government.

Program Activity 1.5:

Internal services

Performance Summary and Analysis of Program Activity

Internal services are groups of services, activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations. 

In 2010-11, PCO undertook a variety of activities in support of strengthening its internal services, including the following:

PCO strengthened the management of internal security, and, in particular, enhanced its planning and readiness posture in the area of emergency management. This included improving the security of its networks, its telecommunications and its offices. In 2010-11, PCO also established a crisis management cell—PCO’s emergency operations centre—to assist senior management in responding quickly and effectively to emergency situations. 

PCO also continued to implement its 2010-13 Strategic Human Resources Plan. As part of this work, PCO held consultations in support of the development of a values and ethics code and continued to implement the findings of an expert panel on integrated business and human resources planning.

In 2010-11, PCO made progress toward its goal of developing outcome-oriented performance measures for the provision of professional, non-partisan advice to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. PCO developed a series of process maps that help to visualize many of its core advisory and coordination functions.  These process maps will form the foundation of logic models that will potentially result in new outcome-oriented performance indicators. 

In addition to the standard roster of internal services common to all government departments, PCO offers internal services that are specific to its unique mandate. For example, PCO provides leadership and legal advice across all government organizations on the determination of Cabinet confidences under the Canada Evidence Act and the Access to Information Act. This specialized role reflects PCO’s responsibilities for support to the Prime Minister for the effective management of the Cabinet committee system. 

Further to this, PCO manages the Government's response to legal challenges that involve PCO or that have government-wide implications. This can include legal services and advice relating to: the exercise of statutory authority; the preparation of draft legislation; senior personnel issues; security and intelligence issues; commissions of inquiry and federal electoral systems and initiatives.

Finally, in 2010-11, PCO provided informatics and technology services support for the development, design and maintenance of the EAP website.

Lessons Learned

Internal services support is fundamental to PCO’s ongoing capacity to serve the Prime Minister and Cabinet through objective, non-partisan advice and support. In 2010-11, PCO addressed outstanding organizational challenges in the areas of emergency management, networking and telecommunications and human resource management.

The June 2010 earthquake in central Canada, which affected the National Capital area, served as a reminder that, at a moment’s notice, PCO must be able to respond to and recover from any type of emergency or critical event. In 2010-11, PCO addressed this need, adopting a three-tiered, all-hazards approach in establishing a crisis management cell to assist in providing support for emergency management. However, over the course of the year, it also became evident that a comprehensive emergency management program for PCO could not rest on the Crisis Management Cell alone, and that PCO needed to focus on the development of additional emergency plans and procedures. Consequently, PCO developed building emergency response plans for each of the buildings in which PCO is the major tenant as well as service level protocols for all other buildings. A client relations management team was also established within the Security Operations Division to liaise with the various PCO branches and to provide the necessary coordination mechanisms to adjust these plans and procedures and to continually improve the delivery of its services.

PCO’s 2010-11 departmental values and ethics consultation not only supported the development of a values and ethics code, but also led to a deepened commitment to ethical behaviour and principles at PCO. The lesson learned from this experience is that the broad-based engagement process for the development of a departmental values and ethics code was itself instrumental in building awareness of and commitment to the initiative, and that continued dialogue between managers and employees will ensure a good understanding of the expected behaviours. 

In recent years, PCO has increasingly recognized the extent to which its ability to fulfill its mandate of supporting and implementing the  Government’s agenda and decision making, and supporting and maintaining the institutions of government depends on strong internal service delivery. In future years, PCO expects to continue to address a growing need for strong programs to support capacity in areas such as emergency management, internal security and integrated business and human resources planning.

Canada’s Economic Action Plan

Program Activity 1.1: Prime Minister and portfolio ministers’ support and advice

Program Activity 1.5: Internal services

In 2010-11, PCO provided advice and support for Canada’s Economic Action Plan (EAP) under Program Activities 1.1 and 1.5. This included policy advice, communications advice, support for the EAP deadline extension and technical support for the EAP website. Please see Risk Analysis in Section I and Program Activities 1.1 and 1.5 in Section II for additional details on EAP-related program activities and lessons learned.

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