Appendix C1 - Benchmark Index by Function - Intergovernmental

Executive Group Benchmark Number: 10-D-1

POSITION TITLE: Assistant Deputy Minister, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy

GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITY

Is accountable for providing advice on the evolution of fiscal and economic federalism in Canada, including tax sharing, tax collection arrangements and equalization payments; providing advice on the expenditure level in the Social Development envelope and the Justice and Legal Affairs envelope; providing advice on the financial, fiscal and economic implications of the broad range of policy and program components of these envelopes; overseeing the preparation of legislation; and promoting the establishment of an environment conducive to harmonious intergovernmental and interdepartmental relations.

ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE

This is one of five positions at the first level reporting to the Deputy Minister. The other four are Assistant Deputy Minister, Fiscal Policy and Economic Analysis; Assistant Deputy Minister, International Trade and Finance; Assistant Deputy Minister, Economic Programs and Government Finance; and Assistant Deputy Minister, Tax Policy and Legislation.

Specific functions of the three positions reporting directly to the Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM), Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy, are as follows:

Director General, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy, (staff of 19) provides specialized policy advice and analysis; is accountable for the operation of the Conference Organization Unit and for the Intergovernmental Taxation Centre; and assists the ADM in the management and planning of Branch activities.

Director, Federal-Provincial Relations, (staff of 14) manages research and analysis and provides policy advice on the operation of Canadian federalism and federal-provincial fiscal arrangements; administers several provincial transfer programs; and negotiates those arrangements.

Director, Social Policy, (staff of 12) manages the research and development of policy alternatives in cooperation with the provinces; undertakes major studies; and provides policy advice relating to the overall economic, fiscal and financial objectives of government programs relating to income security, direct employment, cultural and labour policies.

NATURE AND SCOPE

The Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch is the main channel of communication and advice between the Department and the provincial and territorial departments of finance with respect to financial and fiscal arrangements between the two levels of government; between the Department and other departments and agencies with respect to financial, fiscal and federal-provincial implications of their policies and programs; and between the Department and the Privy Council Office (PCO), the Department of Justice and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on all fiscal and financial aspects of constitutional reform.

The incumbent is accountable for developing policy advice on ways to strengthen the Canadian economic union through unimpeded mobility of people, goods, services and capital; the prevention of discriminatory laws and treaties by governments; and mechanisms to harmonize the fiscal and economic policies of the two levels of government. The incumbent is also accountable for developing policy advice on the fiscal and economic aspects of constitutional reform, providing that advice to the Minister of Justice and the Prime Minister, and for negotiating constitutional fiscal policies with the provinces on behalf of the Minister of Justice and the Prime Minister.

The exercise of these responsibilities requires a high degree of judgment and sensitivity to current economic conditions and the ability to determine the best combination of elements and formulate acceptable solutions. The ADM is accountable for the soundness of the analyses provided, which have a significant impact on the allotment of funds to the envelope, and in turn, on the health of federal-provincial relations and the social and economic well-being of Canadians.

The ADM is responsible for providing advice and analysis to the Minister and senior management on the government's broad social agenda, especially from the perspective of the relationship between social policy and economic policy. The incumbent provides advice on overall expenditure levels in the Social Development envelope, which directly impact the nature, scope and affordability of new social programs and the government's social policy agenda. The incumbent represents the Department on the Board of Directors of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and directly influences the development and administration of housing policy in Canada.

The incumbent carries out these responsibilities while keeping in mind the existence of fiscal and economic disparities among people and provinces and the inevitable disagreements and tensions, both among provinces, territories and federal departments, and between the two levels of government, on how these fiscal resources should be used. In this context, one of the greatest challenges for the incumbent is to develop and maintain an effective network of contacts in departments and at the provincial and territorial levels to be able to anticipate and prevent problems from emerging and to facilitate their resolution if they do emerge.

The incumbent is accountable for undertaking negotiations with provinces on the revision of federal-provincial fiscal arrangements. Several important considerations need to be taken into account during these negotiations, such as the fiscal and financial positions of the federal and provincial governments, the need to strengthen the economic union, and the need to balance what is technically desirable and economically feasible with the need to meet the federal government's economic and social policy objectives.

In carrying out these duties, the incumbent has contact with a broad range of senior federal government officials and provincial and territorial officials. The purpose of these contacts is to resolve problems, find agreement on policy issues and balance divergent interests involving a number of federal departments and provincial governments. The incumbent also chairs federal-provincial and interdepartmental committee meetings.

DIMENSIONS (Constant Dollars)

FTEs:	49
Operating budget:	$150,000
Social Development envelope:	$3.86 billion
Program policy, equalization, tax collection:	$2.03 billion
Justice and Legal envelope:	$0.19 billion
Total:	$6.08 billion

SPECIFIC ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. Promotes stability in the Canadian economy and the social union by formulating and negotiating a wide range of policies, legislation and funding programs affecting major sectors of the economy that have a significant impact on federal-provincial and territorial relations.
2. Advises the Deputy Minister and the Minister of Finance on the timing and content of meetings of federal-provincial and territorial Ministers of Finance.
3. Represents the Minister at Cabinet committee meetings to ensure that the Department's position is communicated properly, and chairs a variety of federal-provincial and interdepartmental committee meetings.
4. Advises the Minister of Justice and the Prime Minister on the economic and fiscal aspects of constitutional reform.
5. Represents the Department as a member of the Board of Directors of CMHC.
6. Manages the operations of the Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy Branch to ensure that they are effectively coordinated with the operations of the Department as a whole.

EVALUATION RATIONALE

Assistant Deputy Minister, Federal-Provincial Relations and Social Policy

KNOW-HOW

G	Mastery of concepts, theories, techniques and practices in the fields of economics, finance, social policy and related constitutional reform matters; comprehensive knowledge of economic and social conditions in the provinces and territories, broad government objectives and the range of constitutional, political, social, environmental, economic and financial factors impacting the social and economic union.
IV	Coordination and integration at a government-wide level of policy formulation and the provision of advice on a wide range of government programs, federal-provincial fiscal arrangements and social policies.
3	Achievement of objectives requires providing advice and recommendations on strategic directions; and leading and participating in discussions and negotiations with the federal, provincial and territorial governments.
1056	Highest number indicates mastery in the fields of economics and fiscal and social policy in directing the development of the government's global fiscal and social policy strategy and maintaining effective federal-provincial and territorial relations in support of the government's broad social and fiscal agenda and priorities.

PROBLEM SOLVING / THINKING

G	Thinking is done within general federal policy frameworks and goals in an environment of rapid economic and social change, involving a wide range of government policies and programs, including fiscal transfers to provinces and broad social policy initiatives.
4	Analytical, constructive thinking is needed to provide advice and formulate recommendations involving the development of new concepts and imaginative approaches on a wide variety of complex and significant matters, such as the formulation of new fiscal arrangements with the provinces.
(66) 700	Higher percentage reflects a tendency toward creative thinking that requires the application of more innovative approaches, usually under some pressure, in formulating government social policy and successfully promoting and maintaining federal-provincial relations.

ACCOUNTABILITY / DECISION MAKING

G	Reporting to the Deputy Minister of Finance, is subject to general guidance in formulating recommendations and providing advice on the broad social, fiscal and financial implications of government transfer payments to the provinces and territories, and the effective coordination of other government policies and programs on the social union of Canada.
6C	Position has a contributory impact on the Social Development envelope, Program Policy and Payment Administration and the Justice and Legal envelope. The proxy selected consists of activities reflected by the three envelopes valued at $6.08 billion (constant).
920	Highest number reflects the size of the envelopes and transfer payments, and the impact on the Canadian economy and social union.

SUMMARY

GIV3

1056

G4(66)

700

G6C

920

=

2676

A2

ASSISTANT DEPUTY MINISTER
FEDERAL-PROVINCIAL RELATIONS AND SOCIAL POLICY
NUMBER: 10 - D - 1