President of the Treasury Board Announces New Appointment Process for Top Executives of Crown Corporations

March 15, 2004

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Reg Alcock, President of the Treasury Board, today announced on behalf of the Government of Canada a new merit-based appointment process for chief executive officers (CEOs), directors and chairs of Crown corporations, which includes a parliamentary review.

"As part of this government's commitment to change the way things work in Ottawa for the better, we are taking specific steps to ensure an open, professional and merit-based process to select senior executives for Crown corporations. This effort is further strengthened by confirming that parliamentarians will also play a key role in these appointments. The result will be greater accountability and enhanced transparency in the stewardship of these important organizations," said Minister Alcock.

The board of directors of Crown corporations will henceforth establish the following new appointment process:

• A permanent nominating committee will be struck by the board of each corporation. If the board so chooses, this committee may include outside eminent persons to support the work of the board. Among other things, the nominating committee will establish appropriate criteria for candidate selection.
• A professional recruitment firm will be engaged to assist these nominating committees in the search for meritorious candidates. In addition, public advertisements will be posted in newspapers and in the Canada Gazette for all openings for the positions of chief executive officer and chair of corporations.
• The nominating committee will make recommendations to the board of directors, and the board will provide a short list of candidates to the minister responsible for the corporation. Based on this list, the minister will make a recommendation for appointment.
• The appropriate parliamentary committee will then review the candidate recommended by the minister.

"This is not the government's last word on the issue of improving how Crown corporations operate. We will have much more to say by the end of September 2004 when the results of our comprehensive review of Crown corporation governance is complete, including details on how to extend the access to information legislation to Crowns," Minister Alcock said.

The review of Crown corporation governance is one of the three reviews announced by the Treasury Board Secretariat last month. The government has also established reviews of the Financial Administration Act and the relationship between ministers and public servants.

Today's initiatives build on and further strengthen measures announced by the new government since December 12^th, 2003. Some of these include: refocusing the mandate of the Treasury Board to provide more rigorous oversight of government expenditures; creating the Expenditure Review Committee to conduct an extensive review of all government spending; and establishing the Comptroller General as a distinct office in the Treasury Board Secretariat.

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For more information, contact:

Lise Jolicoeur
Press Secretary
Office of the President of the Treasury Board
and Minister responsible for the Canadian
Wheat Board
(613) 957-2666

Mario Baril
Media Relations
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
(613) 957-2391

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