Canada's New Government Takes Action to Untangle Web of Rules

 

• Backgrounder - Senior Committee on the Review of the Financial Management Framework and Procurement Policy Review

July 20, 2006

Ottawa  - The Honourable John Baird, President of the Treasury Board, announced that two new reviews are underway to help strengthen and streamline Treasury Board policies in order to increase efficiency and accountability in the Government of Canada.

"The Federal Accountability Act and Action Plan promised to make government more accountable," said Minister Baird.  "Today, with these two reviews, we are following up on our commitment to untangle the paralyzing web of rules put in place by the previous government. This will ensure that tax dollars are better spent and deliver on our promise to provide the good, clean government that Canadians deserve and expect."

The first review will look at policies governing financial management in the Government of Canada. Financial management policies are the cornerstone of sound oversight and accountability in government spending.

The second review will look at procurement policy to ensure it supports a fair, open, and transparent process. The federal government uses procurement to acquire goods, services and construction needed to carry out government programs for Canadians.

"Instead of more rules, we want to put the right rules in place," Minister Baird said.  "We want to strike the right balance between oversight and flexibility." 

In addition to these two reviews, first announced in the Federal Accountability Action Plan, the Government has committed to reducing the total number of Treasury Board policies by more than half.  By reviewing policies around financial management and procurement, the Government is acting on its commitment to reduce unproductive regulations that prevent public servants from doing their jobs effectively, and that make it difficult for individuals and organizations to do business with the federal government.

These reviews build on the June 6, 2006 announcement of the creation of an independent Blue Ribbon Panel to review administrative barriers to accessing and managing grant and contribution programs (http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/media/nr-cp/2006/0606-eng.asp).

Further information on the Federal Accountability Act and Action Plan is available at http://www.accountability.gc.ca.

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For more information, contact:

Patrick Robert
Press Secretary
Office of the President of the Treasury Board
(613) 957-2666

Robert Makichuk
Media Relations
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
(613) 957-2391

If there is a discrepancy between any printed version and the electronic version of this news release, the electronic version will prevail.

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Backgrounder

By moving ahead with these reviews as part of the Federal Accountability Act and Action Plan, Canada's new Government is helping reassure Canadians that their tax dollars are being spent wisely.  The Senior Committee on the Review of the Financial Management Framework and the Procurement Policy Review are about making government more effective and efficient.  The reviews will increase Canadians' confidence in government by improving the functioning of government itself.

Senior Committee on the Review of the Financial Management Framework

Introduction

A senior committee of deputy ministers and former private-sector chief financial officers will review the financial management framework.  In addition to working to improve financial controls, the committee will also seek to clarify financial roles and responsibilities.

Mandate

The mandate of the Senior Committee on the Review of the Financial Management Framework is as follows:

• Review and bring forward recommendations to strengthen and streamline Treasury Board financial management policies;
• Identify where unnecessary or unproductive policy or legislative requirements exist and recommend changes based on principles of management accountability and transparency; and
• Recommend measures, including training strategies, to ensure the Public Service of Canada has the skilled financial experts it needs to ensure effective financial control and accountability.

Membership of Committee

The committee members bring extensive experience, in both the public- and private‑sector, to the task. They are:

• Wayne Wouters, Secretary of the Treasury Board (Chair);
• Charles-Antoine St-Jean, Comptroller General of Canada;
• Janice Charette, Deputy Minister, Human Resources and Social Development;
• Richard Dicerni, Deputy Minister, Industry;
• Richard Fadden, Deputy Minister, Citizenship and Immigration;
• Michael Wernick, Deputy Minister, Indian Affairs and Northern Development;
• Serge Gadbois, Corporate Director, and former Chief Financial Officer of Metro Inc., Montréal; and
• John Watson, Corporate Director, and former Chief Financial Officer of EnCana, Calgary.

Duration of the Review

The senior committee will report to the President on the financial management framework by December 2006.

Procurement Policy Review

Mandate

Mr. Robert W. Dye, President and Chief Operating Officer of the Purchasing Management Association of Canada, has been appointed to review the draft policy on managing procurement.  Mr. Dye will examine the policy with a view to ensuring that the procurement process is open, fair and transparent.  He will also identify opportunities to streamline the process.

Duration of the Review

Mr. Dye will report back to the President of the Treasury Board in the fall of 2006.

Related Initiatives

This action to reform the procurement process builds on the April 18, 2006 announcement by the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada of the establishment of six regional offices to train and assist small and medium enterprises in order to give them a fair opportunity to compete for government contracts.