ARCHIVED - RPP 2006-2007
Supreme Court of Canada

This page has been archived.

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The Honourable Vic Toews
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

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Section I: Overview

Section II: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Section III: Supplementary Information

I: Overview

A. Registrar's message

The Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court has the task of supporting the Supreme Court of Canada, one of the key institutions in the country. The Supreme Court is the "general court of appeal" for Canada, and through its decisions, settles disputes submitted to it by the parties, and in the process leads the development of the nation's jurisprudence, which affects all Canadians. The goal of the Office of the Registrar is to ensure that Canadians are well served by their highest court.

To achieve this, the Office of the Registrar must facilitate the work of the Judges and take necessary steps to enhance access to the Court required by litigants and Canadian citizens. This Report on Plans and Priorities illustrates the vision which is intended to bring ongoing and tangible improvements to the services provided to the Judges, the legal community and the public at large. It reflects the commitment to institutional independence of the court within a framework of sound public management.

The challenges faced by the Office of the Registrar are numerous: a heavy workload, a dynamic technological environment, a heritage building and increased demands for access to the court. The Office of the Registrar will continue to utilize a strengthened risk management process and improved performance management framework to face these challenges and meet established goals. Key priorities for the coming year include the completion of the improvements required to the physical access to the building, the implementation of the Courtroom Audio Visual Information Technology project, and the full implementation of the Public Service Modernization Act.

The Office of the Registrar is fortunate to be able to rely on a dedicated and motivated team of managers and employees, who demonstrate, on an ongoing basis, the values fostered by the Public Service, democratic and professional values combined with ethical and people values. Management and staff are respectful of rules and traditions, but flexible and able to adapt to the changing needs of all its stakeholders. On this strong foundation, the Office of the Registrar will continue to contribute to the better administration of justice in Canada.

B. Management Representation Statement

MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATION STATEMENT
Report on Plans and Priorities 2006-2007

I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2006-2007 Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP) for
The Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada

This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in Guide for the Preparation of Part III of the 2006-2007 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports:

• It adheres to the specific reporting requirements outlined in the TBS guidance;
• It is based on the department's approved Program Activity Architecture structure as reflected in its MRRS;
• It presents consistent, comprehensive, balanced and accurate information;
• It provides a basis of accountability for the results achieved with the resources and authorities entrusted to it; and
• It reports finances based on approved planned spending numbers from the Treasury Board Secretariat in the RPP.

 

Name: _____________________
Anne Roland

Registrar   
Title:_____________________

Date: _____________________

 

C. Summary Information

Mission - Reason for Existence

Mission of the Supreme Court of Canada As the final court of appeal, the Supreme Court of Canada serves Canadians by leading the development of common and civil law through its decisions on questions of public importance. The Court is committed to: The rule of law. Independence and impartiality. Accessibility to justice. The Office of the Registrar of the Court supports the Court by: Providing responsive legal and administrative services. Nurturing the dedication, pride and professionalism of its employees.

The mandate of the Supreme Court of Canada is to have and exercise an appellate, civil and criminal jurisdiction within and throughout Canada. It meets this mandate by hearing and deciding cases of public importance.

The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court in Canada and one of its most important national institutions. It hears appeals from the decisions of the courts of appeal of the provinces and territories as well as from the Federal Court of Appeal. In addition, the Court is required to give its opinion on any questions referred to it by the Governor in Council.

The Court is comprised of the Chief Justice and eight Puisne Judges, all of whom are appointed by the Governor in Council.

The importance of decisions of the Court for Canadian society is well recognized. The Court assures uniformity, consistency and correctness in the articulation, development and interpretation of legal principles throughout the Canadian judicial system. Its jurisdiction is derived from the Supreme Court Act and other Acts of Parliament such as the Criminal Code.

More detailed information on the Court's responsibilities, the hearing process and judgments is available on the Internet
(http://www.scc-csc.gc.ca).

Mission of the Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada

The Registrar answers directly to the Chief Justice, exercises quasi-judicial powers and is responsible for the administration of the Court. The principal responsibilities of the Office of the Registrar are to provide a full range of administrative and support services to the Judges and to manage the cases coming to the Court. The management of cases includes maintaining its records, scheduling hearings and ensuring the publication of decisions. Specific functions carried out by the Office of the Registrar include:

• Processing, recording, preserving and directing the flow of all documents filed by parties and recording all proceedings which take place during the life of a case.
• Providing information to litigants, the media and the public on the Court's processes and activities and scheduling of cases.
• Providing legal services to the Judges.
• Maintaining the Court Library and providing a full range of library and information services to Judges, staff of the Court and legal researchers.
• Publishing the Supreme Court reports.
• Providing administrative and operational support to the Judges and Court staff.
• Providing protocol services to the Judges to facilitate national and international exchanges.
• Providing a public information and tour program.

The Office of the Registrar is funded through a non-statutory appropriation. The entitlements to the Supreme Court Judges provided for in the Judges Act are funded through a statutory authority.

Resources

Financial Resources (in millions)

2006-2007	2007-2008	2008-2009
27.8	27.9	27.9

Human Resources (in Full-Time Equivalents)

2006-2007	2007-2008	2008-2009
190	190	190

Priorities

The Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada has a single strategic outcome - to provide the best possible decision-making environment for the Supreme Court. The Court itself is fundamental to the Canadian judicial framework, and as such, supports all of the Government of Canada's outcomes, as reported in Canada's Performance 2005.

A listing of the Government of Canada's outcomes can be found at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/report/govrev/05/cp-rc-eng.asp

The following table identifies the Office of the Registrar's priorities. Further detail is provided in the remainder of this document.

Departmental Priorities by Strategic Outcome Strategic Outcome: Process hearings and decisions

Priority	Type of Priority	Program Activity - Expected Result
Process cases without delay	Ongoing	Process hearings and decisions Process cases without delay Independence of the Court
Provide information	Ongoing	Process hearings and decisions Access to information Access to Court Services
Manage Risk	Previously committed to in 2004/05	Process hearings and decisions Sound Management
Build Capacity	Previously committed to in 2004/05	Process hearings and decisions Productive workforce

Planned Spending ($millions)

	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Process Cases Without Delay	21.0	21.6	21.6
Provide Information	3.1	3.1	3.1
Manage Risk	0.9	0.4	0.4
Build Capacity	2.8	2.8	2.8

D. Departmental Plans and Priorities

Operating environment

The environment within which the Office of the Registrar must carry out its activities is continually evolving. The legal environment is becoming increasingly complicated and technological advancements place ongoing pressure on the Court to update its facilities and services. In addition, the Office of the Registrar is faced with greater public demand for information and services, all in the context of a changing and highly complex judicial environment. The globalization of the law, democratization, human rights issues and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms create an environment where the Court is regularly faced with difficult and complex - and often high profile - issues for resolution. The pressure on the Court to "get it right" is unrelenting and daunting, which in turn places significant demands on the staff of the Office of the Registrar, who are required to undertake in-depth research and analysis, respond to requests for information from the public and media, and provide assistance to the litigants and lawyers.

Changes and trends in court administration include:

• New appointment process for judges to the Supreme Court. There will be more steps in the appointment process. This could result in a longer appointment process.
  
• Forthcoming changes in court administration. Forthcoming changes in the legal community will require the Court to become more adaptable to other court requirements and practices. For example, a report outlining the model policy regarding access to court records recently released by the Canadian Judicial Council will have implications for access to Court records. Further, changes to the Access to Information Act, and new privacy legislation, could have implications in terms of privacy, on-line access to court information, and access to employee information. The Office of the Registrar must take a pro-active role in preparing for these changes. The Canadian Judicial Council is also examining models for Canadian court administration that could have long term impacts on court administration in Canada.
  
• Continued focus on electronic exchange of information. There is an increasing and continuing expectation from stakeholders for electronic access (e.g., in the courtroom, legal information). Courts are adopting different e-filing practices depending on the nature of their caseload and the number of electronic cases from the lower courts is increasing. These highlight the need for greater interoperability with court users and between courts, and has important implications regarding public access to court files. In addition there is a need to develop common information standards with respect to the interoperability of the Court's case management system and its Electronic Document Management System, and how judicial information is created, kept and moved through the court system.
  
• Increasing number of cases involving secrecy, privacy and security concerns. Sealing of documents is becoming more frequent. Practices and policies on how to deal with sealed documents vary between provinces and courts, and the Court must be able to deal with these differences. This has many implications for the Court, including its ability to identify and manage sensitive court files, a more integrated approach by the Court, greater adaptability, increased tightening up of processes, additional safeguards in the case management system, and greater staff awareness.
  
• Increased sharing of information on processes and practices between courts. Increasingly, courts at the national and international level are sharing their experiences, on such matters as e-filing, case management and performance measurement. This sharing has become more forthcoming at an earlier stage, including successes, failures, and lessons learned. The Office of the Registrar is also increasingly working in close collaboration with other legal communities in Canada on e-filing and information and data management. These exchanges of information have become more structured, through such mechanisms as the Association of Canadian Court Administrators (ACCA), and the creation of other venues such as the proposed Canadian Court Centre of Technology (CCCT).

Increasingly, the delivery of Court services and information will need to be tailored to specific communities of stakeholders. More specifically:

• Stakeholders expect to be able to obtain services and information through various methods such as multi-channel service delivery. Stakeholders expect to be able to interface with the Court in different ways, electronically, through the web, by phone, or over the counter.
  
• Stakeholders expect an instant response. With improvements in technology such as e-mail, stakeholders have higher expectations in terms of obtaining immediate answers to their requests, finding information quickly and simply (e.g., through desktop delivery of integrated legal information), or obtaining information on new policies or legislation. Stakeholders want information that responds specifically to their request and is easy to understand.
  
• Stakeholders want greater access to Court information. In this regard, the media is demanding more information through lock-ups and the web. The public wants to attend Courtroom hearings which is putting increased pressure on the heritage Courtroom. The Court will need to decide on how much access to Court information and services it can afford to provide to the media and the public.

Risks

The Office of the Registrar has identified its risks at an organization-wide level and within each of its business sectors. The following risks are identified having highest priority:

• Ensuring the Office of the Registrar has the people with the required skills and abilities. The Office of the Registrar has a highly integrated approach to service delivery - any gap in staff resources has major implications for service delivery. Furthermore, back up is limited in the case of specialized positions. At the same time, it is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit staff in the case of specialized occupations within the federal public service. There is a need for a sustained focus on human resource and succession planning given the aging of the workforce and the impending loss of senior staff and corporate memory and expertise.
  
• Minimizing the risk of systems failure. Since the Court relies increasingly on information systems the risks associated with their potential failure is intensified. For example, the reliability of the Courtroom's audiovisual equipment, the efficiency and sustainability of the Case Management System, the introduction of robust internal processes to work with electronic documents (e.g., Electronic Document Management System), and the use of the internet to publish Court information, all call for a greater need to ensure systems remain available and preserve their integrity. Systems failure can result in the disruption of Court operations, delays in hearings, loss of information and loss of productivity. Equipment failures in the Court Room during the last year are an example of this ever present risk. The Court must therefore ensure that mitigation measures are in place and updated regularly (such as business resumption and business continuity plans) and that equipment is adequately maintained and updated through its lifecycle.
  
• Ensuring the security of the Judges, staff and visitors. The Office of the Registrar is cognizant of the fact that the Court is a potential target by virtue of its position in the Canadian judicial system. This has lead in the past to the conduct of a security audit stemming from the audit, the establishment of an enhanced security culture and awareness, strengthened roles and responsibilities, and the development of security policies and procedures. The latter, together with the finalization of the Court Business Continuity Plan, will continue into 2006/07.

Stakeholders and Strategic Relationships

The Office of the Registrar strives to meet the expectations of a wide range of stakeholders, including:

• Litigants - Litigants, including those who are self-represented, want responsive services, timely processing of cases, information about cases and access to Court files.
  
• Legal Community - Lawyers, academics and other legal professionals want easier access to case files, judgments, and the Court Library holdings. They also expect that the information can be provided to them by the Court in hard copy and electronic format.
  
• Other Courts - The Office of the Registrar is called upon to play a leadership role in the judicial community, through the exchange of best practices (e.g., lessons learned in e-filing, reporting of decisions) and other information (e.g., case management systems and procedures).
  
• Public and Media - The public and media demand access to Court case information and hearings through diverse delivery channels. They also want more detailed information about the inner workings of the Court, its Judges, its building, and the Court's history and place in Canadian society.
  
• International Judicial Community - The Judges and senior administrators of the Court are called upon by the international community to contribute to dialogues on globalization of the law, democratization, the development and protection of human rights and best practices in court administration. The Court is called upon to play an active role as a member of the international community of judges and jurists. This requires visits, protocol arrangements and memberships in international associations; as such, responsive and appropriate services must be provided to support these prestigious activities.

Plans and Priorities

As in previous years, the key priority of the Office of the Registrar for 2006-07 is the on-going processing of cases without delay. Other supporting priorities are to provide information, manage risks, and continue to build capacity in terms of people, information management/technology, processes and facilities. These priorities are summarized in the chart below and discussed in further detail in the text that follows.

Priorities of the Office of the Registrar

Click image to enlarge

Process cases without delay

Since the fundamental and on-going priority of the Court is to hear cases and render decisions in a timely fashion, it follows that the ultimate and fundamental priority of the Office of the Registrar is to process cases without delay. The Office of the Registrar strives to process hearings and decisions promptly and provide the required level of support to the Court. The focus of the Office of the Registrar will continue to be to maintain stakeholder satisfaction, maintain high standards of quality, process cases faster and eliminate case backlogs. Dealing with workload pressures will continue to be a concern as the volume and complexity of the cases brought before the Court is beyond its control.

Provide information

The Office of the Registrar has made strong efforts in recent years to develop its outreach/education program in order to improve access to Court information by external stakeholders (e.g., public, media, and legal community) and foster an increased understanding of the Court and its role. Existing outreach activities include education programs, media relations, international relations, protocol activities and Web communications. Efforts have also been made to improve access to case decisions and historical case information, and to provide the media better access to Court decisions. The priorities for 2006-2007 will be developing a strategy to implement a policy for electronic access to Court records taking into consideration the model policy recommended by the Canadian Judicial Council, and taking a lead role in the planning and organization of the Association of Canadian Court Administrators (ACCA) and Canadian Association of Law Libraries (CALL) conferences.

Manage risks

The Office of the Registrar has made progress in implementing an integrated approach for identifying, assessing and managing all risks facing the Court and recently developed new policies and processes for dealing with sensitive court files. Security remains an ongoing key concern in terms of risk management, and there continues to be a sustained focus on improving the security regime and implementing the recommendations of the recent security audit. The modernization of the Courtroom audio visual and information technology is considered a key project as the equipment failures in the Courtroom must be minimized.

Build people capacity

The Office of the Registrar will continue to align its human resource practices to the requirements of the Public Service Modernization Act, and implement a number of activities within the overall framework of HR Modernization, the main focus being on staffing. Another key priority during 2006/2007 will be HR planning and the integration of HR planning, in particular succession planning, with business planning so as to ensure the Office of the Registrar has the people with the appropriate skills and abilities. This will allow for better risk management in Human Resources.

Build information management/technology capacity

The Office of the Registrar has been implementing a multi-year information management and technology strategy for managing and accessing information. This undertaking includes the Intranet/Internet, systems and repositories for communicating information, storage and handling of archival information, and preservation of electronic information through a variety of stable and tested formats (e.g., migration to DVD, microform). The intent is to reduce duplication of information, improve the ability of the Office of the Registrar to respond effectively to requests for information, and support the sharing and transfer of knowledge. Electronic document management will continue to be the primary focus over 2006-2007—the Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) Phase II project will provide better tools to standardize classification, storage and retention of Court information and records, allow for an interface with the Case Management System, and establish the infrastructure necessary to provide functional e-filing services to external stakeholders.

Another key focus will be the development of a new Library Management System (LMS) that will improve service through the integration of the Court's print and electronic legal research resources, and enhance the functionality and connectivity of the system with third parties.

Build processing capacity

The Office of the Registrar will continue to focus on service improvement, performance measurement, and to improve the rules of practice of the Court and to correct service deficiencies as they arise. A key focus of the upcoming fiscal year will be the implementation of workflow changes resulting from the Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) and Library Management System (LMS) enhancements, and a more integrated approach to business planning that incorporates both HR and asset planning.

Improve facilities

Two facilities projects identified in last year's RPP are still underway (though the scope of these projects has changed). These are:

• Courtroom Audio Visual and Information Technology Project - The Court hears cases in the main courtroom, one of the most significant and symbolic rooms in the country. Hearings are open to the public, and via television broadcast, can be watched throughout the country by all Canadians. The Court also wishes to make its hearings available via the internet. The Court requires reliable audio-visual services (including video conferencing and translation) within the courtroom during hearings. In addition, the Court requires an improved information technology capacity within the courtroom, in particular to accommodate electronic filing and modern presentation techniques. The current equipment is experiencing failures during hearings, and further failures are increasingly likely. This, combined with the fact that replacement parts for the current equipment are becoming increasingly difficult and often impossible to obtain, makes future repairs more costly. The Court has submitted its business case and request for funding to implement the required changes. Should funding become available the Court plans to deliver on the bulk of this project in 2006-07.
• Redesign and refit the East Entrance - This project began in 2005-06 to optimize the use of available space, and address security and accessibility concerns. Construction will be completed in 2006-07.

II: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

The Office of the Registrar has a single strategic outcome—to provide the best possible decision-making environment for the Supreme Court of Canada. The planned results in support of this remain the same as those in the 2005-2006 RPP. These are:

• To process hearings and decisions promptly;
• To ensure the independence of the Court as an institution within the framework of sound public administration;
• To improve access to the Court and its services; and
• To provide the information base that the Court needs to fulfill its mandate.

The Office of the Registrar has one activity—process hearings and decisions; and four sub-activities—Executive services, Court Operations, Library and Information Services, and Payments pursuant to the Judges Act.

The performance indicators for each of these results are summarized in the chart below. The performance measurement framework for the Office of the Registrar also includes performance indicators related to a Motivated Workforce and Sound Management.

Performance measurement framework of the Office of the Registrar

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We describe below in greater detail the expected results, the performance indicators, and how the plans and priorities of the Office of the Registrar will help it achieve its performance objectives.

A. Process hearings and decisions—results and performance objectives

Activity	Expected Result	Performance Indicators
Process hearings and decisions	Process cases without delay	• Feedback re quality of service • Quality and availability of technology • Elapsed time for processing cases • Quality of library services

Expected result: Process cases without delay

This result is the "raison d'être" of the Office of the Registrar. The performance indicators relate mainly to the quality and timeliness of the service provided.

• Feedback regarding quality of service. Stakeholder satisfaction is monitored on a qualitative basis through feedback on the quality of services provided by the Office of the Registrar. Within the Court, the primary stakeholders are the judges. Externally, stakeholders include litigants and the legal community. The Registrar regularly confers with the Judges to assess their level of satisfaction; and meets with external legal agents to obtain feedback on service delivery, through such mechanisms as the CBA/SCC Liaison Committee, the Court Ottawa Agents Practice and Procedures Committee, as well as via informal communications with the legal community. Feedback is also obtained through individual correspondence from litigants and legal counsel. The Office of the Registrar will strive to maintain satisfaction levels at their current high level. This means a service that is responsive and efficient, whereby issues are resolved quickly, stakeholders have good access to information, there are few errors, and complaints are minimal. In order to maintain and improve service levels, the Office of the Registrar will continue to improve internal business processes, to review existing service standards and make further service improvements as required.
  
• Quality and availability of technology. Ensuring that the technology of the Court (software, systems, equipment and infrastructure) meets its requirements and those of users; and is aligned with industry standards and best practices within the federal government, other courts, and the judicial system in general. Users can be both internal (e.g., Judges, Registry staff), and external (litigants and their counsel, legal community). Key technology projects during 2006-2007 are the Electronic Document Management System Phase II Implementation, the Library Management System (LMS), and the modernization of the audio visual and information technology Courtroom Audio Visual and Information Technology Project.
  
• Elapsed time for processing cases. There is continuing pressure on the Office of the Registrar to process cases faster. Monthly statistics are maintained on the caseload and backlog, as well as an Annual Statistical Report. Detailed information on the case workload is also available on the Court's internet site (http://www.scc-csc.gc.ca). There will be a sustained focus on managing the time lapses for processing judgments, and keeping any backlog to a minimum. Key measures are the average elapsed times between filing of application for leave and decision on application for leave; between the date leave is granted (or date notice of appeal as of right filed) and the hearing; and between the hearing and the judgment. The Office of the Registrar will be striving to continue the trend to reduce these elapsed times.
  
• Quality of library services. The target is to meet service standards over 95% of the time, and to maintain a high level of satisfaction of the public and other stakeholders with the services available through the Library. The Library will continue to provide services to the Supreme Court, as well as to lawyers appearing before the Court, to federal courts, to members of the Bar and, by special permission, to others in the legal field. Such services include access to the print collection, online catalogue, circulation, reference/research services, virtual library services, communication of library products, and orientation and training of users. The new Library Management System (LMS) will help to improve the quality of library services provided through integration of resources.

B. Sub-Activities - results and performance objectives

Sub-Activity	Expected Results	Performance Indicators
Executive services	Independence of the Court	• Perception of institutional independence • Identification of potential conflict of interest
Court Operations	Access to Court services	•Time to respond to requests for information • Effectiveness of rules • Quality of protocol services • Quality of electronic access to Court services and information • Courtroom system availability • Provision of media access • Physical security
Library and Information Services	Access to information	• Internal access to case information • Quality of storage, retention and preservation of Court information • Quality of access to Court information • Library collection
Payments pursuant to the Judges Act	Reliable payment process	• Accuracy and timeliness of payments

Expected result: Independence of the Court

The situation of the Court at the apex of the judiciary gives it a wide visibility in Canada, and to a lesser extent, abroad. In this context, the Office of the Registrar must ensure that the independence of the institution is clearly safeguarded within the framework of sound public administration. It requires that appropriate arms-length relationships be maintained with Parliament, the Department of Justice and the Central Agencies. Key indicators are:

• Perception of institutional independence. The Office of the Registrar monitors risks to the independence of the institution, by tracking media reports, and conferring with the Judges to assess their level of comfort that the Supreme Court is maintaining its institutional independence. The Office of the Registrar strives to ensure that the implications of institutional independence are well understood and supported by actions of stakeholders, and that the high credibility of the institution is maintained in Canada and internationally.
• Identification of potential conflict of interest. The role of the Office of the Registrar is to identify, track and bring potential conflicts of interest to the attention of the Judges with respect to a case in which they may have been involved prior to their appointment to the Bench or in which they may have a personal interest. This ensures that the Judges are not placed in a situation of perceived conflict of interest with respect to a case in which they may have been involved prior to their appointment to the Bench or in which they may have a personal interest. The desired end result is that mechanisms are followed closely; there are no incidents of perceived conflict situations that were not identified; and no complaints. The Office of the Registrar reviews reporting mechanisms, and updates the rules on an ongoing basis, to avoid such incidents.

Expected result: Access to Court services

The Office of the Registrar must ensure that the Court is accessible and that it provides services to litigants including the processing of cases with the minimum delay. Key indicators are:

• Time to respond to requests for information. The desired target is that 95% of requests be answered within established service standards, and that stakeholders be satisfied with the quality of information received. Although the Office of the Registrar is confident that this target is being achieved on a consistent basis, it is implementing mechanisms to better track throughput times for requests for information and the distribution of documents. The Office of the Registrar is also improving on an ongoing basis access to information from its web site.
  
• Effectiveness of rules. At the moment, the rules are generally operating effectively. Key measures are that cases are filed as per the rules, and that there are few complaints or difficulties encountered. The Office of the Registrar conducts an annual review of the rules. It also seeks feedback from the legal community through committees such as the Court Ottawa Agents Practice and Procedures Committee (COAPP) and CBA/SCC Liaison Committee.
  
• Quality of protocol services. Key measures are stakeholder satisfaction with the services, and that events are perceived to be highly successful. Protocol services include organizing special events of the Court, receiving dignitaries and visitors officially invited by the Court (national and international), and providing assistance to Judges when traveling internationally on behalf of the Court. The Office of the Registrar is implementing an automated protocol program software tool to ensure a better control over the planning and organization of events.
  
• Quality of electronic access to Court services and information. The ultimate objective is to make electronic services and information easily accessible to both internal and external users. The Office of the Registrar is not yet achieving target in this regard as e-filing has proven to be more challenging to implement than originally anticipated. A key project during 2006-2007 will be the Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) Phase II that is critical to providing more functional e-filing and internet services in the long term. The Office of the Registrar will also develop and implement a policy for electronic access to Court records taking into consideration the model policy recommended by the Canadian Judicial Council.
  
• Courtroom system reliability. The reliability of the Courtroom equipment is critical to avoiding disruptions to Courtroom services. Ensuring existing mitigation measures are effective is a priority for the Office of the Registrar in 2006-2007 as there have been significant disruptions to hearings as a result of system failures. The Courtroom Audio Visual and Information Technology project is a high priority.
  
• Provision of media access. Significant progress has been made in recent years to improve the quality of media access by allowing members of the media sufficient time to read a decision and reasons for judgment in some cases before they become public. (This process is known as a media lock-up.) Although the media has generally been satisfied with the information provided, the Office of the Registrar will be endeavoring to further customize the information provided to the specific requirements of the media, and to enable the media to access more information on a self-serve basis.
  
• Physical security. The Office of the Registrar will be continuing to follow up during 2006-2007 on the results of a security audit, including updating its business resumption plan, and conducting ongoing threat and risk assessments, in order to maintain a high level of security of the facilities.

Expected result: Access to information

The Office of the Registrar will be continuing to develop and implement its long term strategy to improve the management of, and access to, information. Key indicators are:

• Internal access to case information. Enhancements will continue to be made to the Court's Case Management System as users rely heavily on this application, with a view to ensuring that case information is readily available in electronic format, that the information is up-to-date, complete and accurate, and that a consistent quality of information is available to users.
  
• Quality of storage, retention and preservation of Court information. That is, the quality of storage, retention and preservation of Court records. Specific challenges revolve around the introduction of information standards (e.g., metadata, classification, naming conventions), streamlined policy documentation, consistent and adequate management processes and controls (including the management of Judges' private papers), and long term archival requirements across various formats and media. The Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) Phase II project will support the achievement of this objective.
  
  Expected result: Reliable payment process for payments pursuant to the Judges Act
  
• Accuracy and timeliness of payments. The accuracy and timeliness of payments are monitored on an ongoing basis.

III: Supplementary Information

A. Organizational Information

The Office of the Registrar has a single Program Activity - To process hearings and decisions - which provides the services the Court requires to render its decisions. The Registrar is accountable for this program activity. The Program Activity Architecture (PAA) of the Office of the Registrar is closely aligned with its organizational structure as shown in the charts below.

Office of the Registrar Sectors / Branches	Program Sub-Activity and Sub-Sub Activities (PAA)
Executive Services Sector Office of the Registrar Justice Chambers Executive Services Branch	Office of the Registrar and Support for Justice Chambers Executive Operations and International Relations
Court Operations Sector Deputy Registrar Office Law Branch Registry Branch	Office of the Deputy Registrar and Public Information Services Legal Services Registry Services
Library and Information Services Sector Director General, Library and Information Services Library Special Projects Information Management & Technology Branch	Office of the DG Library and Information Services and Special Projects Library Services Information Technology and Security Services (program specific)* Information Management Services (program specific)*
Corporate Services Sector Director General, Corporate Services Office Finance and Materiel Management Human Resources Management Accommodation, Administrative and Security Services	DG Corporate Services and Strategic Planning Finance and Materiel Management Human Resources Management Accommodation, Administrative and Security Services

*For PAA purposes the corporate portion of IM/IT services has been identified as separate sub-sub activities under the Corporate and Administrative Services program activity.

 

 

Registrar

Appointed by the Governor General, the Registrar is the Deputy Head of the Court, answers directly to the Chief Justice and exercises quasi-judicial powers. Her office provides management and support to the chambers of the nine Judges, the office of the Executive Legal Officer, the law clerk program, and dignitary visits.

Deputy Registrar

The Deputy Registrar, a Governor in Council appointee, oversees the work of the Court Operations Sector, which includes the Registry Branch and the Law Branch. Public information services, including the management of the Court's Tour Program, are also provided by staff in the Deputy Registrar's Office.

Registry

The Registry is the hub of all procedural and documentary activities at the Court. The Registry processes, records and directs the flow of all documents filed by the parties and records all events which take place during the life of a case. It "cases manages" every leave application, appeal and motion to ensure that cases are dealt with efficiently, so that no time is wasted by Judges on procedural matters or incomplete filings. The Registry assists parties by providing information on the Court's processes and activities, schedules the Court's sittings, ensures support in the Courtroom during hearings and finalizes the documentation for cases after judgments have been rendered.

Law Branch

The Law Branch provides legal services to the Judges and the administration of the Court, and manages the publication of the judgments of the Court in both official languages. Staff lawyers provide legal opinions on all leave applications filed and legal editing of all reasons for decisions. The Branch also manages the Registrar's legal correspondence and prepares and publishes the Bulletin of Proceedings and news releases which outline the Court's agenda and listing judgments rendered or to be rendered.

Library and Information Services

Library and Information Services are provided by the: Library, Information Management and Technology Branch and Special Projects. Sector services are designed primarily to serve the Court and its business units, and through them litigants, the media and the public. These responsibilities extend to the corporate level where this centre of expertise is charged with ensuring that the management of the Court's information meets legal and central agency requirements.

Corporate Services

The administrative and operational support to the Judges and Court staff is provided by the Corporate Services, which is responsible for accommodation, finance, procurement, human resources, administration, security and strategic planning.

B. Financial Tables

Table 1: Departmental Planned Spending and Full Time Equivalents

($ millions)	Forecast Spending 2005-2006	Planned Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009
Process Hearings and Decisions
Budgetary Main Estimates (gross)	27.2	27.8	27.9	27.9
Non-Budgetary Main Estimates (gross)	-	-	-	-
Less: Respendable revenue	-	-	-	-
Total Main Estimates	27.2	27.8	27.9	27.9
Adjustments:
Governor General Special Warrants:
Supplementary Estimates:
Operating Budget Carryforward from 2004-2005	1.0	-	-	-
Compensation for collective agreements	0.5	-	-	-
Funding for the purpose of upgrading the security & accessibility of the east entrance of the Supreme Court of Canada building.	0.3
Total Adjustments	1.8
Total Planned Spending *	29.0	27.8	27.9	27.9
Less: Non respendable revenue Plus: Cost of services received without charge	(0.2)   5.5	(0.2)   5.5	(0.2)   5.6	(0.2)   5.9
Net Cost of Program	34.3	33.1	33.3	33.6
Full Time Equivalents	182	190	190	190

* The procurement savings, not included above due to their immateriality, are $30,000 in 2005-2006, and $50,000 thereafter.

Table 2: Resources by Program Activity

($ millions)

Budgetary 2006-07

Program Activity	Operating	Gross	Respendable Revenue	Net
Process hearings and decisions	27.8	27.8	-	27.8

Non-Budgetary 2006-07

Program Activity	Loans, Investments and Advances	Total Main Estimates	Adjustments (planned spending not in Main Estimates)	Total Planned Spending
Process hearings and decisions	-	27.8	-	27.8

Table 3: Voted and Statutory Items

Vote or Statutory Item	Supreme Court of Canada	2006-2007 Main Estimates ($ millions)	2007-2008 Main Estimates ($ millions)
50	Program Expenditures	20.8	20.9
(S)	Judges' salaries, allowances and annuities, annuities to spouses and children of judges lumpsum payments to spouses of judges who die while in office.	4.6	4.6
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	2.4	2.4
	Total Agency	27.8	27.9

Table 4: Services Received Without Charge

($ millions)	2006-2007
Accommodation provided by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) Contributions covering employers' share of employees' insurance premiums and expenditures paid by TBS	4.4   1.1
Total 2006-07 Services received without charge	5.5

Table 5: Summary of Capital Spending by Program Activity

($ millions)	Forecast Spending 2005-2006	Planned Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009
Process Hearings and Decisions	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0
Total	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0

Table 6: Sources of Respendable and Non-Respendable Revenue

Respendable Revenue

($ millions)	Forecast Revenue 2005-2006	Planned Revenue 2006-2007	Planned Revenue 2007-2008	Planned Revenue 2008-2009
Process Hearings and Decisions	-	-	-	-
Total Respendable Revenue	-	-	-	-

Non-Respendable Revenue

($ millions)	Forecast Revenue 2005-2006	Planned Revenue 2006-2007	Planned Revenue 2007-2008	Planned Revenue 2008-2009
Process Hearings and Decisions
Judge's contributions towards annuities	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1
Sales of goods, services and information products	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1
Total Non-Respendable Revenue	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2

Total Respendable and Non-respendable Revenue

0.2

0.2

0.2

0.2

Table 7: Resource Requirement by Branch or Sector
2006-2007

($ millions)	Process Hearings and Decisions	Total Planned Spending
Executive Services	5.2	5.2
Court Operations	7.0	7.0
Library and Information Services	6.8	6.8
Corporate Services	4.2	4.2
Payments Pursuant to the Judges' Act	4.6	4.6
Total	27.8	27.8

Table 8 : Details on Project Spending

The SCC commenced two significant projects in 2005-2006. The first project is a refit of the SCC building's east entrance, and is designed to improve both the accessibility to and security of the building. Funding for this project in the amount of $773,000 was approved by Treasury Board. The project is expected to be completed in 2006-2007.

The SCC also commenced work on a project to replace the existing audio-visual equipment in the courtroom, and to add modern information technology capabilities. Because the court hearing schedule limits the time available to implement the project, the completion date of this project is anticipated to be in 2007-2008. Funding for this project has not yet been approved.

Supplementary information on project spending can be found at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/20062007/p3a-eng.asp.

Table 9: Internal Audits and Evaluations

Audit Project	Preliminary Audit Objective and Scope	Estimated Timing
Audit of Information Security	The audit will review the management practices in place in Program Operations to secure information holdings, both in paper and electronic formats (e.g., confidential, sealed, other security requirements), including how risks of improperly disclosing information and other risks are managed. The audit will also examine how roles and responsibilities for the protection of the information holdings in Program Operations are defined and implemented	April 1, 2006 - March 31, 2007
Audit of IT	The audit will examine the reliability of the IT infrastructure (including remote control) to support the Court's activities. The scope includes IT security but also other aspects of the IT infrastructure, which will be specified. The audit will also determine the extent to which the implementation of the recommendations from the 2001/02 IT Security Audit have resolved the security failures previously identified in the Court's IT infrastructure. In addition, the audit will likely assess the Court's state of IT security against the new government standards of the Management of IT Security (MITS) tool (to be completed by TBS in December 2006).	April 1, 2006 - March 31, 2007
Finance Audit	The audit will examine selected areas or types of transactions to be specified, such as travel and hospitality, acquisition cards, etc.	April 1, 2006 - March 31, 2007
Audit of the Protocol Function	This audit will cover the protocol function, which refers to the international role of the Court Judges. The audit will review the effectiveness, efficiency and economy of the Office of the Registrar's ability to support the Judges in meeting their international duties.	April 1, 2007 - March 31, 2008
Audit of Registry Function	The audit will review the efficiency of the Registry function to support the work of the Judges and the Office of the Registrar. All areas of the Registry will be covered (e.g., tracking and monitoring of cases and other information holdings (manual, electronic and audio-visual formats); priorization of cases; appropriateness of systems; availability of specialized resources (staff, equipment); and management of risks.	April 1, 2007 - March 31, 2008

The planned audits are based upon the Court's audit plan, approved in April 2005. The Plan is reviewed annually and is subject to change based upon emerging risks and priorities.

C. Contacts for Further Information

Supreme Court of Canada Building 301 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0J1 World Wide Web: http://www.scc-csc.gc.ca/	General Enquiries Telephone: (613) 995-4330 Fax: (613) 996-3063 Internet Access reception@scc-csc.gc.ca
Anne Roland - Registrar Telephone: (613) 996-9277	E-mail: reception@scc-csc.gc.ca
Louise Meagher - Deputy Registrar Telephone: (613) 996-7521	E-mail: registry-greffe@scc-csc.gc.ca
Carolyn McDonald - Director General, Corporate Services Telephone: (613) 996-0429	E-mail: mcdonaldc@scc-csc.gc.ca

D. Listing of Statutory and Departmental Reports

Supreme Court Reports Pursuant to Section 17 of the Supreme Court Act, the Registrar or the Deputy Registrar, as the Chief Justice directs, is responsible for the publication of the judgments of the Court in the Supreme Court Reports, which include all the reasons for judgment rendered by the Court in a given calendar year.

E. Legislation Administered

Supreme Court Act        R.S.C., 1985, C.S-26 as amended Judges Act                      R.S.C., 1985, C.J-1 as amended

Supplementary Information

• Project Spending (Details on)

Details on Project Spending for the Supreme Court of Canada

($ millions)	Current Estimated Total Cost	Forecast Spending to March 31, 2006
Process hearings and decisions
East entrance refit	1.2	.7
Courtroom audio-visual and information technology	5.8*	.7

 

($ millions)	Planned Spending 2006-2007	Planned Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009
Process hearings and decisions
East entrance refit	.5	-	-
Courtroom audio-visual and information technology	4.3*	.8*	-

* Funding for this project has been requested, but not yet approved.