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SECTION I - OVERVIEW
Agency Head's Message
The multilateral intergovernmental conference is a key component of the Canadian federation. It is an instrument for consultation, coordination, negotiation and agreement among federal, provincial and territorial governments.
The Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat (CICS) was established pursuant to an agreement reached at the May 1973 First Ministers’ Conference. It is an agency of both the federal and provincial governments that provides administrative services for the planning and conduct of senior level federal-provincial-territorial and provincial-territorial conferences held throughout Canada.
The objective of the program is to relieve client departments, in virtually all sectors of government activity, of the numerous technical and administrative tasks associated with the planning and conduct of such conferences, thereby enabling them to concentrate on the substantive issues.
In addition to the increasingly important cost efficiencies and the significant economies of scale, which governments can achieve through the utilization of CICS, the Secretariat also offers the advantages of confidentiality, continuity, neutrality and expertise in the planning and organizing of high level intergovernmental meetings in Canada.
In 2007-2008, the Secretariat provided services to 86 senior level conferences which were held in every region of the country. Included in the above are 4 Premiers, 36 Ministerial and 46 Deputy Ministerial meetings. Of these conferences, 61 were federal-provincial-territorial and 25 were provincial-territorial. The months of June and September were our busiest months in fiscal year 2007-2008 with 17 conferences served in each.
| André M. McArdle Secretary |
Management Representation Statement
I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2007-2008 Departmental Performance Report for the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat.
This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in the Performance Reporting Good Practices Handbook 2008.
- It adheres to the specific reporting requirements outlined in the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) guidance;
- It is based on the department’s approved Program Activity Architecture structure as reflected in its Management Resources and Results Structure (MRRS);
- It presents consistent, comprehensive, balanced and reliable 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 Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP).
| Mara Indri-Skinner Assistant Secretary |
Summary Information
Raison d’être|
The Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat (CICS) was established pursuant to an agreement reached at the May 1973 First Ministers’ Conference and designated a department of the federal government by an Order-in-Council dated November 29, 1973. Its one‑program and one‑activity mandate is to provide administrative services for the planning and conduct of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers level federal-provincial-territorial and provincial-territorial conferences. The CICS is an agency of both the federal and provincial governments and, as such, acts as a neutral intergovernmental body. Its budget is supported by both orders of government and its staff includes both federal and provincial public servants. The Secretary reports to all governments annually. The operations are reviewed by federal and provincial senior officials designated by their respective First Ministers. The CICS reports to Parliament through the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada. |
Total Financial Resources for the Agency ($ millions)
|
2007-2008 |
||
|
Planned Spending |
Total Authorities |
Actual Spending |
|
6.5 |
6.5 |
5.0 |
Total Human Resources for the Agency
|
2007-2008 |
||
|
Planned |
Actual |
Difference |
|
36 |
30 |
6 |
Summary of Performance in Relationship to Departmental Strategic Outcomes ($ millions)
2007-2008
|
Strategic Outcome / Priorities
|
Type | Planned Spending | Actual Spending | Expected Results and Current Status |
| Plan, conduct, and serve 110-120 intergovernmental conferences at the most senior levels in response to requests by governments | Ongoing | 6.5 | 5.0 | 86 Senior level intergovernmental conferences were served |
Overall Agency Performance
|
The 2007-2008 fiscal year was one of consolidation and preparation for the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat (CICS). Requests for CICS services declined from the level of previous years, with several provincial elections impacting meeting opportunities and sectors reacting to the on-going minority federal government by adopting a ‘wait-and-see’ perspective. Federal-provincial-territorial relations moved into a period where developing significant new initiatives would require majority support before they could be planned, funded and executed, in many cases. Parties to these meetings instead took the time to analyze and develop their own practices, and to frame their status within the political environment. CICS took advantage of the lower number of conferences during the year, to study means of cost optimalization, to review operating procedures and implement and document best practices, and to cross-train employees for the purpose of risk mitigation. Also noteworthy, the Secretariat was able to reduce total operating costs, as compared to the previous fiscal year. Conference Highlights: CICS provided its services to eighty-six senior level intergovernmental conferences in 2007-2008. Of these meetings, four were held at the level of Premiers and Territorial Leaders, and these meetings require significantly more effort than standard, in terms of planning and execution:
Number of Conferences Served: While there was a decrease in the number of meetings from the 115 served in 2006-2007, the number of Premiers level conferences doubled in 2007-2008 from two to four. Of the many conferences served, 42 percent where at the Ministerial level and 53 percent were at the Deputy Ministerial level. For further performance statistics on conferences, the reader is encouraged to review SECTION IV – Other Items of Interest – Conference Related Statistics. |
Human Resource Management
Many of the broader trends affecting the Public Service in general began to be felt at the agency. The Secretariat experienced significant personnel turnover and departures during the fiscal year 2007-2008, with employees retiring and others being lured to larger departments in terms of career progression.
To resolve some of the challenges associated with recruitment and retention, and in order to identify its current and future human resources requirements, the Secretariat developed its first Integrated Business and Human Resources Plan for 2007-2010.
