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The mandate of the Public Appointments Commission is to oversee and report on the selection process for Governor-in-Council appointments, in agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations. To achieve efficiency in the public sector, there is a need for the federal government to provide greater certainty and consistency in appointment policies and in the process and standards that are followed.
The Public Appointments Commission Secretariat’s role is to provide advice and support respecting the development of the Public Appointments Commission, and once the Commission is established, to assist it in developing and implementing policies and procedures and partnerships necessary to successfully carry out its mandate.
The Public Appointments Commission Secretariat was created by Order-in-Council on April 21, 2006. The Commission, once established, and its Secretariat are within the portfolio of the Prime Minister, reflecting the prerogative of the Prime Minister with respect to Governor-in- Council appointments.
The Secretariat’s main responsibility is to lay the groundwork for the establishment of the Public Appointments Commission which is provided for in the Federal Accountability Act, and once established, to provide ongoing support. Specifically, the Secretariat will: advise the Commission on the development of a Code of Practice and associated guidance governing the selection process for Governor-in-Council appointments to agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations; provide advice and support on implementing the Code of Practice; provide advice and support to the Commission in carrying out the mandate to conduct audits on compliance with the Code of Practice; andprovide advice and support to the Commission on the preparation of an annual report to the Prime Minister, and through the Prime Minister, to Parliament.
The Public Appointments Commission has one Strategic Outcome, as described below, which in turn, is supported by one Program Activity.
Strategic Outcome: To ensure fair and competency-based processes are in place for the recruitment and selection of qualified individuals for Governor-in-Council appointments across agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations.
Program Activity: Oversight of Governor-in-Council appointments.
Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual Spending |
---|---|---|
1,067 | 1,036 | 347 |
Planned | Actual | Difference |
---|---|---|
4 | 1 | 3 |
During the year 2008-09, the Public Appointments Commission Secretariat had a small team of two, a Deputy Executive Director on assignment and an Administrative Assistant, on contract.1
Program Activity | 2007-08 Actual Spending |
2008-09 | Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Main Estimates |
Planned Spending |
Total Authorities |
Actual Spending |
|||
Oversight of Governor- in- Council appointments | 113 | 1,067 | 1,067 | 1,036 | 347 | The Program Activity is aligned with all Government of Canada outcomes |
Total Spending | 113 | 1,067 | 1,067 | 1,036 | 347 | |
Full-time Equivalents | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
Name |
Type |
Performance Status |
---|---|---|
1. Support the Commission |
Ongoing |
Successful completion requires establishment of Commission |
2. Build the Organization |
Ongoing |
Successful completion requires establishment of Commission |
3. Develop the Code of Practice |
Ongoing |
Successful completion requires establishment of Commission |
4. Monitor, Audit and Report |
Ongoing |
Successful completion requires establishment of Commission |
Once the Commission is established, the Secretariat will provide policy and operational support to the chair and any members appointed.
In order to support the Commission once established, the Secretariat is implementing the plans for its organizational structure including fulfilling planning and reporting obligations under Section 1.1 of the Financial Administration Act.
The Secretariat’s work focuses on researching best practices, conducting literature reviews, consulting with federal departments, agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations and with other levels of government in Canada and abroad to develop, for the early consideration of the Commission, a Code of Practice and associated guidance for selection processes regarding Governor-in-Council appointments.
The Federal Accountability Act requires the Commission to provide advice and to monitor the application of the Code of Practice, and to provide the Prime Minister with an annual report for tabling in both Houses of Parliament.
As the Commission was not established/operational for this time period, the Secretariat’s work was completed in “draft,” that is, subject to the approval of the Commission once established, and there was no permanent staffing of the Secretariat.
The Secretariat was established by Order-in-Council in April 2006, and was headed at that time by an Executive Director as its Deputy Head.
The total planned spending will only be required once the Commission is fully operational.
Vote # or Statutory Item (S) | Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording | 2006-07 Actual Spending |
2007-08 Actual Spending |
2008-09 Main Estimates |
2008-09 Actual Spending |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
25 | Program expenditures | 578 | 103 | 945 | 303 |
(S) | Contributions to employee benefit plans | 54 | 10 | 122 | 44 |
Total | 633 | 113 | 1,067 | 347 |