ARCHIVED - RPP 2007-2008
Military Police Complaints Commission

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SECTION I — OVERVIEW

CHAIR'S MESSAGE

I am pleased to present the Military Police Complaints Commission's 2007-08 Report on Plans and Priorities. While the Military Police Complaints Commission (the Commission) has completed its eighth full year of operation, I am completing my first. It is obvious to me that the Commission is in a critical stage of its evolution towards becoming a truly effective civilian oversight agency. Much has been accomplished to date; much needs to be accomplished in the future.

Bill C-7, An Act to Amend the National Defence Act, is still on the horizon. In response to the amendments, the Commission prepared a number of alternatives for possible incorporation into Bill C-7, with a view to improving police oversight. To that end, the Commission will continue working with stakeholders to improve the quality of military police oversight.

Our work volumes increased significantly in the past year (2005-06). The number of active complaints under review or investigation by the Commission doubled from the previous year, and there is no indication that they will diminish from these new levels. New practices, standards and measures were developed for the complaints resolution process last year, and now this year we must implement them, measure their impact on performance and make whatever adjustments may be necessary. Our ability to resolve complaints effectively and efficiently is the starting point in a process that can result in positive changes in the professional conduct of the military police. These changes can also result in the increased confidence of all Canadians that the military police are discharging their policing duties in accordance with the highest standards, now and in the future. As always, the Commission will continue to manage and maintain the sometimes difficult balance between administrative efficiency and the provision of effective, impartial oversight of the Canadian Forces military police.

Effective communications with stakeholders are critical to the success of the Commission as a mechanism for public confidence. We intend to increase the number of working sessions with officials in the Department of National Defence (DND) in order to better resolve complaints in a more efficient and effective manner. We will continue with our outreach program, visiting a number of Canadian Forces bases and giving presentations to Military police members, various Canadian Forces members and other stakeholders on these bases on who we are and what we do. Our efforts are in accord with and lend support to the focus of the Canadian government on maintaining safe and secure communities within the country and around the world.

We must also be ever vigilant that our workplace remains a satisfying and challenging environment for employees. The results of the 2004-05 Public Service Survey indicated that the Commission was able to provide its staff with a high level of job and workplace satisfaction. The challenge as we go forward, with increased volumes of complaints stretching our capacity, will be not only to maintain, but to improve on, this level of satisfaction, while at the same time continuing to deliver an effective service to our clients.

The Commission intends to focus on strengthening management accountability. Implementing improved management practices will introduce greater efficiencies and economies, which in turn will help the Commission better manage its costs and provide greater value for money. Strategic and efficient human resource management will help to ensure that the Commission will continue to have a knowledgeable and skilled workforce in place, one that is committed to the successful delivery of our services for the benefit of the military police, the Canadian Forces and, ultimately, all Canadians.

MANAGEMENT REPRESENTATION STATEMENT

I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2007-2008 Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP) for Military Police Complaints Commission.

This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in Guide for the Preparation of Part III of the 2007-2008 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports:

• It adheres to the specific reporting requirements outlined in the Treasury Board Secretariat guidance;
• It is based on the Commission's Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture that were approved by the Treasury Board;
• 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 RPP.

PROGRAM ACTIVITY ARCHITECTURE CROSSWALK ($ millions)

ACTIVITY	Year 2006 – 2007	Year 2007 – 2008
Operations	N/A	N/A
Legal Services	N/A	N/A
Complaints Resolution	$3.4	$3.4

The Commission restructured its program activities, with the approval of Treasury Board, commencing in the 2006-2007 fiscal year. The restructuring involved merging its two operational program activities, Operations and Legal Services, to form Complaints Resolution. The Crosswalk shows both the old and the new activity structures and how they are funded.

SUMMARY INFORMATION

Who We Are

The Commission was established by the government of Canada on December 1, 1999 to provide independent, civilian oversight of the Canadian Forces military police. It is a quasi-judicial tribunal, and it reports to Parliament on its activities through the Minister of National Defence. It is funded through annual appropriations.

The Commission's role is to inquire into complaints independently and impartially and to arrive at objective findings and recommendations based on the information provided by complainants, the subjects of complaints, witnesses and others who may assist in uncovering the truth concerning the events being investigated. The Commission does not act as an advocate for either side in the complaint process.

What We Do

The Commission formulates recommendations based on the findings of its reviews and investigations of complaints. Although not binding, if the authority responsible for dealing with these recommendations does not act on them, the reasons for not acting must be provided to the Chair and the Minister of National Defence. While the Chair's recommendations may result in the censuring of the conduct of those who are the subject of a complaint, the recommendations are also directed at correcting any systemic problems that may have played a part in allowing the situation that gave rise to a complaint in the first instance.

Reason for Existence

The Commission was created from the results and recommendations of various reports, including, among others, the Report of the Minister of National Defence to the Prime Minister, Dickson I and II Reports, and the Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Deployment of Canadian Forces to Somalia (June 1997).

The Commission oversees and reviews complaints about the conduct of members of the military police in the performance of their policing duties and functions, and handles complaints of interference from members of the military police who believe that another member of the Canadian Forces or a senior official of the Department of National Defence has improperly interfered with, or attempted to influence, a police investigation.

The Commission is an organization that exhibits fairness and impartiality in the performance of its investigations and reviews, inspires trust in the results of its decision making, and contributes to a climate of confidence in military policing.

Financial Resources

Financial Resources ($ millions)

2007 – 2008	2008 – 2009	2009 – 2010
$3.4	$3.4	$3.4

Human Resources (FTEs)

2007 – 2008	2008 – 2009	2009 – 2010
18	18	18

Departmental Priorities

Name	Type
1. Improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the complaints resolution process	Ongoing
2. Improving management accountability	Ongoing

The Commission has consolidated previously stated priorities into two main priorities. The following chart aligns the priorities addressed in 2006-2007 with the priorities being addressed in the current planning period.

1. Improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the complaints resolution process	2. Improving management accountability
1. Continue to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the complaints resolution process 2. Evaluate performance measurements for the case management process 3. Continue to enhance and expand the delivery of information to stakeholders 4. Continue to cultivate collaborative and harmonious working relationships within the organization 5. Evaluate the organization's risk management strategy	1. Continue to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the complaints resolution process 4. Continue to cultivate collaborative and harmonious working relationships within the organization 6. Improve resource stewardship

Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

The Commission has one strategic outcome: a military police organization that performs its policing duties in a highly professional organization, free from interference and with the confidence and support of those it serves.

The Commission has one program activity: providing complaints resolution services.

Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

	Expected Results	Planned Spending ($ millions)			Contributes to the following priority
		2007 – 2008	2008 – 2009	2009 – 2010
Strategic Outcome: a military police organization that performs its policing duties in a highly professional organization, free from interference and with the confidence and support of those it serves
Program Activity: providing complaints resolution services	The timely implementation of corrective action by DND to improve on the quality of military policing Increased awareness on behalf of the military police, the Canadian Forces and the public of military policing issues, and an overall improvement in military policing practices	3.4	3.4	3.4	Priority No. 1 and 2 Priority No. 1 and 2

DEPARTMENTAL PLANS AND PRIORITIES

Operating Environment

The Commission is a micro-sized agency of 18 FTEs. Situated in Ottawa, it provides independent civilian oversight of a military police service with more than 1,200 members stationed across Canada and with Canadian Forces around the world. The Commission delivers its program and services both to DND and to the Canadian public.

Number and Complexity of Complaints and Investigations

It is impossible to definitively predict how many complaints will be made over the planning period, how many complainants will ask the Commission to review the investigation of their complaint or how many complaints will be deemed to be in the public interest, thereby leading to a more costly public interest investigation or hearing by the Commission.

Forecasting is not easy. Investigations can vary considerably one from the other in terms of complexity. For instance, while one investigation may involve interviewing two or three people in a single location, another could involve interviewing more than a dozen individuals who are deployed at several sites across the country. Similarly, while some relatively straightforward cases can be dealt with in a matter of weeks, other investigations can involve reviewing hundreds of pages of documentary evidence and extensive interview notes and may take several months to complete.

The effectiveness and efficiency of the complaints resolution process depends to a large extent on how well the Commission manages its workload and applies its limited resources to resolving the cases on hand.

Reports of public interest investigations, as well as summaries of complaints that have been investigated and reviewed by the Commission, are available on its website at http://www.mpcc-cppm.gc.ca/300/300-eng.aspx.

Results

Accountability for results is shared and, as such, the Commission requires the co-operation of others. Indeed, the success of the complaints resolution process depends to a great extent on the Commission's working relationship with DND. It should be noted that the Chair cannot issue a final report in a given case until the appropriate authority within the military or defence hierarchy has provided a response to the Chairperson's interim report. It should also be noted that the recommendations for improvements issued by the Commission in its interim and final reports are not binding on the Canadian Forces or DND. The extent of corrective action taken in response to recommendations made rests entirely outside the control of the Commission. Although it is independent of DND and the Canadian Forces, the Commission places a premium on maintaining a good working relationship and regular consultations with the Chief of the Defence Staff, the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal and other stakeholders.

Management Practices

The Commission is focusing on improving its management practices. There are three elements within this priority: adhering to the legislative and policy requirements of the Commission and the central agencies (requirements in areas such as internal audit, human resource management and security), attracting and retaining a high-quality workforce, and reviewing the control framework surrounding asset management, finance and information technology. The Commission is in the process of confirming its Program Activity Architecture (PAA) with Treasury Board and will be working on its performance measurement framework over the next several months.

The Commission's employees are its most critical resource. Like most small agencies, the Commission is a flat organization; most positions are the "one and only" responsible for an entire function. Turnover and knowledge transfer are constant concerns. As a result, the Commission will increase its focus on human resource planning and development. Building a work environment that is both challenging and rewarding continues to be a goal of the Commission.

Improved management practices support the complaints resolution process. Adherence to legislative and policy requirements will enable the Commission to focus its resources on its core mandate and not on addressing issues of non-compliance with any of the central agencies. The quality of the workforce impacts directly on the Commission's ability to conduct investigations and release reports and recommendations that are complete, timely and of high quality. It follows that the quality of these recommendations impacts directly on the quality of changes proposed to military police policies and procedures.

Bill C-7 — An Opportunity for Improvement

Bill C-7, an Act to Amend the National Defence Act, received first reading on April 27, 2006. The Commission has filed a brief with the Standing Committee on National Defence. The brief explains the concerns and suggests alternatives for the way ahead. That brief is now available of the Commission's website at www.mpcc-cppm.gc.ca.

LINK TO GOVERNMENT OF CANADA OUTCOME AREAS

The Commission, by focusing on these priorities, will contribute significantly to the confidence that Canadians have in their military police and in their performance of their policing duties with the highest standards of conduct. A military police force operating in such a manner will lend support to the focus of the Canadian government on maintaining safe and secure communities within the country and around the world.

 

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