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SECTION I – OVERVIEW

Commissioner’s Message

I am pleased to present you with the Report on Plans and Priorities for 2008-2009 for the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages. This report describes our strategic objectives, expected results and spending estimates for the fiscal year 2008-2009.

As an officer of Parliament and Commissioner of Official Languages, it is my duty to take all necessary measures to ensure full recognition of the equal status of both official languages and compliance with the spirit and letter of the Official Languages Act. It is also my duty to work toward ensuring compliance with the legislative intent of the Act with respect to the way that federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act administer their affairs. I also have a responsibility to work towards the advancement of English and French in Canadian society.

In my first year as Commissioner of Official Languages, I had the opportunity to broaden my knowledge of official language community vitality in all regions of Canada, and to witness first-hand their strength and determination to be heard by all levels of government. I saw the Government of Canada’s official languages program at work. As language ombudsman, my role is to ensure the federal government and public service are proactive in complying with the Official Languages Act. In the coming year, I will examine other actions to complement our existing investigations, audits and performance report cards.

As an officer of Parliament, my first responsibility is to report on the degree to which relevant federal institutions and other organizations are complying with the Official Languages Act. Official languages will not prosper in the federal public service without the strong leadership of its decision makers. I will continue stressing the importance for the public service of reflecting Canada’s linguistic duality by promoting bilingualism as a key component of leadership and an essential aspect of public service renewal.

In the October 2007 Speech from the Throne, the Government of Canada informed citizens that it would launch a second phase of the Action Plan for Official Languages. I will follow the outcome of this commitment with interest.

I will continue to study the vitality of official language communities to recommend tools that will help them focus their dialogue with federal institutions in an effort to maximize application of Part VII of the Act, promoting English and French.

English and French are the official languages of Canada and belong to all citizens. Education is therefore paramount; I will continue our current efforts to have post-secondary institutions recognize the value of educating bilingual graduates.

Canada encompasses many different cultural identities, with English and French remaining its two official languages. Our official language and multiculturalism policies create a synergy that fosters respect for one another and the equality of both official languages. I will explore this link between linguistic duality and cultural diversity further.

The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages recently adopted its 2008-2011 strategic plan, which includes themes intimately tied to my vision of building bridges with my principal partners and between them. Such partners consist of parliamentarians, federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act, official language communities, and Canadians.

I encourage you to read this report, which describes my commitments and those of my Office. We will continue supporting parliamentarians to remind the government of the place and role of linguistic duality in an increasingly diverse Canadian society.

Graham Fraser

Management Representation Statement

I submit for tabling in Parliament the Report on Plans and Priorities 2008-2009 for the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.

This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in the Guide for the Preparation of Part III of the 2008-2009 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports.

• It adheres to the specific reporting requirements outlined in the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat guidance.
• It is based on the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages’ strategic outcome and program activities presented to 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 the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.
• It reports finances based on approved planned spending numbers from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

Graham Fraser
Commissioner of Official Languages

Raison d'être

The Commissioner of Official Languages has a mandate to promote the Official Languages Act and oversee its full implementation, protect the language rights of Canadians and promote linguistic duality and bilingualism in Canada.

A copy of the Official Languages Act can be found on the Web site of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages at the following address: http://www.officiallanguages.gc.ca.

The Commissioner works to ensure that the three key objectives of the Act are achieved, and takes all necessary measures in that regard. More specifically, the objectives of the Act are to ensure:

• the equality of English and French in Parliament, within the Government of Canada, the federal administration and institutions subject to the Act;
• the development and vitality of official language minority communities in Canada; and
• the equal status of English and French in Canadian society.

In pursuing these three objectives and the corresponding priorities, the Commissioner works to protect language rights by monitoring application of the Act by federal institutions and other organizations, and by promoting Canada’s official languages and respect for linguistic duality as fundamental aspects of our national identity. He plays six roles in this regard.

Protection:

1. Ombudsman role - The Commissioner receives and reviews complaints and, if required, investigates and makes the necessary recommendations. In this role, he conducts investigations on his own initiative, as he deems advisable. He also works proactively with institutions to be preventive in addressing language issues[SVS3].
   
2. Performance measurement and auditing role - The Commissioner evaluates the language performance of federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act, and produces performance report cards. In areas where there is a high level of risk, he conducts in-depth audits and makes recommendations to help institutions comply with the Act.
   
3. Court intervention role - The Commissioner helps advance Canadians’ language rights by seeking leave to intervene, when appropriate, in adjudicative proceedings involving the status or use of English or French and to ensure that linguistic rights are respected.

   Promotion:

4. Liaison role - The Commissioner works with federal institutions and other organizations, various levels of government and official language minority communities throughout the country. Through that interchange, he gains a better understanding of the needs and concerns of linguistic communities, makes relevant recommendations and intervenes judiciously in major official languages issues.
   
5. Monitoring role - The Commissioner acts preventively by intervening at the stage where laws, regulations and policies are developed, to ensure that language rights remain a primary concern of leaders. He monitors implementation of the Act by federal institutions and other organizations.
   
6. Promotion and education role - The Commissioner heightens Canadians’ awareness of the benefits of linguistic duality, works together with community organizations, takes appropriate action to have organizations subject to the Act give official languages and linguistic communities the attention they deserve, and contributes to the development and enhancement of the vitality of official language minority communities. This role consists of conducting research, studies and public awareness activities. He delivers speeches and participates in conferences and workshops to inform all Canadians of the status and importance of official languages.

Operating Environment

The overall planning framework of the Office of the Commissioner reflects the Commissioner’s status of independence from government and his role with regard to parliamentarians. The Commissioner of Official Languages exercises ombudsman and auditing roles to urge the compliance of organizations subject to the Act.

The purpose of the Act - which is to ensure the equal status of the two official languages and equality of rights and privileges regarding their use within federal institutions, to support the development of English- and French-language minorities, and to promote linguistic duality in Canada - can be achieved only through initiatives and accomplishments of federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act. The Commissioner therefore always seeks effective and innovative methods to encourage decision makers to achieve these results on behalf of Canadians.

To support the Commissioner, his Office works closely with these organizations to foster a better understanding of the importance of linguistic duality. By encouraging federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act to serve Canadians in the official language of their choice, the Office of the Commissioner helps change the government’s organizational culture and improve the quality of service.

Internal and External Factors

In its day-to-day activities, the Office of the Commissioner nurtures relationships with four key actors: parliamentarians, federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act, official language minority communities and the Canadian public.

The Office relies on the actions of its many partners to achieve the Act’s objectives. In this respect, the Office of the Commissioner’s approach must be flexible yet focused to respond to shifts in the political, social and economic environment.

Like other federal institutions, the Office of the Commissioner espouses rigorous management principles and practices, and continually strives to be a learning organization where employees can improve their knowledge and skills. More specifically, the Office’s management practices are guided by elements of the Treasury Board Secretariat’s Management Accountability Framework, to:

• Think of citizens first;
• Apply rigorous policy analysis;
• Consider key risks;
• Employ the right work force;
• Ensure that public resources are managed responsibly;
• Assign clear accountabilities, with due regard to capability.

Organizational Information

In carrying out his mandate of ensuring the full recognition and widespread use of English and French within Canadian society, federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act, the Commissioner of Official Languages is supported by his staff, which is divided among his office and branches.

The integrated governance structure of the Commissioner’s Office also includes committees to support the Commissioner in the management of the organization.

The Executive Committee is the primary decision-making body, overseeing management and administration at the Office of the Commissioner. It sets long-term strategy and priorities for the organization. The Committee is responsible for allocating the budgetary credits voted by Parliament and overseeing the performance of the Office.

The Internal Audit Committee serves primarily to ensure that the Commissioner of Official Languages has in place systems and processes required to ensure proper control and accountability of the organization.

The Policy and Communications Management Committee is the decision-making body responsible for managing and overseeing the operations of the Policy and Communications Branch. The Committee discusses national and regional issues related to policy, research, communications and planning, and provides strategic advice and recommendations to the Executive Committee. As well, the Committee supports the Assistant Commissioner responsible for this Branch in the financial and human resources management of the Branch and in developing operational strategies.

The Compliance Assurance Branch Management Committee is the decision-making body responsible for managing and overseeing the operations of the Compliance Assurance Branch. The Committee supports the Assistant Commissioner, Compliance Assurance in the financial and human resources management of the Branch and in developing operational strategies. The Committee also provides a forum for discussing how to process certain complaints, and advises the Executive Committee on these and audit and performance measurement issues.

The Corporate Services Management Committee is the decision-making body responsible for managing and overseeing the operations of the Corporate Services Branch. The Committee supports the Assistant Commissioner, Corporate Services in the resource management of corporate services at the Office of the Commissioner. The Committee discusses issues related to corporate services (human resources, finance, administrative services, information technology and information management including access to information and library, evaluation and internal audit), provides strategic advice and recommendations to the Executive Committee, and shares information and ensures follow-up on decisions.

Voted and Statutory Appropriations

(in thousands of dollars)

Voted or Statutory Appropriation	Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording	2008-2009 Main Estimates	2007-2008 Main Estimates
20	Program expenditures	17,764	17,085
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	2,142	2,129
	Total	19,906	19,214

The increase in 2008-2009 over 2007-2008 is due to the creation of the Internal Audit Unit as well as the Access to Information Unit.

Planned Spending and Full-Time Equivalents

(in thousands of dollars)

	Forecast Spending 2007-2008	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-2010	Planned Spending 2010-2011
Program Activities:
Compliance Assurance	8,954	9,133	9,133	9,133
Policy and Communications	10,260	10,773	10,773	10,773
Budgetary Main Estimates (gross)	19,214	19,906	19,906	19,906
Less: Respendable revenue	-	-	-	-
Total Main Estimates	19,214	19,906	19,906	19,906
Adjustments:
Supplementary Estimates:
Operating Budget Carry Forward	760	-	-	-
Internal Audit Unit	399	-	-	-
Access to Information Unit	557	-	-	-
Other:
Collective Agreements	102	-	-	-
Total Adjustments	1,818	-	-	-
Total Planned Spending	21,032	19,906*	19,906	19,906
Less: Non-respendable Revenue
Plus: Cost of Services Received Without Charge	2,676	2,707	2,716	2,748
Total Office of the Commissioner Spending	23,708	22,613	22,622	22,654
Full-time Equivalents	173.0	177.5*	177.5	177.5

* This amount reflects the voted credits and amounts assigned to the operation of units created in 2007-2008. Any adjustments will be known only during the year in progress. The increase in FTEs compared to the 2007-2008 RPP is due to the units created in 2007-2008 as well as an internal reallocation of salary amounts.

Summary Information

		Planned Spending (in thousands of dollars)						Contributions to the Strategic Objectives 2008-2011
	Expected Results	2008-2009		2009-2010		2010-2011
Strategic Outcome: Compliance with and respect for the Official Languages Act by federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act. Program Activities:
1.Compliance Assurance	Canadians receive thorough and timely responses to their complaints and inquiries Federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Official Languages Act have their linguistic compliance evaluated to determine how they are fulfilling their obligations under the Act.	9,133	90.3   FTEs	9,133	90.3   FTEs	9,133	90.3   FTEs	Strategic Plan 2008-2011
2. Policy and Communications	Parliamentarians, the public, the media, and those subject to the Act receive relevant and timely information related to official languages in response to their specific requests and more generally with a view to raising awareness. Knowledge about official languages issues is enhanced through research and policy and legal analyses to influence the policy-making process.	10,773	87.2 FTEs	10,773	87.2 FTEs	10,773	87.2 FTEs	Strategic Plan 2008-2011
Total of Financial Resources Total of Human Resources - Full-time equivalents (FTEs)		19,906	177.5 FTEs	19,906	177.5 FTEs	19,906	177.5 FTEs

Strategic Plan 2008-2011

The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages’ new Strategic Plan for 2008-2011 presents the following four strategic objectives:

1. Linguistic duality, as a fundamental value in Canadian society, is fully integrated in the culture of federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Official Languages Act .
2. The vitality of official language minority communities in Canada is continually strengthened.
3. Linguistic duality is recognized and promoted as a value in a diverse Canadian society.
4. The Office of the Commissioner fosters the growth and renewal of its personnel and applies the principles and practices of sound management, taking into account its status of independence from the government.

Plans and Priorities

First Strategic Objective: Linguistic duality, as a fundamental value in Canadian society, is fully integrated in the culture of federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Official Languages Act.

The Office of the Commissioner will foster a change of culture in federal institutions through proactive internal and external strategies and approaches that address systemic issues. It will promote the knowledge and respect of Canada’s two official languages as important elements of leadership.

As ombudsman and protector of Canadians’ linguistic rights, the Commissioner encourages dialogue and cooperation to motivate federal institutions and other organizations to comply with the Official Languages Act. The Commissioner will investigate complaints received from citizens who believe their language rights have been violated. He will make the necessary recommendations and seek to expand the intervention role of his investigators, to improve the efficiency of his investigations, and to follow up on his recommendations. If needed, he will intervene in court cases to ensure Canadians’ official language rights are recognized. Generally, the Commissioner exercises this power when other efforts fail or when a plaintiff’s legal recourse raises important legal questions about the interpretation of citizens’ language rights and the obligations of federal institutions and other organizations. (Investigations and court interventions are also part of the second and third strategic objectives described in this report.)

During the first year of his mandate, the Commissioner has considered his ombudsman role in terms of a fundamental need to help advance the culture of federal institutions and to promote the added value of a strong linguistic policy for the Government of Canada. The Commissioner’s ombudsman role will consist more of monitoring to ensure that the Government and the public service comply with the Official Languages Act in a proactive manner.

In 2007-2008, such changes were initiated. The changes are based on two principles: more effective resolution of disputes and the prevention of problems that lead to complaints. The Office of the Commissioner began examining ways to improve dispute-resolution processes and will continue this work through 2008-2009. It will also continue to identify systemic problems in institutions and will work with them in a spirit of prevention to find ways of achieving viable results. Improving dispute-resolution processes and prevention activities will be the subject of memoranda of understanding with some institutions. This renewed approach will complement existing tools such as investigations, audits and performance report cards, as well as court interventions. Together, these tools will lead to better results in implementing the Official Languages Act. This evolution in the ombudsman role follows the trend observed in organizations with similar vocations, which involves the development of mechanisms for prevention and the effective resolution of disputes.

The Office of the Commissioner will monitor the changes made to guidelines in the language training program. Based on the evolution of different initiatives, it will work with institutions that play a key role in determining these guidelines, such as the Canada Public Service Agency, the Canada School of Public Service and the Public Service Commission of Canada, to ensure that official languages are used according to policies and guidelines in effect. It will also review overall professional training provided to staff of the Canadian Forces to determine the extent to which opportunities for instruction are offered in each official language.

In terms of the public service, the Commissioner will highlight the importance of reflecting Canada’s linguistic duality by positioning bilingualism as an essential characteristic of leadership and an important aspect in public service renewal. Without sustained leadership by managers, regression is imminent. The Clerk of the Privy Council recently launched an initiative to renew the public service, a process which must include linguistic duality in all its facets. The Office of the Commissioner will conduct a study into the values and skills required for managing a bilingual public service, to increase knowledge and focus its actions through public service renewal initiatives.

The Commissioner will urge executives of the Government of Canada to recognize Canadians’ rights to receive equal quality services in both official languages and the right of staff to work in the official language of their choice in bilingual regions.

The Act must be explained if it is to be fully respected. The Commissioner’s Office will therefore answer requests and give information sessions to federal managers and employees, as well as the general public, to ensure a proper understanding of the Official Languages Act and its consequences on the delivery of services to the Canadian public, as well as the equality of status of Canada’s official languages and the vitality of official language communities.

The Office of the Commissioner will continue working proactively with the councils of senior federal officials across the country. It will support them in the development of their qualities as leaders and will encourage activities that help member institutions meet their commitments under the Official Languages Act. In the coming year, the Office of the Commissioner will also encourage federal councils to further work together to improve cooperation and sharing of best practices, with a view to raising the profile and knowledge of linguistic duality as a national value in the public service.

To help institutions pursue their efforts and fulfill their commitments of complying with the Official Languages Act, the Office of the Commissioner will increase the focus of its audits on specific problems. Other audits will be completed and published in 2008-2009, such as those of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (service to the public), the Halifax International Airport (official languages program management), and Environment Canada’s Meteorological Service of Canada (service provided to the public through automated telephone devices).

The Office of the Commissioner will also follow up on previous audits to ensure institutions are fully applying recommendations from those audits. Follow-ups are generally carried out 18 to 24 months after the report of the audit has been published. The Commissioner’s Office foresees two follow-ups in 2008-2009: one on the Audit of the Language of Work at National Defence Headquarters and the other on the Audit of the Implementation of Section 41 of Part VII of the Official Languages Act at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

The Office of the Commissioner will closely follow bills tabled in Parliament which affect official languages. The Commissioner will in turn appear before parliamentary committees studying such bills, when necessary. Among other actions, the Office will inform parliamentarians of its work and fully support them in their official language roles. (This initiative also underlies the second and third strategic objectives described in this report.)

In May 2007, the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages published a report entitled Relocation of Head Offices of Federal Institutions: Respect for Language Rights. In the report’s recommendations, the Commissioner of Official Languages is asked to study the management and coordination of official languages and to make his own recommendations. The Commissioner’s study will focus on the principles of governing horizontal issues while taking into account the mechanisms available to the public administration to ensure the full implementation of all parts of the Official Languages Act.

Second Strategic Objective: The vitality of official language minority communities in Canada is continually strengthened.

The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages will build bridges between leaders of official language minority communities and federal institutions to ensure that policies, programs and activities support the development of these communities.

In November 2005, the adoption of An Act to amend the Official Languages Act (promotion of English and French) clarified any ambiguity in the enforceability of Part VII of the Act. The measure strengthened the federal government’s work fostering the vitality of English- and French-language minorities and supporting their development. The Commissioner will therefore investigate receivable complaints that involve Part VII, and in 2008 will follow up on his recommendations to the government regarding the budget cutbacks of September 2006, including cancellation of the Court Challenges Program. The evolution of the Commissioner’s ombudsman role toward more effective prevention and dispute resolution also affects the second and third strategic objectives of this report.

The Office of the Commissioner will closely monitor implementation of changes to Part VII of the Act, particularly through performance reviews of federal institutions. He will also continue to monitor the coordination role played by the Department of Canadian Heritage, as well as the measures taken by federal institutions to meet their obligations under Part VII of the Act [in terms of subsection 41(2)]. Federal institutions must take positive measures to enhance the vitality of minority English- and French-language communities in Canada, to support and foster their development, and to encourage the full recognition and use of English and French in Canadian society.

Audits and audit follow-ups by the Office of the Commissioner in 2008-2009 will in part allow it to analyze institution achievements that illustrate the full recognition of the equal status of both official languages, that actively and visibly promote linguistic duality in Canadian society, and that support and enhance the vitality of official language minority communities. It will also allow the Commissioner’s Office to make recommendations regarding the application of positive measures.

The Office of the Commissioner will foster dialogue between official language communities and federal, provincial and territorial departments and agencies to create networks that facilitate exchange and ensure the continuity and strength of official language communities.

In the October 2007 Speech from the Throne, the government informed Canadians that it would launch a second phase of the 2003-2008 Action Plan for Official Languages. The Office of the Commissioner will evaluate results and monitor the government’s initiatives in accomplishing this Plan. It will ensure that the voices of official language minority communities are heard.

The Commissioner will continue his research started in fiscal 2007-2008 on the vitality of official language minority communities in Canada. He will complete the studies of three English-language communities in Quebec (Québec City, the Lower North Shore, and the Eastern Townships). These studies will introduce practical tools to the communities to assess the level of their vitality with their partners. Useful information will be provided to community development officials and governments on the activities the communities want to carry out as well as their expected results.

The Office of the Commissioner will analyze results of the 2006 census on language and diversity to determine which elements require closer study and research. It will also review the Survey of the Vitality of Official-Language Minorities published by Statistics Canada. These analyses will focus on vitality-related aspects of communities, such as education, health, culture, language use and access to government services.

Third Strategic Objective: Linguistic duality is recognized and promoted as a value in a diverse Canadian society.

The Office of the Commissioner has begun to explore the interaction between linguistic duality and cultural diversity, particularly through a forum held in Toronto in October 2007. It will continue this work through another forum in 2008-2009 to better understand how Canadians of different origins deal with the two official languages, and to take this into account in discussions and recommendations to government.

The Office of the Commissioner will work with groups interested in promoting linguistic duality in Canada, focusing on the importance of learning a second language and building bridges between linguistic communities. It will develop communications strategies and tools to share its message with Canadians and with federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Official Languages Act. It will create new communications products and develop its Web site to further sensitize Canadians to linguistic duality as a fundamental Canadian value.

The Office of the Commissioner will also encourage federal institutions to include linguistic duality in the development and implementation of their policies, programs and activities, within a multicultural environment.

It will hold other information sessions across the country to explain the purpose and objectives of the Official Languages Act, and to promote linguistic duality.

Canada will host the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. In a spirit of cooperation and prevention, the Office of the Commissioner will monitor this activity as it progresses. This will be an exciting time for our country, and the world will be watching. Canadians must show leadership in linguistic duality and become a model for others. Our public face must be unequivocally bilingual. The Office of the Commissioner will study how the Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic Games is applying requirements of its official languages agreement with the federal government. The Olympic Games Organizing Committee at the Department of Canadian Heritage is responsible for this agreement. The Office of the Commissioner will also monitor the role of French-language communities in the organization and presentation of the Games.

In education, the Office of the Commissioner will highlight the need to promote the learning of both official languages by youth through all levels of education. This social challenge was an important part of the 2003-2008 Action Plan for Official Languages, which sought to make 50% of high school graduates effectively bilingual by 2013. According to the October 2007 Speech from the Throne, the Government of Canada will launch a second phase of the Action Plan. The Office of the Commissioner will work to ensure that greater emphasis is placed on pursuing second-language instruction from kindergarten through high school. It will also launch a study in 2008-2009 on the opportunities for learning a second language in Canadian universities.

The first phase of this study will consist of a survey of all Canadian universities to learn more about existing opportunities for second-language French instruction as well as the measures taken by English-language universities to encourage students to learn a second language during their university studies or to maintain their existing knowledge of their second language. The study will also review the range of programs offered in Canada by bilingual and French-language universities.

Some provinces, particularly New Brunswick, have taken the initiative to review second-language French instruction programs. The Office of the Commissioner will examine these studies in the coming year and will offer its expertise and support where needed, to ensure that information on exemplary practices in other provinces is available and considered in the studies.

Québec City is celebrating its 400th anniversary in 2008 under the theme of  “Meetings and Encounters.” This is an anniversary of national importance since the founding of Québec was a major event in the history of Canada in general and French Canada specifically. The event will be an opportunity to celebrate Canadian values and diversity and to mark the contact 400 years ago between Aboriginal and European peoples, which began an intercultural dialogue underpinning the Canada of today. The anniversary will reflect the Government of Canada’s recognition of the importance of promoting linguistic duality and enhancing the vitality of official language communities.

Fourth Strategic Objective: The Office of the Commissioner fosters the growth and renewal of its personnel and applies the principles and practices of sound management, taking into account its independence from the government.

The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages reports to Parliament, and its relations with parliamentarians are essential to its success. As an officer of Parliament, the Commissioner will inform parliamentary committees of his work and the evolution of linguistic duality in Canada. This will include the Advisory Panel on the Funding of Officers of Parliament, which will examine the Office of the Commissioner’s annual operating budget.

The Office of the Commissioner will further improve its management performance through an accountability framework based on results, which includes the requirements of sound public management. It will complete the organization’s risk profile, which will allow it to fully integrate risk analysis into planning and decision-making.

The Government of Canada’s policy on the structure of resource and results management provides institutions with the leeway and discretionary powers to develop and manage relevant programs. While taking into account the Commissioner’s independence from government and his obligations to Parliament, the Office of the Commissioner will develop a performance measurement framework which allows it to measure the impact of its interventions, on behalf of Parliament. In the next two fiscal years, the Office of the Commissioner will develop a strategy and determine its needs in order to prepare and establish baseline data for each of the organization’s main activities, as described in the performance measurement framework.

The Office of the Commissioner’s financial situation is sound. In 2006-2007, discussions with Parliament led to an increase in credits to meet the requirements of the Access to Information Act, which has governed the Office of the Commissioner since April 2007. In addition, the Internal Audit Unit will continue being implemented through 2008-2009.

The development of information and information technology management strategies will allow the Office of the Commissioner to benefit from sustainable technological solutions for current and future organizational needs.

Application of the Office’s human resources strategy will continue with a focus on recruitment, training and staff retention in the context of cultural diversity. Results of the 2005 Public Service Employee Survey have led the Office of the Commissioner in 2007-2008 to create working groups that will review the main themes of the Survey, adopt concrete measures and make short- and long-term improvements. This work will continue in 2008-2009.

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