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As President of the Treasury Board, I am pleased to present the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's 2009–10 Report on Plans and Priorities, which outlines how the Secretariat will contribute to the achievement of the Government of Canada's commitments.
Budget 2009: Canada's Economic Action Plan sets out an ambitious, multi-year action plan to stimulate the economy and support Canadians during these difficult economic times. For these measures to have a real impact, they must be implemented as quickly as possible. At the same time, the appropriate level of due diligence must be applied to ensure responsible spending and the achievement of results. Over the next year, the Secretariat will be working with other government departments to ensure efficient and effective implementation of Budget 2009.
In addition, the Secretariat will continue working to ensure government spending is effective and achieves the intended results through the ongoing strategic review process. The first round of reviews identified savings totalling $386 million a year and the second round identified savings of $586 million a year. These funds are available for reinvestment from programs that were lower priority, lower performing, or no longer needed to programs that better respond to the priorities of Canadians.
Finally, our government remains committed to public service renewal. We want to ensure that public service employees have the clear mandate and organization they need to continue to provide sound policy advice to the government and high-quality services to Canadians.
As part of this commitment, last month the Prime Minister announced changes to streamline and improve the management of human resources in the public service of Canada, following recommendations from a special advisory committee. We are simplifying the organizational structure for human resources management, reducing overlap and duplication, and providing deputy ministers with the primary responsibility for managing the people in their own departments and agencies.
Effective March 2, 2009, a new Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer was created; it combines central components of human resources management and is housed within the Secretariat.
Through these initiatives, the Secretariat is increasing innovation, transparency, and accountability across government. I am confident that the strategic direction set out in this 2009–10 Report on Plans and Priorities will help further strengthen government effectiveness and Canada's position as a leader in public sector management.
The Honourable Vic Toews, P.C., Q.C., M.P.
President of the Treasury Board
The role of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (Secretariat) is to support the Treasury Board in ensuring that government is well managed and accountable, and that its resources are allocated to achieve results. The Secretariat has a direct impact on governance, accountability, the quality of federal public sector management, and the efficiency and effectiveness with which the government's programs and services are delivered. |
The Secretariat supports the Treasury Board by providing advice on all of its responsibilities to Treasury Board ministers. The Secretariat's mandate is to build excellence in management performance. This encompasses expenditure and financial management as well as regulations, compensation, pensions, benefits, terms and conditions of employment, and labour relations. The Canada School of Public Service, which also supports the Treasury Board, together with the Secretariat, the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying, the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner, and the Public Service Pension Investment Board form the Treasury Board portfolio.
Treasury Board The Treasury Board is a Cabinet committee established in 1867 and given statutory powers in 1869. As the general manager of the public service, it has three key functions—to act as the government's management board, budget office, and employer of the core public administration. |
The Secretariat plays three key central agency roles in relation to other federal departments, agencies, and Crown corporations:
Related to these roles, the Secretariat supports Treasury Board in its role as employer of the core public administration by managing labour relations, compensation operations, and pension and benefit policies and programs.
The rapidly changing economic, demographic, and technological parameters of the public sector pose a challenge to its management and require new approaches and solutions. Effectively managed government means having the right people, processes, and systems and technology to enable government to identify priorities, operate efficiently, and generate innovative ideas and approaches, while remaining accountable, dynamic, and able to respond quickly and appropriately to changing circumstances.
There is an opportunity to solidify the government's reputation and leadership in areas of sound public sector management. The Government of Canada's world-leading approaches to assessing program effectiveness and management performance contribute to improving management capacity and delivering better program results.
In this period of unprecedented economic uncertainty and world-wide crisis, Canadians expect spending to be aligned with the federal government's priorities and government programs to provide value for taxpayers' money. They demand a government that is accountable and manages their tax dollars in a cost-effective manner to address public policy issues. Budget 2009 outlines Canada's Economic Action Plan, which is aimed at providing immediate economic stimulus while promoting long-term growth. It requires timely review and approval of billions of dollars for projects intended for the next two years. This will put particular pressure on the Secretariat to find ways to balance the need for enhanced accountability with the need to expedite approval of the components of the stimulus package.
The federal public service is a large and diverse national institution that:
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Demographic changes are creating pressures to improve recruitment into the public service and to enhance mobility between the public and private sectors. These pressures pose particular challenges for the Secretariat, given its employer role. This means finding the balance between retaining a highly qualified workforce in a competitive environment and providing the flexibility required for skilled workers to leave and return to the public service.
The Secretariat, through its work, will continue to ensure that the public service strives for excellence and spends taxpayers' money on efficient and effective programs that support the Government of Canada's priorities to meet the needs and expectations of Canadians.
The work of the Secretariat is focussed on achieving the following strategic outcome:
Government is well managed and accountable, and resources are allocated to achieve results.
The Government of Canada (GC) outcomes form part of the Whole-of-Government Framework,[1] which maps the contributions of departments, agencies, and Crown corporations to a set of four high-level spending areas and 13 outcome areas. The Secretariat's strategic outcome is aligned with the Government Affairs spending area and thus supports all of the government's outcome areas by helping departments, agencies, and Crown corporations meet their responsibilities, deliver their mandates, and serve Canadians.
The following illustrates the Secretariat's framework of program activities and program subactivities, which together contribute progress toward achieving the strategic outcome.
Strategic Outcome: Government is well managed and accountable, and resources are allocated to achieve results.
Program Activity 1: Management Policy Development and Oversight
1.1 Policy Coordination, Management Assessment, and GC Oversight
1.2 HR and Compensation Management
1.3 Service Technology and Information Management
1.4 Assets and Acquired Services
1.5 Financial Management and Internal Audit
Program Activity 2: Expenditure Management and Financial Oversight Program
2.1 Financial Oversight and Reporting
2.2 GC Expenditure Management and Oversight
2.3 Departmental Expenditure Oversight
Program Activity 3: Government-wide Funds and Public Service Employer Payments
3.1 Government-wide Contingencies and Management Initiatives
3.2 Compensation Adjustments, Operating Budget Carry Forward, and Paylist Requirements
3.3 Public Service Employer Payments
Program Activity 4: Internal Services
4.1 Corporate Priorities and Planning
4.2 Public Affairs / Communications Services
4.3 Corporate Services
4.4 Legal Services
The following table presents the total financial resources (total planned spending) of the Secretariat for the next three fiscal years, beginning with the reporting year.
Financial Resources ($ thousands)
2009–10 |
2010–11 |
2011–12 |
---|---|---|
2,315,228 |
2,489,163 |
2,489,387 |
The following table presents a summary of the total planned human resources for the Secretariat for the next three fiscal years, beginning April 1, 2009.
Human Resources (Full-Time Equivalent—FTE)
2009–10 |
2010–11 |
2011–12 |
---|---|---|
1,714 |
1,656 |
1,656 |
Due to rounding, some figures in this document may not sum exactly to totals or totals may differ from one table to another.
Summary of planned spending by program activity
Strategic Outcome: Government is well managed and accountable, and resources are allocated to achieve results. |
|
---|---|
Performance Indicators |
Targets |
Reports from the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) and international organizations, the Secretariat's internal audits and evaluations, and Management Accountability Framework (MAF) findings will provide an indication of the Secretariat's overall progress in the areas of financial and human resources (HR) management. |
The Government of Canada is recognized as a world leader in public sector management. |
Data Sources |
Reports from the OAG; international studies (e.g. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development studies); internal audits and evaluations; and MAF findings. |
Program Activity |
Forecast Spending |
Planned Spending |
Alignment to Government |
||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009–10 |
2010–11 |
2011–12 |
|||
Management Policy Development and Oversight |
109,425 |
112,497 |
113,347 |
113,504 |
Government Affairs[2] |
Expenditure Management and Financial Oversight |
42,896 |
37,027 |
35,248 |
35,275 |
|
Government-wide Funds and Public Service Employer Payments |
1,803,747 |
2,103,064 |
2,282,220 |
2,282,220 |
|
Internal Services |
61,793 |
62,640 |
58,347 |
58,389 |
|
Total |
2,017,860 |
2,315,228 |
2,489,163 |
2,489,387 |
On February 6, 2009, the Prime Minister announced changes to streamline and improve the management of human resources in the public service of Canada. As a result, the Canada Public Service Agency will no longer operate as a separate entity. It will be housed within the Secretariat under the new Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer. This will impact the financial results of the Secretariat for fiscal year 2009–10 onward. The financial impact of this decision is not reflected in the RPP.
For more details on the planned spending, refer to the Departmental Planned Spending and FTEs table on the Secretariat's website.[3]
Government is well managed and accountable, and resources are allocated to achieve results. |
As detailed below, the Secretariat is engaged in a number of undertakings to meet its operational priorities. These priorities, which are aligned with the Secretariat's program activities and aim to deliver value for money with respect to program spending and results, contribute to the strategic outcome.
Operational Priority 1 |
Type |
Link to Program Activity |
Description |
---|---|---|---|
Management regime operates effectively, provides opportunities for informed risk taking, and enables innovation. |
Ongoing |
Aligned with the Management Policy Development and Oversight program activity |
Effective government contributes to Canada's competitive advantage, providing a foundation for security, stability, and prosperity, and is supported by a principles-based, results-focussed, and accountable management regime that promotes sound stewardship, responsible spending, and scope for innovation. The Secretariat plays a critical role in leading, challenging, and enhancing management performance across government to ensure the delivery of value to Canadians. Over the course of the planning period, the Secretariat will focus on improving the government's effectiveness by streamlining and strengthening the rules, reporting requirements, and administrative processes that support management. Through informed risk taking, resources will be allocated to activities of higher value. |
Effective government depends on improved management performance—an ongoing, results-focussed commitment to innovation and reducing red tape. To meet these goals, the Secretariat will focus attention on lessening the web of rules, as part of its sustained commitment to the Public Service Renewal Action Plan, and on supporting a cultural shift in how government deals with risk, innovation, and control.
Expected outcome: Clear, strong, simplified rules, reporting requirements, and administrative processes that optimize government's capacity to deliver value while minimizing inefficiency, protecting against key risks, and preserving accountability.
Performance Indicators |
Measures for 2009–10 |
---|---|
|
|
An evaluation of the Management Accountability Framework (MAF) is scheduled for completion in late 2008–09. Based on the results of the evaluation, steps will be taken to enhance this management performance assessment tool and process, which set out the expectations for management excellence within the federal public service. The recommendations for enhancing MAF resulting from the evaluation and a road map for their implementation will take into account a retrospective review of MAF performance to date, a summative evaluation, as well as benchmarking and other comparisons against similar tools used internationally.
The Secretariat will determine the strategic direction for improving MAF and see to its implementation. As MAF evolves, it will continue to support the Secretariat's efforts to challenge, enable, and promote the work of departments and agencies to improve management practices and deliver more effective programs and services to Canadians.
Expected outcome: MAF is an improved tool for assessing the performance of public service management.
Performance Indicators |
Measures for 2009–10 |
---|---|
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Canadians have an expectation that the Government of Canada will deliver services that are modern, effective, and efficient. Departments and agencies have a similar expectation with respect to a variety of internal services they rely on to fulfill their mandates. The objective is to develop a principles-based service strategy with an initial focus on internal services. The Government-wide Service Strategy will be developed in close collaboration with key stakeholders, will be grounded in research and analysis of other jurisdictions' experiences, and will be informed by a full range of service delivery models.
Expected outcome: The Government of Canada will be well positioned to make prudent investments for modernizing its internal functions and its service delivery to Canadians.
Performance Indicators |
Measures for 2009–10 |
---|---|
|
|
Operational Priority 2 |
Type |
Link to Program Activity |
Description |
---|---|---|---|
Program spending is focussed on results, provides value for taxpayers' money, and is aligned with the government's priorities and responsibilities. |
Ongoing |
Aligned with the Expenditure Management and Financial Oversight program activity |
This priority is focussed on strengthening the framework that supports the development and implementation of the government's spending plans within the fiscal limits established by the budget. Overall spending must be managed in a manner that ensures all government programs are effective and efficient, are focussed on results, and provide value for taxpayers' money. To this end, resources must be aligned with results and these both must undergo assessment and evaluation on a regular basis. |
Canadians are concerned with fiscal discipline and obtaining value for their tax dollars. The government has responded with a commitment to better manage government spending through the renewal of its Expenditure Management System (EMS). The goal of EMS renewal is to ensure that all programs focus on results, provide value for taxpayers' money, and are aligned with the government's priorities and responsibilities. Key elements of the renewed system include:
Expected outcome: Effective and efficient program spending is aligned with departmental planned results and provides value for money.
Performance Indicators |
Measures for 2009–10 |
---|---|
|
|
The government is committed to more timely and transparent financial reporting, which enables greater oversight and accountability. To this end, the current reporting framework for departmental financial statements will be reviewed so that quarterly and year-end financial reporting may be improved.
Expected outcome: Strengthened financial oversight and greater transparency in financial reporting at the departmental level.
Performance Indicators |
Measures for 2009–10 |
---|---|
|
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Operational Priority 3 |
Type |
Link to Program Activity |
Description |
---|---|---|---|
A dynamic public service that is well equipped to address, in a fiscally responsible manner, challenges raised by a complex and unpredictable environment. |
Ongoing |
Aligned with the Management Policy Development and Oversight and Internal Services program activities |
People management has undergone a fundamental transformation over the past five years. The Prime Minister's Advisory Committee on the Public Service noted in its second report that the HR governance structure is overly complex, has multiple players, and is often burdened by duplication and unnecessary rules. The challenge lies in ensuring that the responsibility and accountability of deputy heads for people management is complemented, not undermined, by governance structures. Compensation is also central to effective HR management, helping to attract, retain, motivate, and renew a talented workforce in a competitive and tightening Canadian labour market. The ability of the public service to meet HR objectives depends to a significant extent on how employees are compensated. |
As part of EMS renewal, a horizontal review of six central HR organizations was conducted in 2008–09. The review focussed on aligning roles and responsibilities as a means to ensure investments in central HR management activities are effective and efficient. Decisions have now been made to implement the HR Horizontal Strategic Review's recommendations. Effective March 2,
2009, the Canada Public Service Agency (CPSA) was combined with the HR components of the Secretariat to create a new organization, the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer (OCHRO),[5] housed within the Secretariat. In 2009–10, the Secretariat will implement the changes recommended by the Review. This will reduce the
funding to OCHRO in 2009–10
from the levels allocated to the former CPSA and Secretariat HR elements in 2008–09. The Secretariat will drive a people management change agenda that will support primary deputy head accountability for people management, encompass such central activities as collective direction setting and departmental capacity building, and involve a unified approach to employee
compensation.
Performance Indicators |
Measures for 2009–10 |
---|---|
|
|
The objective is to ensure fair compensation of employees at a reasonable cost to Canadians and, at the same time, deliver on the Treasury Board's commitment to the priorities of the government. The key tasks to be performed include the following: renewing 20 collective agreements with 11 bargaining agents; recommending negotiation mandates and funding for separate agencies; recommending compensation for excluded groups, unrepresented groups, exempt staff, the Canadian Forces, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP); and recommending employee reimbursement policies. Also, the Secretariat will provide strategic direction and leadership on policies and programs related to public service pension and employee and pensioners' insurance benefits.
Expected outcome: Compensation that maintains the federal government's ability to attract, recruit, and retain the workforce required to provide services to Canadians and is aligned with the principles laid out in the Policy Framework for the Management of Compensation.
Performance Indicators |
Measures for 2009–10 |
---|---|
|
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Please note that the Secretariat's management priorities are presented under the Internal Services program activity in Section II of this report.
The Secretariat continues to integrate risk management into its overall governance and planning regime, both formally and informally.
Risks are tracked, assessed, and managed at both the operational and corporate levels. Planning documents enable a real-time view of operational risks and assign responsibility for managing or mitigating anticipated risks.
Risk is integral to all of the Secretariat's responsibilities. Through the Policy Suite Renewal initiative, for example, risk-based approaches have been incorporated into new Treasury Board policies, such as the Transfer Payment Policy. In addition, the Secretariat encourages departments to develop risk-based approaches in their Treasury Board submissions when seeking funding for new initiatives.
The 2008–09 Corporate Risk Profile (CRP) has been available for use across the Secretariat as a tool for strategic policy and planning purposes. Updated annually, the 2009–10 CRP is again linked to the PAA through the Secretariat's strategic outcome and four program activity areas. Mitigation strategies have been prepared for each corporate risk identified as highly probable and likely to have an impact.
The CRP is operationalized through the Secretariat's business planning process, which integrates risk management, priority setting, and resource allocation. Modifications made to the 2009–10 CRP, resulting in easier access and use, will promote a formal approach to risk management and a risk-smart culture in line with the government's Management Agenda.
The following table provides a brief description of key risks from the 2009–10 CRP and highlights elements of the strategies being used to address each risk. Many of these strategies are directly linked to the continued implementation of the plans presented in this report.
Risks |
Strategies to Address Risk |
---|---|
1. Financial capacity There is a risk of inadequate financial capacity to achieve outcomes. |
To address this risk, the Secretariat sought funding for several key priorities through Budget 2009. Funding was approved for a number of these initiatives. The Secretariat continues to improve its internal integrated planning process. Through this process, the Secretariat aligns resources with expected outcomes to ensure there is the capacity to achieve objectives or identifies gaps between resources and requirements, which can then be appropriately addressed. |
2. Human resources staffing and capacity There is a risk that the Secretariat's HR plans, strategies, tools, and capacity may not be sufficient to meet and support operational requirements in a timely manner. There is an overall risk that the Secretariat will not have adequate human resources, and at the appropriate levels, to fulfill its mandate, strategic objectives, and subsequent commitments, as outlined in the RPP. |
Ongoing implementation of the Secretariat's HR Strategy (2008–11) will focus on developing a robust resourcing strategy, improving HR infrastructure, and improving internal communications. This is reflected in the Secretariat's Action Plan for Public Service Renewal, which highlights initiatives for improving resourcing and HR processes, efforts for streamlining onerous administrative requirements, and initiatives for continued renewal of the Secretariat through the Change Agenda. Consistent with these initiatives, implementation of the Secretariat's Change Agenda in 2009–10 will focus on three key elements: employee engagement, capacity building, and updating processes to reinforce change-enabling strategies. |
For fiscal year 2009–10, the Secretariat's total available funding is $7,772 million.
As the pie chart below indicates, more than half of the Main Estimates ($5,457 million) are related to the central funds that the Secretariat administers on a whole-of-government basis to supplement the appropriations of departments, agencies, and appropriation-dependent Crown corporations, to provide for government contingencies and for initiatives announced in Budget 2009, to meet paylist costs, such as severance pay, parental benefits, and in-year compensation adjustment, to support governmental management initiatives, and to facilitate the operating budget carry forward. Although these funds are displayed under the Secretariat in the Main Estimates, the resources are not shown in the Secretariat's planned spending because they will be transferred to appropriations in other government departments only if required.
The other major portion of the Main Estimates ($2,103 million) is also related to funds the Secretariat administers on behalf of all government departments. This funding supports the administration of and payments for public service pensions, benefits, and insurance.
The remaining $212 million is directly related to the Secretariat's operations and its three main program activities: Management Policy Development and Oversight, Expenditure Management and Financial Oversight, and Internal Services.
Details on the expected results associated with these expenditures are provided in Section II: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome.
The graph below illustrates the Secretariat's spending trend from 2006–07 to 2011–12 for its operations and the three main program activities noted above. The Secretariat's operations reflect the people and organizations that support the Secretariat's central agency role of ensuring that government is well managed and accountable, and resources are allocated to achieve results.
From 2006–07 to 2008–09, the Secretariat's spending increased mainly due to funding received for the following:
The Secretariat's planned spending starts to decrease in 2009–10 mainly due to the following:
However, there is additional funding received for the following:
Voted and statutory items listed in the Main Estimates ($ thousands)
Vote Number or Statutory Item (S) |
Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording |
2009–10 Main |
2008–09 Main |
---|---|---|---|
1 |
Program expenditures |
175,374 |
165,237 |
5 |
Government Contingencies |
750,000 |
750,000 |
10 |
Government-Wide Initiatives |
6,636 |
7,141 |
20 |
Public Service Insurance |
2,103,044 |
1,861,000 |
25 |
Operating Budget Carry Forward |
1,200,000 |
1,200,000 |
30 |
Paylist Requirements |
500,000 |
500,000 |
35 |
Budget Implementation Initiatives1 |
3,000,000 |
. . . . . |
(S) | Contributions to employee benefit plans | 22,024 | 20,472 |
(S) |
President of the Treasury Board—Salary and motor car allowance |
78 |
76 |
(S) |
Payments under the Public Service Pension Adjustment Act |
20 |
20 |
|
TOTAL |
7,757,177 |
4,503,946 |
1. Creation in 2009–10 of Vote 35—Budget Implementation Initiatives: This new Treasury Board Central Vote is for the implementation of certain programs included in Budget 2009. For the period commencing April 1, 2009, and ending June 30, 2009, Vote 35 will supplement other appropriations and provide applicable government organizations with appropriations for initiatives announced in Budget 2009. The appropriations will cover expenditures that are within the organizations' legal mandates but are not otherwise provided for, including new grants and increases in grant amounts listed in the Estimates. |