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Section II – Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Analysis by Program Activity

Strategic Outcome: Public servants have the common knowledge, and leadership and management competencies required to effectively serve Canada and Canadians

The School’s single strategic outcome is supported by three program activities, detailed below:

Program Activity: Public servants able to perform in their current job, take on the challenges of the next job in a dynamic, bilingual environment

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

2006–2007
Planned Spending	Authorities	Actual Spending
$79,106	$92,589	$76,902

Human Resources (FTEs)

2006–2007
Planned	Actual	Difference
701	725	24

Providing public servants with learning activities aligned with Public Service management priorities and contributing to a professional and effective Public Service.

This Program Activity is supported by three key sub-activities:

• Strengthen capacity of public servants to meet the employer’s knowledge standards;
• Public sector management and professional foundations are built and sustained through targeted learning; and
• Facilitate official languages capacity.

Each sub-activity is detailed below.

Key Program Sub-Activity: Strengthen capacity of public servants to meet the employer’s knowledge standards

Building individual capacity based on consistent standards for learning and performance across the Public Service.

($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Authorities	Actual Spending
$28,887	$31,008	$26,034

Orientation to the Public Service Program

The federal government’s Orientation to the Public Service program contributes to fostering a sense of Public Service identity by introducing new employees to a common culture based on a core set of values and ethics, an inclusive workplace and an organizational structure. The program is premised on best practices used in the private and public sectors to improve awareness of organizational values and ethics and instil employee accountability. It provides a unique opportunity to engage new public servants at the entry point of their careers and to provide them with key messages and learning with respect to their role as public servants in realizing the priorities of the Government of Canada.

Required Training

As part of the Required Training courses, the program was rolled-out in 2006-07. Two-day sessions of the course were provided to more than 4,160 new public servants across Canada, including two regional pilots in Halifax and Vancouver. Participant satisfaction and feedback was very positive in post-participation surveys. Testing of students before and after taking the Orientation demonstrated appreciable knowledge gains in the key areas of how government works and Public Service Values and Ethics.

Authority Delegation Assessment

In 2006-07, more than 26,120 managers at all levels took the Authority Delegation online Assessment on Campusdirect to validate their knowledge of the employer’s knowledge standards in the areas of human resources, finance, procurement and information management. This represented a significant achievement for the School, as more managers than anticipated completed the online assessment, including approximately 5,000 in departments and agencies not subject to the Policy on Learning, Training and Development. Work with departmental learning coordinators was ongoing to ensure that all targeted employees were identified and registered, and systems were constantly monitored to provide public servants with efficient service. Now, for the first time, the public service has demonstrative evidence that all managers have the knowledge necessary on their delegated authorities and related policies.

The online assessment instrument was developed and completed at the beginning of the reporting period using an internationally recognized methodology to validate questions (Angoff process). It will be updated on a regular basis, in collaboration with the Canada Public Service Agency (CPSA), to reflect the Employer’s Knowledge Standards and ongoing policy modifications.

Authority Delegation Training

The outcome of Authority Delegation Training (ADT) is the acquisition of the fundamental knowledge and skills to meet legal requirements, exercise authority delegation competently and, understand corporate policies and priorities. The learning program provides all managers with the mandatory training necessary to execute their delegated authorities in finance, human resources, information management and procurement in compliance with the relevant legislation.

Classroom-based ADT was rolled-out in 2006-07 and was delivered to more than 2,875 managers, from supervisor to Assistant Deputy Minister level. Evaluation ratings (post-participation survey) were very positive, with an average 91% satisfaction rate. In addition, managers were able to access online courses in the subject-matter area through Campusdirect.

Campusdirect

As the online campus of the School, Campusdirect provides public service employees with free access to its 350-plus English and French e-learning products. Campusdirect is a key means of addressing the common learning needs of public servants and provides them with easy access to a wide variety of learning products. In 2006-07, there were 103,000 public servants registered on Campusdirect, with an active population of 47,000 (public servants who accessed one or more on-line courses over the past 12 months). Campusdirect is also the portal for language learning products, providing public servants with tools for language retention and maintenance, as well as targeted exercises for preparing for language testing.

Key Program Sub-Activity: Public sector management and professional foundations are built and sustained through targeted learning

Providing functional specialists with the acquisition and maintenance of knowledge, skills and competencies related to their level and functions.

($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Authorities	Actual Spending
$16,443	$25,483	$19,906

Functional communities are identified and strengthened through specialized learning

Professional training aims to ensure that public servants in specialized functions such as finance; human resources; information management; and procurement, materiel management and real property (PMMRP) acquire the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to perform their job competently. To build the capacity of functional community members to perform their current job, meet the challenge of the next one, and lead change, the School developed a policy approach on functional communities that identifies business development priorities and provides guidelines for the establishment of relationships with major and emerging communities.

Develop A Functional Communities Strategy

The communities of Information Management (IM) and Procurement, Material Management and Real Property (PMMRP) have been an early focus of this approach with base funding to support the implementation of the newly developed curricula. Training offered in 2006-07 reached some 2,850 functional specialists, the majority of which were in the IM and PMMRP communities.

Other curricula developments were initiated, including with the HR community, classification advisors (in partnership with the Canada Public Service Agency), compensation advisors, the Finance community, and Federal Regulators.

The School has also worked to develop a blended learning approach, combining classroom and online learning tools. A total of seven of these products were developed and delivered to support professionalism, accountability and leadership development topics. A blended learning product for the Orientation program will be launched in the fall of 2007. A three-year pilot project for supporting learning within communities of practice was also launched in the Quebec region.

To ensure the relevance of its general learning products, the School continuously updates existing courses. Its library of general professional development courses is composed of 140 classroom courses, of which 25 were completely reviewed during the fiscal year. In addition, 13 new courses were developed to meet new and emerging priority areas. Overall, 12,276 learners attended the School’s general professional & management development courses in over 695 offerings across the country during the reporting period.

Key Program Sub-Activity: Facilitate Official Languages capacity

Facilitating a coordinated approach to Official Languages capacity to ensure the Public Service maintains a bilingual capacity, recognizing that a second official language is acquired and maintained through lifelong learning.

($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Authorities	Actual Spending
$33,776	$36,098	$30,962

A new model for language training

The outcome of this program is to effectively and efficiently provide access to language training for public servants. Based on an extensive review of the language training model in the Public Service by a group of Assistant Deputy Ministers (ADMs), the School has re-tooled the way it approaches language training. With a new language training model to be implemented on April 1, 2007, the 2006-07 fiscal year was one of transition for the School. Significant planning for the transition to the new model led to the development and gradual implementation of procedures, processes, service standards and tools for quality assurance, as well as a Master Standing Offer process, in collaboration with Public Works and Government Services Canada, to ensure the availability of external qualified language training providers.

Promote a New Model for Language Training

Blended learning approaches were further developed, and the catalogue of language training e-learning products was extended through Campusdirect. Over 30 online language training products were made available, and new products launched focussed mainly on proficiency maintenance, self-assessment and self-evaluation. In fact, 33% of the overall course registration on Campusdirect was for language training products. The School also continues to provide blended language training online for use by its teachers in other government departments, and with some external service delivery organizations where a formal agreement is in place.

The School has been providing regular and ongoing progress reports on the implementation of the new language training model to the Minister, Deputy Ministers, Heads of HR, Federal Councils, Unions and employees. An evaluation of the implementation of the new model is scheduled for 2009-10.

Training under the Action Plan for Official Languages (APLO) was ramped-up during the reporting period. A total of 617 students were trained with an overall success rate (students fulfilling statutory requirements) of 96%. The waiting list was reduced from more than 1,200 individuals in 2005-06 to 85 in 2006-07. This reduction is due to two factors: a moratorium imposed on the waiting list to provide a transition period towards the new model; and a training validation exercise that led to individuals being removed from the list due to a reassessment of their training requirements.

Program Activity: Public service has strong leaders delivering results for Canadians

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

2006–2007
Planned Spending	Authorities	Actual Spending
$14,908	$24,310	$19,850

Human Resources (FTEs)

2006–2007
Planned	Actual	Difference
114	132	18

Renewing the Public Service by building strong leadership competencies for existing and emerging managers.

Three distinct sub-activities support this Program Activity:

• Learning opportunities are accessible to enable public servants to become better leaders;
• Systemic development of high potential public servants; and
• Developing leaders with stronger contextual knowledge.

Following below are details on each of these three sub-activities.

Key Program Sub-Activity: Learning opportunities are accessible to enable public servants to become better leaders

Ensuring that current and future leaders have the leadership competencies to deliver results and lead change.

($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Authorities	Actual Spending
$7,053	$8,275	$7,057

The development of leadership competencies for managers, executives and senior leaders

The School has provided managers, executives and senior leaders with the tools and opportunities to develop, share and apply the knowledge, expertise and leadership qualities needed to be effective public sector leaders. Some 64 courses were provided to 4,650 learners (of which more than 725 were outside the National Capital Region), including courses for senior leaders, leadership competencies courses, leadership foundations and the educational components of career development programs (Management Trainee Program, Career Assignment Program and the Accelerated Executive Development Program). Course feedback indicated a 91% average satisfaction rate over the 64 courses.

In addition, new courses, learning events and tools related to leadership development were designed and developed, including:

• An orientation session for participants in the Recruitment of Policy Leaders (RPL) program;
• 360-degree feedback instrument aligned to the four key leadership competencies;
• A Leadership Reference Guide, and a Leadership Framework; and
• Two Corporate Governance training courses for board members of Crown Corporations; and
• Networking opportunities for senior executives who have recently joined the Public Service.

Training for senior leaders was developed specifically for Heads of Federal Agency, to provide them with key leadership and management information and knowledge, and Chiefs of Staff (political personnel) to broaden their understanding of key responsibilities and accountabilities.

The School’s learning activities in the areas of leadership development are continuously updated. In 2006-07, a focus has been on global leadership development, including scanning on global mindset indicators and developmental practices. Furthermore, the “Understanding the World and the Future” theme was the basis for several events in support of strategically increasing public servants global awareness, reaching more than 500 public servants over the reporting period.

In collaboration with counterpart organizations in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, the School is developing the Leadership Across Borders Program, designed to develop public-sector leaders with a broader perspective on global issues and challenges under the Westminster model of governance. This initiative, sponsored by the respective Cabinet Secretaries, will be implemented in 2008. Sessions were organized between Canada and Sweden (“Canada-Sweden International Executive Leading for Results”) and between Canada and Ireland (“Canada-Ireland International Executive Leadership and Reflection and Action”) to further enhance peer sharing and strategic networks.

Key Program Sub-Activity: Systemic development of high potential public servants

Providing structured and comprehensive career development learning programs to high potential public servants that support succession planning at the corporate and government-wide level.

($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Authorities	Actual Spending
$5,436	$12,186	$9,504

The major commitments for 2006-07 in this area are related to delivery of the educational components of career development programs, development of a new leadership program and implementation of Master Standing Offers for some of these programs.

The School delivered the educational components of career development programs, including the Career Assignment Program (CAP), the Management Trainee Program (MTP) and the Accelerated Executive Development Program (AEXDP) to 596 learners who reported an overall 90% satisfaction rate.

A new leadership program, the Advanced Leadership Program (ALP), was developed as planned based on best practices in executive education and leadership development. The program aims to develop Assistant Deputy Ministers and high-potential Directors General and prepare them to occupy top positions. In 2006-07, the program was planned and designed for delivery; launching is scheduled for 2007-08 and full implementation should occur in 2008-09.

To facilitate the provision of leadership development programs and services by accredited suppliers, Master Standing Offers (MSOs) were implemented for six courses. Design of two further MSOs was also begun in 2006-07.

Key Program Sub-Activity: Developing leaders with stronger contextual knowledge

Providing organizations and their leaders with leading-edge knowledge on trends and issues of strategic importance to the Public Service, with smart practices in public management and innovative solutions to common management problems, and encouraging the adoption and application of this knowledge in the pursuit of excellence.

($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Authorities	Actual Spending
$2,419	$3,849	$3,289

This program area is designed to provide senior leaders with access to knowledge on global issues and innovations in global governance. To guide its work in this area, the School started developing an International Strategy; implementation and formative assessment will proceed in 2007-2008.

To strengthen the capacity of the Canadian Public Service to operate in a global context and enhance leadership competencies, the School built on its relationships with both the UK National School of Government and the U.S. Federal Executive Institute. As part of this partnership, the School designed and developed a course on Canada-US engagement activities entitled How Washington Really Works. This highly successful workshop was delivered in a pilot session to 25 federal senior executives in Ottawa, Charlottesville and Washington.

The School also participated in the Global Engagement Network (GEN), a Dutch international consortium of public sector learning institutes focused on global public sector leadership and innovations in global governance. As part of GEN, the School was active in the development of a program framework for service leaders in the area of global leadership development.

The School was also an active participant in the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management (CAPAM) for the purposes of building and maintaining partnerships between governments in mutually sharing public management good practices and relevant knowledge with foreign delegations, senior overseas representatives and Canadian public servants.

Program Activity: Public service organizations innovate to achieve excellence in delivering results for Canadians

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

2006–2007
Planned Spending	Authorities	Actual Spending
$15,110	$19,201	$16,285

Human Resources (FTEs)

2006–2007
Planned	Actual	Difference
115	109	6

Enhance the performance and effectiveness of the Public Service by documenting and transferring innovations and best practices in public management.

The above Program Activity is supported by two key sub-activities:

• Enhance capacity of organization; and
• Knowledge on innovative management practices and current issues is transferred.

These sub-activities are described below.

Key Program Sub-Activity: Enhance capacity of organizations

Providing a focal point for engaging organizations in aligning their learning agenda with departmental priorities in order to improve their performance.

($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Authorities	Actual Spending
$5,849	$7,086	$6,051

Departmental Client Relations

Departmental client relations provides departments with a single window into the School to assist them in identifying their organizations’ learning needs and accessing the full range of the School’s expertise and programming to meet those needs.

Build relationships with Departments/Agencies, Regional Councils

The School introduced the concept of the departmental client relations function in 2005-06. Capacity was built in 2006-07, when a rapport was established with 34 departments and agencies, small agency networks, Federal Regional Councils, and key interdepartmental fora (e.g. HR Council, Heads of Learning Forum). These relationships enhanced a two-way information flow between the School and departmental clients, and facilitated access to the School’s programming. They are key avenues for communications, promotion, as well as identification of client needs and feedback in support of the School’s business planning.

In addition, the School provided support to departments and agencies in the challenging first year of implementation of the Policy on Learning, Training and Development. This was done through regular information sessions and individualized support.

Effectiveness of organizations in strengthened

This program area provides senior leaders and executives with expert advice and support on using organizational learning and development to address business challenges and priorities, adopt smart practices and improve the performance of their departments and agencies.

In 2006-07, the School put in place the tools required to offer expanded services to organizations facing transformational challenges. Building on the lessons learned from the Public Service Modernization Act (PSMA) activities, contact with several management teams was initiated to help them address their department-specific challenges (e.g. Human Resources and Social Development, Justice, Public Works and Government Services, the Small Agencies Network, Service Canada). In addition to those relationships, partnerships were initiated with the Transformation Alignment Office of Treasury Board and with the Canada Public Service Agency, both responsible for government-wide transformations. The School also researched and developed methodologies and tools designed to assist public sector transformations.

Key Program Sub-Activity: Knowledge on innovative management practices and current issues is transferred

The domestic and global environments are scanned, important trends and issues in public management are analyzed and awareness and understanding of them is built in the Public Service.

($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Authorities	Actual Spending
$9,261	$12,115	$10,234

Ensuring greater understanding of emerging issues and supporting the adoption of innovative practices

Through research activities, the School’s programming is informed by state-of-the-art management practices and emerging issues related to current public sector management priorities. The aim is to identify smart and innovative practices and to develop strategies for transferring that knowledge.

A scanning system was put in place to align the School’s work with public service management priorities. This includes a review of key publications, consultations with central agencies and subject-matter experts at the School, and the conduct of targeted scans on some priority issues to identify leading organizations, speakers, best practices and tools.

During the reporting period, the work on innovative management has focused mainly on accountability, leadership, and human resources management. In the area of accountability, a series of events were held and a research paper was produced on Accounting Officers, a new notion introduced by the Federal Accountability Act. In the area of human resources management, the School undertook research on collective staffing, the Public Service Staffing Tribunal and integrated planning, which led to the delivery of pilot seminars for director generals on the topic of integration. Further work in this area will take place in 2007-08.

In the area of leadership, the School developed a research-based learning product to help executives and middle managers learn more about the implementation of the Management Accountability Framework (MAF). A new “smart-practice action dialogue” method was developed and provides participants with problem-solving dialogue sessions based on smart-practices research and the discipline of information design (using words and pictures to communicate more effectively). This method, for now used in the MAF context, can be inserted into School courses, events and other types of learning activities in a plug-and-play fashion. Furthermore, leadership was front and centre in the identification and development of innovative practices and case studies, which were used in the How Washington Really Works course.

While work on innovative management practices has been significant in 2006-07, the year remained one of capacity building for the group. Methodologies were developed, research was undertaken on various topics, and learning sessions were piloted, paving the way for full implementation in 2007-08. It is expected that more products as well as a clear process for integrating knowledge on innovation and smart practices into the School’s programming will be developed in the next year.

Several learning activities were delivered for public servants, senior leaders and executives, amongst which were:

• Armchair discussions, a weekly learning opportunity for all public servants to interact with professionals and academics. Thirty-nine (39) Armchair discussions were organized in the reporting period, with more than 2,300 public servants attending.
• Conferences and events such as the Admin Conference and the Future Leaders Forum. A total of eighteen (18) conferences and events were delivered in 2006-07 and reached more than 2,650 public servants.
• The EX Forum, a safe space forum for executives to discuss issues and common challenges.
• Luncheons and seminars for Deputy Ministers (DMs), providing them with a safe space environment in which to discuss common challenges and gain insight on topics such as transformation, regulations, accountability and human resources, policy and legal issues.
• The design and delivery of a new Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) seminar program which covers important public policy and management issues and provides community-building networking opportunities facilitating horizontal management.

In 2006-07, the School also began to reposition its university-related initiatives and made significant progress to building a stronger relationship with the academic sector. Key events with academics were held (e.g. the University Seminar and the Canada School of Public Service – Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration Symposium), public servants were offered developmental placements in universities (seven executive were in residence in Canadian universities). In addition, two fellows were appointed to the School to advance knowledge on Canada-US relations and the Federal Accountability Act. The Deputy Minister University Champion Program grew in size – from eight to eleven champions – and scope, with champions now representing the entire university in which their program resides, instead of only public administration/management departments. Collectively, these activities contributed to identifying and transferring knowledge on emerging issues and smart practices in public management.

Through its Innovative Public Management Research Fund, five contributions were granted during the reporting period to support the development, management and dissemination of leading-edge knowledge relevant to the School’s mandate, in particular to accelerate the adoption of innovative public management practices in the Government of Canada. New Terms of Reference were drafted, along with a new Applicant Guide to facilitate the process and ensure its relevance and value-for-money.

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