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Section IV: Other Items of Interest

Renewal of the Human Resources Plan

Over the reporting period, 2006–07, the Department of Finance Canada worked on the development and implementation of its integrated Human Resources (HR) Plan. The integrated HR plan is designed to align with the departmental business planning process, as well as with the overarching goal of creating a workplace that places the highest value on its "human" resources. The Plan, updated in 2006–07 through extensive internal consultations and employee feedback, is based on three guiding principles:

• inclusiveness and development of policies that apply to all occupational groups in the Department;
• consistency across all branches, recognizing that different branches have different needs and priorities; and
• a shared responsibility among all employees and managers for making the Department a truly rewarding place to work.

The HR Plan identified four priority areas: 1. Official Languages; 2. Employee Development; 3. Communication; and 4. Work-life Balance.

1.  Official languages

The objective is to continue development and implementation of a departmental strategy for building a bilingual workplace. Accomplishments included the following:

• finalizing the departmental official languages policy; and
• finalizing the corporate action plan for official languages.

2.  Employee development

The objective is to further enhance and communicate a corporate strategy for developing employees. Key initiatives included the following:

• developing a departmental continuous learning policy;
• developing, communicating, and implementing a corporate action plan, including competency guides, core curriculum, database of training courses, improved communication of developmental opportunities, follow-up on succession planning, the Speakers Series, and networking events, mentoring program expansion, and harassment and discrimination awareness.

3.  Communication

The objective is to foster a culture of better communication and information and knowledge sharing. Key activities included the following:

• establishing branch management advisory groups;
• encouraging regular branch, division, and section meetings;
• encouraging managers to share access to their agendas where possible;
• communicating performance management agreement information;
• improving effectiveness of the Town Hall as a communication vehicle; and
• improving the ease of use of the InfoSite.

4.  Work-life Balance

The objective is to continue to encourage a supportive work environment in the Department. Key initiatives included the following:

• developing and communicating departmental overtime guiding principles (consistent with collective agreements);
• identifying and sharing best HR practices;
• encouraging effective sign-off practices; and
• expanding health and well-being initiatives.

Modernizing the Staffing Process at the Department of Finance Canada

The Integrated HR Plan was prepared in response to the legislative changes brought about by the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA). The PSEA is intended to modernize staffing, support collaborative labour relations, clarify managerial roles, strengthen accountability, and provide employees at all levels with access to continuous learning opportunities. In particular, the modernization of the staffing process, in accordance with the new PSEA, allows for greater flexibility and accountability for staffing decisions by:

• clarifying responsibilities and eliminating inefficiencies in the staffing process while retaining the core values of merit, non-partisanship, fairness, access, and transparency;
• implementing a merit-based staffing system that allows managers to hire qualified and competent individuals more quickly; and
• delegating increased responsibilities for staffing to the deputy head of each department.

A component of the Department of Finance Canada's Integrated HR Plan is the provision of targeted staffing strategies for each branch within the Department. The branch-specific staffing strategies are based on current and future business needs, include Employment Equity and Official Language action plans, and identify particular gaps and challenges for the approaching fiscal year so as to provide managers with a general framework from which to base their staffing activities.

Integrated Planning and Resource Allocation Framework

The Department of Finance Canada developed an integrated planning and resource allocation framework during 2005–06 that was successfully implemented for the first time in the 2006–07 fiscal year. Main elements of the framework included priority setting, followed by business planning, which provided a tool for program activities to link priorities, work planning, results and performance measurement to both financial and human resources requirements and also to identify potential risks and mitigation strategies. The framework has been a key, internal planning tool that has enabled the Department to better report and demonstrate accountability for results and resources to Parliament and Canadians. Further enhancements are planned to fully integrate aspects of HR planning.

List of Statutory Reports and Other Departmental Reports

Annual Financial Report of the Government of  Canada and Fiscal Reference Tables

Annual Report to Parliament on the Operations of the Exchange Fund Account

Canada Investment and Savings Annual Report (http://www.csb.gc.ca)

Canadian Federal Budget

Debt Management Report

Debt Management Strategy

Departmental Performance Report

Economic and Fiscal Update

Economy in Brief—Quarterly

Fiscal Monitor—Monthly

Government of Canada Securities—Quarterly

Report on Operations under the Bretton Woods and Related Agreements Act

Report on Operations under the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Agreement Act

Report on Plans and Priorities

Sustainable Development Strategy

Tax Expenditures and Evaluations

Contacts for Further Information and Websites

Home page: http://www.fin.gc.ca

Contact the Minister
Email messages for the Minister of Finance, the Honourable James M. Flaherty, P.C., M.P:jflaherty@fin.gc.ca

Contact the Department
Comments or questions regarding the Department's activities or the information on the Department of Finance Canada website:

Consultations and Communications Branch
Department of Finance Canada
140 O'Connor Street
Ottawa ON K1A 0G5
Canada

Telephone: 613-992-1753
Email: consultcomm@fin.gc.ca

Printed copies of Department of Finance Canada publications
Distribution Centre
Department of Finance Canada
140 O'Connor Street
Ottawa ON K1A 0G5
Canada

Telephone: 613-995-2855
Fax: 613-996-0518

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[1]. The "Authorities" figure for the Financial Sector Policy program activity includes a number of items not included in "Planned Spending": $76 million for net loss on exchange in relation to re-evaluations of cross-currency swaps; $69 million of unused authority for payments to depositors of Canadian Commercial Bank, CCB Mortgage Investment Corporation, and Northland Bank; $5 million for advances to the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada; and $2 million for payment of liabilities previously transferred to revenues. The variance between "Authorities" and "Actual Spending" is primarily attributable to $69 million of unused authority for payments to depositors of Canadian Commercial Bank, CCB Mortgage Investment, and Northland Bank. Other factors contributing to the variance include lower-than-expected costs for the final year of the presidency of the Financial Action Task Force and internal services surpluses, as explained in Note 1 under Table 1.

[2]. See Note 7, Table 1, for an explanation of the variance.

[3]. This initiative was formerly known as the National Initiative to Combat Money Laundering (NICML).

[4] Includes Treasury bills, marketable bonds, retail debt, non-marketable bonds, and promissory notes.

[5.] Includes marketable bonds and Euro Medium-Term Notes issued in U.S. dollars, Canada Bills, marketable bonds issued in New Zealand dollars that were swapped into U.S. dollars, and Euro Medium-Term Notes issued in Japanese yen that were swapped into U.S. dollars.

[6.] Includes Canada Notes.

[7.] Includes marketable bonds and Euro Medium-Term Notes issued in euro.

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