ARCHIVED - Privy Council Office and Public Appointments Commission Secretariat

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Section I - Overview

Management Representation Statement

I submit, for tabling in Parliament, the 2006-2007 Departmental Performance Report (DPR) for the Public Appointments Commission Secretariat.

This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in the Guide for the Preparation of Part III of the 2006-2007 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports:

• it adheres to the specific reporting requirements outlined in the TBS guidance;

• it is based on the Secretariat’s approved Program Activity Architecture structure as reflected in its MRRS;

• it presents consistent, comprehensive, balanced and reliable information;

• it provides a basis of accountability for the results achieved with the resources and authorities entrusted to it; and

• it reports finances based on approved numbers from the Estimates and the Public Accounts of Canada.

Summary Information

Strategic Outcome

To ensure fair and competency-based processes are in place for the recruitment and selection of qualified individuals for Governor-in-Council appointments across agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations.

The Public Appointments Commission and its Secretariat were established by Order in Council on April 21, 2006, prior to the passage and coming into force of the Federal Accountability Act. The Act received Royal Assent on December 12, 2006, and the provisions relating to the Public Appointments Commission came into force on that date. The Commission’s mandate is to oversee and report on the selection process for Governor-in-Council appointments to agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations. The work of the Commission and its supporting Secretariat will help to ensure that appointments to public office are made according to fair and competency-based selection processes.

The Commission and its Secretariat are within the portfolio of the Prime Minister, reflecting the prerogative of the Prime Minister with respect to Governor-in-Council appointments.

Financial Resources (thousands of dollars)

Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending
0	1,040	633

Human Resources (full-time equivalents)

Planned	Authorities	Actual
0	4	4

Overall departmental performance

Since the establishment of the Secretariat in April of 2006, its key focus for 2006-2007 was laying the groundwork for the eventual establishment of the Public Appointments Commission.  To that end, it engaged in a number of developmental activities.

Identification of issues related to the appointments process

Consultations and roundtables were held with a cross-section of departments, Crown corporations, agencies, boards and commissions to gather insight into the appointments process and to begin the dialogue on future elements of a Code of Practicethat could be used to guide selection processes. A number of key considerations were identified and early thinking was formulated on basic principles.

Research into the development of a Code of Practice

Because the development and implementation of a Code of Practice for Governor-in-Council appointments were recognized as key deliverables for the Commission once established, the Secretariat researched best practices, conducted literature reviews and prepared advice to guide the future development and implementation of this tool. Consultations with federal departments, agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations, as well as with other levels of governments in Canada and abroad, were part of the research.

Building the organization

The Secretariat also worked on the establishment of its organizational structure. In particular, funding was obtained from Treasury Board and positions within the Public Appointments Commission Secretariat (PACS) were staffed.

Special project

Because of the unique expertise of the PACS, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration asked that a review of the Immigration and Refugee Board selection process be undertaken. A report containing a number of recommendations was provided to the Minister in January 2007. Advice was also provided with respect to the selection process for citizenship judges.

Working environment and context

The Government committed to making qualified appointments to public office, in part through the implementation of a more open, transparent and competency-based selection process for Governor-in-Council appointments to agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations. To this end, the Federal Accountability Act provided for the establishment of a Public Appointments Commission.

The mandate of the Commission, as detailed in the Federal Accountability Act, is to oversee and report on selection processes for all Governor-in-Council appointments to agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations. In order to lay the groundwork for the establishment of the Commission, a Secretariat was created by Order in Council on April 21, 2006.

The Commission and its Secretariat are within the portfolio of the Prime Minister, reflecting the prerogative of the Prime Minister with respect to Governor-in-Council appointments.

Alignment of PACS outcome with Government of Canada outcomes

Canada’s Performance Report to Parliament describes the federal government’s contribution to Canada’s performance as a nation by providing an overview of how individual departments and agencies contribute to broader, government-wide outcomes in the following key policy areas: economic affairs, social affairs, international affairs and government affairs (federal organizations that support all departments and agencies). The strategic outcome of the PACS is aligned with the Government of Canada outcome number four: “Government Affairs.” The PACS plays an important, supportive role to ensure fair and competency-based processes are in place for the recruitment and selection of qualified individuals for Governor-in-Council appointments across agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations.

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