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Section II - Detailed Performance by Program Activity

Strategic Outcome

A highly competent, non-partisan and representative public service, able to provide service in both official languages, in which appointments are based on the values of fairness, access, representativeness and transparency.

The PSC contributes to the achievement of this strategic outcome by:

• ensuring that the public service is non-partisan and that appointments across the public service are based on merit and are free from political or bureaucratic patronage;
• working with departments and agencies to implement recruitment strategies and staffing practices that respect the values of fairness, access, representativeness and transparency and are consistent with the new Public Service Employment Act (PSEA); and
• strengthening its accountability to Parliament regarding the health of public service staffing.

The PSC's performance measurement framework has been reviewed in 2006-2007 to adapt to our changing environment and our approved 2007-2008 Program Activity Architecture. The performance information presented in this DPR partially reflects the revised performance management framework.

Performance Indicator

Performance Information

Percentage of small, medium and large departments or agencies with fully satisfactory or better rating of staffing performance with respect to public service-wide staffing values and management principles.

The PSC's Annual Report presents the results of our oversight of departments' and agencies' staffing activities. It provides an overview of measures and progress towards each element of our strategic outcome: merit, official languages, non-partisanship, fairness, access, representativeness and transparency. Our revised performance measurement framework has been developed based on results outlined in our Annual Report. The information below identifies performance information on the achievement of our strategic outcome. Over time, we will measure primarily through longer-term trends identified from the PSC's analysis of annual data, from on-going audits and studies and from the five-year evaluation of the new PSEA. Overall The PSC continues to have confidence in the strength of staffing in the public service and the foundation of merit as the basis for hiring. Concerns persist in the area of permanent recruitment via temporary workforce, movement of public servants to and from exempt staff status, employment equity and visible minority drop off, use of non-advertised processes and departmental accountability to the PSC. Merit/Competency The PSC noted progress in implementing the new definition of merit. However, organizations' HR plans and strategies are not sufficiently developed to support full use of the flexibilities that the new definition of merit allows. Merit/Official Languages Progress has been made in addressing Official Languages concerns. Organizations have reduced the number of cases that do not respect the provisions of the Public Service Official Languages Exclusion Approval Order when initial exemption periods have expired. Non-partisanship The PSC continues to find little direct political influence in the staffing system.It is too early to assess the effectiveness of policies, procedures and decisions related to political activities of public servants. The measurement of this performance indicator is part of the overall PSEA evaluation framework being developed. Fairness The PSC continues to be concerned with perceptions of fairness in appointment processes. The increased likelihood of promotion following an acting appointment supports concerns expressed through employee surveys. Access The public service has doubled Canadians' access to public service jobs and the PSC is looking at how this can be further expanded.Broad and open access to all Canadians is an important value under the PSEA. The PSC is concerned that a reliance on temporary workers, as a significant source of recruitment into the permanent workforce, limits access. Representativeness Slow progress is being made towards a workforce that is representative of Canada's diversity. A significant gap remains in the representation of visible minorities. Despite an increase in recruitment to the public service in 2006-2007, departments and agencies have not used this opportunity to narrow the gap in the representation of visible minorities. In fact, the recruitment rate of visible minorities experienced a marked drop from 9.8% the previous year to 8.7% in 2006-2007. Transparency All advertised jobs are posted on readily accessible sites; andThe PSC does not have sufficient information to assess how organizations are using some provisions in the Act including the use of non-advertised appointments, and will continue to monitor this issue. More detailed information on staffing performance is presented in the PSC 2006-2007 Annual Report. The report is available on the PSC Web site at: http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/.

Resources

2006-2007 Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Program Activity	Planned Spending	Total Budget Authorities*	Actual Spending
Appointment Integrity and Political Neutrality	41,519	41,986	40,355
Recruitment and Assessment Services	63,275	65,834	58,521
Total	104,794	107,820	98,876

*Note: All Total Budget Authorities presented in this document exclude internal adjustments which were reflected in the Planned Spending figures.

2006-2007 Human Resources (Full-Time Equivalents) 

Program Activity	Planned	Total Budget Authorities	Actual
Appointment Integrity and Political Neutrality	392	386	351
Recruitment and Assessment Services	634	652	581
Total	1,026	1,038	932

Financial Performance Highlights

The PSC has spent $98,876K of the Total Budget Authorities of $107,820K, resulting in a lapse of $8,944K appearing in the 2006-2007 Public Accounts of Canada. 

The lapse and variance in Full-Time Equivalents are principally due to the transition period and related capacity building associated with the implementation of the new PSEA, staffing delays resulting from increased staff turnover and less than anticipated expenditures for an information technology project – the Public Service Staffing Modernization Project. The latter accounts for approximately $7,470K of the total lapse ($4,917K of which the PSC received permission to spend in 2007-2008).

Program Activity 1.1.0 - Appointment Integrity and Political Neutrality

Description:

The Appointment Integrity and Political Neutrality activity develops, maintains and monitors the implementation of a policy and regulatory framework for safeguarding the integrity of public service staffing and for ensuring political neutrality. This activity includes establishing policies and standards, delegation and oversight of appointment authorities to departments and agencies, and administering non-delegated authorities such as executive appointments and priority administration. This activity also includes conducting audits, studies, investigations and inquiries, as well as administering the appeal process under the former Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) and reporting to Parliament on the integrity of public service staffing.

Structure:

Related Resources:

Resources	Planned Spending	Total Budget Authority	Actual
Financial ($ thousands)	41,519	41,986	40,355
FTE	392	386	351

Results Achieved:

To ensure that Program Activity 1.1.0 is on track, the PSC established the following expected results and performance indicators. Our performance against these indicators at the program activity level is reported below.

Expected Results and Performance Indicators	Performance Information
Enhanced protection of the integrity of public service staffing. Performance Indicator: Percentage of small, medium and large departments or agencies with fully satisfactory or better rating of staffing performance with respect to staffing management and expectations for a well-managed staffing system.	The information presented below provides results of departmental reporting through the Staffing Management Accountability Framework (SMAF). Fiscal year 2006-2007 was the first reporting cycle that examined all mandatory measures of the SMAF and all the risks that the PSC has been monitoring. It was also the first reporting cycle that was covered in its entirety by the new Act. Overall, departments and agencies made notable progress in implementing the PSEA. Concerns remain in human resources planning, information systems and controls and communication. Governance: With few exceptions, organizations have put in place clear sub-delegation structures and managers have access to training and a human resources specialist. Planning: Most organizations provided the PSC with human resources plans. Further work will be needed to develop staffing strategies and include information that will help drive staffing decisions. Policy: Mandatory staffing policies are in place in most organizations. Communication: Most employees have easy and timely access to information on employment opportunities and recourse and organizations have mechanisms in place for communication. Some momentum has been lost in communicating changing approaches to staffing and staffing strategies. Control: Most organizations are making progress in implementing control and monitoring systems necessary for determining whether staffing results address organizational priorities and respect policy requirements, including the staffing values. However, these new monitoring systems are not yet able to support staffing decisions in many organizations. More information on staffing performance is presented in the PSC 2006-2007 Annual Report. The report is available on the PSC Web site at http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/
Strengthened accountability from the PSC to Parliament regarding the integrity of public service staffing. Performance Indicator: The number of potential PSC appearances before parliamentary committees measured against the number of actual appearances. Performance Indicator: Number of committee hearings on PSC issues.	The number of Standing Committee appearances increased from three in 2005-2006 to eight in 2006-007. A benchmark of five appearances has been established for 2007-2008. There were 183 Standing Committee hearings that dealt with matters of interest to the PSC, including official languages, representativeness, accountability and governance. This is an increase of 128 over the previous year.
Departments have implemented PSC audit recommendations. Performance Indicator: Percentage of audit recommendations implemented.	The PSC completed two follow-up audits in 2006-07: Follow-up Audit of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and Follow-up Audit of the Military Police Complaints Commission. These follow-up audits were undertaken to determine whether these organizations had adequately responded to the recommendations in our previous audit reports and to determine whether they met the essential elements identified by the PSC to support the implementation of the new PSEA. We concluded that these organizations had adequately responded to the recommendations made in our previous audits and had made improvements in their staffing systems and practices. Consequently, the PSC removed the remedial measures it had previously imposed on these organizations and restored full delegation authority.
Protection of the impartiality of the public service with respect to political activities of employees while respecting the political rights of employees. Performance Indicator: Study findings of the effectiveness of policies, procedures and decisions related to the political activities of public service employees.	It is too early to assess the effectiveness of policies, procedures and decisions related to political activities of public servants. The measurement of this performance indicator is part of the overall PSEA evaluation framework being developed.

1.1.1 Policy, Regulation, Guidelines and Exclusion Approval Orders

Description: The Policy, Regulation and Exclusion Approval Orders (EAO) sub-activity develops and interprets policies and regulations and provides advice and guidance on them.

2006-2007 Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Total Budget Authority	Actual
7,122	7,506	7,101

Results Achieved:

Expected Result and Performance Indicator	Performance Information
Policy instruments achieve their objectives with respect to political neutrality and fair, effective and timely staffing in a delegated environment. Performance Indicator: Study findings of the effectiveness of selected policy areas, procedures and decisions including political activities.	The Policy and Audit, Evaluation and Studies Branches coordinated efforts to develop and implement an evaluation plan. Data is unavailable at this time as the evaluation process has just started.

RPP Commitment: Provide continuous support to departments and agencies through advice, interpretation, guidance, and sharing of best practices.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC is dedicated to providing continuous support to departments and agencies regarding staffing under the PSEA. In 2006-2007 the PSC responded to 12,960 calls and e-mails requesting information and advice: down one percent from the previous year. SmartShop sessions were delivered to 2,396 participants across Canada.

Information Sessions Provided to Federal Departments and Agencies in 2006-2007
94 SmartShop Sessions acting appointments and official languages (26 sessions) informal discussion and notification (24 sessions) establishment and application of merit criteria (22 sessions) area of selection and mobility (22 sessions)
13 Get Ready Sessions
27 other information sessions
Support to committees, councils, and regional networks 45 council meetings

Feedback received from information sessions was positive. Of the 2,396 participants who attended SmartShop sessions, 88% indicated they had an above average overall perception of the session they attended.

RPP Commitment: Refine PSC policy instruments, regulations, guidelines and Exclusion Approval Orders (EAOs) related to appointments and political activities and review or develop new instruments, guidance and tools as required.

Status towards fulfilling commitment: 

Following the coming into force of the current PSEA in 2005, considerable work had been required to develop policy instruments, regulations, guidelines, and Exclusion Approval Orders (EAOs) and accountability frameworks. As departments and agencies have become more familiar with the new Act, opportunities to refine existing instruments and develop new tools have now emerged. During 2006-2007, the PSC also began a revision and review process.

A preliminary assessment of policy instruments was completed and progress was made on implementing recommended refinements. The PSC has developed a five-year policy agenda to address outstanding matters related to PSEA implementation and to ensure proactive responses to emerging issues. The policy agenda will address issues in key areas including the appointment framework, assessment, representativeness and political activity.

RPP Commitment: Support implementation of National Area of Selection (NAoS) and assess/report on the impact.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC is committed to providing Canadians greater access to public service employment opportunities. The PSC implemented the Policy on Area of Selection, requiring that NAoS be used in advertised appointment processes open to the public.

In October 2005, the PSC announced a phased-in approach to expand the use of a national area of selection by federal departments and agencies. Effective April 2006, Phase 1 required departments and agencies offering jobs in the National Capital Region to use NAoS for all officer-level jobs open to the public. Phase 2, which came into effect in April 2007, expanded use of NAoS in all officer-level job processes across the country. Phase 3 will expand the use of NAoS in all jobs open to the public across the country.

In 2006-2007, the PSC completed an impact assessment report which found no significant barriers to the expansion of NAoS for officer-level positions.

RPP Commitment: Review Public Service Staffing Tribunal (PSST or Tribunal) complaints and intervene where appropriate, as well as disseminate lessons learned.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) now divides responsibility for addressing staffing concerns among the PSC, departments and agencies, and the PSST. The PSC has the responsibility to investigate and take corrective action in circumstances regarding:

• the hiring of candidates from outside of the public service;
• the hiring of candidates within the public service where responsibility for hiring has not been delegated; or
• hiring processes where political influence or fraud has occurred.

Departments and agencies are responsible for investigating and taking corrective action regarding delegated internal appointments where errors, omissions or improper conduct have occurred, as well as responding to grievances resulting from deployments. The PSC investigates allegations of fraud or political influence with respect to internal appointments. The PSST's mandate is to consider and dispose of complaints stemming from an internal appointment, the implementation of a corrective measure ordered by the PSST, or the revocation of an appointment or lay-off.

In 2006-2007, the PSC actively used its right to be a party to complaints presented to the PSST to assess how the PSEA and the appointment framework are interpreted. The PSC has, for example, closely monitored complaints concerning abuse of authority since this represents a new ground for complaint. We anticipate that as the body of decisions increases, the need for PSC intervention will likely decrease.

RPP Commitment: Review Governor in Council Designation Order for organizations participating in internal nomination processes; develop and implement an approach for deployments from separate agencies.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

Work on an omnibus designation order is ongoing. A need for further consultations and research was identified. A consultation action plan will be developed in the summer of 2007 and implemented thereafter. 

RPP Commitment: Provide advice on the right of public servants to engage in political activities while maintaining the impartiality of the public service; and assess candidacy requests of public servants.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

Under the PSEA, the PSC is responsible for preserving the political impartiality of the public service. The PSC carries out four sets of activities to achieve this:

• provides guidance on political activities;
• considers and grants requests from public servants for permission to be a candidate in a election;
• monitors the political impartiality of the public service; and
• investigates allegations of improper political activities.

In 2006-2007, the PSC developed a monitoring approach to better manage risks to political impartiality and support the decision making process regarding corrective actions to mitigate risk. Departments and agencies were required to report to the PSC on actions undertaken to mitigate risks. Based on the analysis of this information, the PSC provided feedback and recommendations to deputy heads.

Since the current PSEA expanded the political activities regime to cover municipal elections, the number of candidacy requests has increased considerably. In 2006-2007, the PSC received 95 candidacy requests from employees for federal, provincial, territorial and municipal elections. This compared to 20 requests reviewed in 2005-2006. The increase in candidacy requests resulted from the inclusion of municipal elections under Part 7 of the PSEA (Seventy of 95 candidacy requests).

Twenty-nine employees were declared elected in 2006-2007. The status of political candidacy requests received by the PSC during the fiscal year is shown below.

Status of Political Candidacy Requests Reviewed by the PSC - April 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007

Level of Election	Permission Granted	Permission Not Granted	Requests Withdrawn Prior to PSC Review	Requests Pending PSC Review	TOTAL Candidacy Requests
Federal	9	0	2	3	14
Provincial	7	0	3	0	10
Territorial	1	0	0	0	1
Municipal	63	1	5	1	70
TOTAL	80	1	10	4	95

Source: PSC Internal Tracking System

The PSC adjusted the process for submitting candidacy requests and developed three forms to standardize the information provided. This is expected to help the PSC in its case by case review of candidacy requests and render more timely decisions to employees.

Two information sessions were delivered to a total of 89 political activities designates from federal organizations.

In 2006-2007, the PSC informed deputy heads of upcoming elections and provided them with communication messages to remind employees of the requirements under Part 7 of the PSEA related to political candidacy and activities.

RPP Commitment: Develop future-oriented vision for the PSC as an independent agency reporting to Parliament.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC's work is based on a century-old tradition of a merit-based, non-partisan public service. The PSC works closely with government but is independent from ministerial direction with respect to its mandate. This independence from ministerial direction means that Parliament can rely on the PSC's reports regarding the government's hiring system. However, the PSC does not have a ready forum to advocate for its resource requirements. 

RPP Commitment: Contribute to the parliamentary review of the Employment Equity Act (EEA).

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC is contributing to this review by examining the application and effect of the EEA to ensure that it is consistent with the direction of the Public Service Modernization Act, and more particularly the PSEA. We have released a Consultation Document (available from PSC website: http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/ee/consultation/index_e.htm) which outlined our objectives and a number of issues which require additional clarification, consultation and discussion with departments and agencies, bargaining agents and employment equity groups. These include: merit and representativeness; self-identification and self-declaration; employment equity plans and programs; access and drop-off rates of designated groups and the duty to accommodate. A research report on the Drop-off Rates for Employment Equity Groups was also released on our website (http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/ee/drp-dcln/index_e.htm) to invite feedback from stakeholders. Timing for the EEA Review has yet to be established by Parliamentary Committee.

RPP Commitment: Contribute to PSC position for five- year parliamentary review of the PSEA.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC continues its work towards the five-year parliamentary review of the PSEA. To prepare for the review, the PSC is developing an evaluation framework focussed on its responsibilities under the Act, on how well the legislation is responding to the challenges raised during its drafting and on how well it is likely to respond to changing views and objectives in staffing over time. The PSC will continue to examine and develop policy and legislative options for innovative staffing policies to meet new demands in the ever-changing public service environment.

1.1.2 Appointment Delegation and Accountability

Description: The Appointment Delegation and Accountability sub-activity administers the delegation of appointment authorities to departments and agencies through staffing advice and assistance, as well as learning products and services. This sub-activity also develops performance expectations for the use of delegated authorities and monitors the results achieved. It also contributes to the PSC's annual report to Parliament and ensures departments' and agencies' compliance with legislative requirements of the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA).

2006-2007 Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Total Budget Authority	Actual
8,594	9,609	8,602

Results Achieved:

Expected Results and Performance Indicators	Performance Information
Increasingly well managed delegated authorities.   Performance Indicator: Number of delegations restricted or removed by the PSC.	In 2006 – 2007, no additional delegated authorities were restricted or removed by the PSC. Three organizations continued to have modified Appointment Delegation and Accountability Instruments (ADAI) due to audit/oversight results as of March 31, 2007.
More effective accountability between the PSC and deputies with respect to staffing. Performance Indicator: Number of departments fully meeting staffing reporting requirements.	All organizations provided performance reports in response to the PSC's request. The staffing performance assessment for 2006-2007 included 72 of the 80 organizations that had delegated authority for staffing as of March 31, 2007. The reporting requirement was waived for four organizations where the PSC was conducting an audit. An assessment would have been premature for four newly created organizations. Overall, there is an improvement in the quality of the reports. Assessment of organizations is reflected in the PSC's Annual Report.

RPP Commitment: Perform regular reviews of all ADAIs signed with departments and agencies (approximately 80) to ensure deputy heads are properly exercising their delegated legal authorities; revise, modify or restrict ADAIs as appropriate.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC continues to use its ADAIs to articulate the authorities it delegates to deputy heads and heads of agencies accepting delegated staffing authority under the PSEA. As of March 31, 2007, the deputy heads of 80 organizations had signed an ADAI and were in a position to exercise the delegated authorities of the PSEA according to the conditions and limitations prescribed by the ADAI.

In 2006-2007, the PSC amended the ADAI to include the guiding value of representativeness in addition to the core values of merit and non-partisanship and the guiding values of fairness, transparency and access. By ensuring that appointment processes are conducted without bias and do not create systemic barriers, deputy heads will help to achieve a public service that reflects the diversity of the Canadian population.

As a result of the amendments to the PSEA contained in the Federal Accountability Act, the ADAI was also amended to reflect the removal of entitlement to priority appointment for ministers' exempt staff under the PSEA.

The PSC met with 11 new (permanent, acting or interim) deputy heads to discuss the key messages of the Appointment Framework and the ADAI, including the application of the core and guiding values in the appointment process. This initiative provided deputy heads with an introduction to the flexibility of the PSEA as well as the conditions, limitations and accountabilities associated with their delegated authorities.

During 2006-2007, no new remedial measures or limitations needed to be imposed on any federal organizations to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of their delegated staffing authorities. Of the five organizations with limitations imposed on their ADAIs during 2005-2006, standard delegated authorities were re-established for two: the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and the Military Police Complaints Commission. Details on the limitations and conditions applied to the remaining three organizations by the Commission can be found at http://www.psc-cfp.gc.ca/index_e.htm.

RPP Commitment: Refine and modify tools and products (guides, policies, interpretation support) required to support delegated organizations to ensure departments and agencies have the necessary information to legally manage their staffing authorities.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC continues to provide advice and share best practices with departments and agencies across Canada on monitoring and reporting issues relating to staffing by participating in or sponsoring a variety of learning opportunities. Over 150 participants attended a PSC Staffing Management Accountability Framework (SMAF) learning event held in October 2006, and presentations were given to approximately 12 departments and agencies at various fora, including human resources conferences, and Association of Professional Executive consultations. In 2006-2007, the PSC delivered a total of 94 SmartShops across Canada on a variety of delegated appointment authority matters.

A second version of the Appointment Framework Knowledge Test (AFKT), which is designed to assess human resources specialists' knowledge of the new PSEA, was completed and implemented. Work on Version 3, as well as on electronic Versions 1 and 2, is under way and is expected to be completed in the next fiscal year. In 2006, access to the AFKT was expanded to include External Service Providers that are part of the National Master Standing Order and the Professional Services Online System of Public Works and Government Services Canada.

RPP Commitment: Monitor the delegation of PSC authorities to approximately 80 organizations through the implementation of an integrated risk management strategy which includes active monitoring, information gathering and reporting; put in place remedial measures when non-compliance occurs.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC monitors the ongoing performance of public sector organizations with respect to how well they manage and use their delegated authorities. The Staffing Management Accountability Framework continues to be a key component in assessing staffing performance and providing direct feedback to department and agency heads. Analysis of staffing data collected from all PSEA departments and agencies is used to provide individualized assessments to deputy heads, feedback to the Committee of Senior Officials (COSO) and input for the Annual Report.

The PSC's monitoring involves the review and assessment of data from central systems, observations arising from specific cases and information provided by public service organizations. The PSC continuously gathers data from central systems such as pay information, survey responses and information from advertisements for public service opportunities. This data is reviewed to identify government-wide issues and practices that could pose a risk to the integrity of the staffing system. These issues are raised with the organizations involved, and addressed through the annual reporting cycle.

In 2006-2007, staffing performance assessments were followed by feedback letters to each organization. Five departments that were audited are being closely monitored to ensure the required corrective action is taken.

1.1.3 Non-Delegated Authorities

Description: The Non-Delegated Authorities sub-activity administers authorities that are not delegated to departments and agencies such as priority administration and Public Service Official Languages Exclusion Approval Orders (PSOLEAO).

2006-2007 Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Total Budget Authority	Actual
4,241	3,478	4,578

Results Achieved:

Expected Results and Performance Indicators	Performance Information
Proper consideration for appointments with priority rights. Performance Indicator: Percentage of individuals with priority rights appointed.	During 2006-2007, 29% of persons (672) with priority entitlements were appointed (675 in 2005-2006). There were 1,074 priorities carried over from the previous fiscal year and 1,247 new priorities registered. Two hundred and sixteen (216) entitlements expired.

RPP Commitment: Oversee the priority entitlements process to ensure the integrity of non-delegated ministers' staff and Governor General's Office appointments:

• determine whether exempt staff in ministers' offices and the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General meet the criteria to receive priority entitlement, as set out in legislation.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC oversees the use of ministers' staff priority appointments. Controls have been established on the use of this entitlement. Of the nine requests received seeking confirmation of 

ministerial staff priority entitlements in 2006-2007, eight met the legal criteria. During 2006-2007, organizations appointed 37 former members of ministers' staffs having priority entitlement, including one appointment to the Executive (EX) Group. This compares to 25 priority appointments of former members of minister's staff in 2005-2006, including one appointment to the EX Group. In December 2006, the Federal Accountability Act amended the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) to remove the right of ministerial staff to priority appointment in the public service. With respect to the excluded staff in the Office of the Secretary to the Governor General, there was no activity during 2006-2007.

RPP Commitment: Oversee the priority entitlements process to ensure departments and agencies respect legislation, policies and delegated authorities; monitor 30,000 to 40,000 staffing processes where priorities must be considered and verify entitlements for 1,000 or more priority persons and ensure they are informed of their rights and obligations.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSEA and the Public Service Employment Regulations entitle certain persons in career and workforce transition situations with the opportunity to be appointed, ahead of all others, to a public service position for which they are qualified. The PSC retains responsibility for ensuring that priority entitlement rights are respected and hiring organizations conduct their assessment of entitled individuals in a fair and transparent manner. Overall, 1,247 new persons who met the conditions for consideration for priority appointments (1,109 persons in 2005-2006) were registered and informed of their rights and obligations.

The PSC administers the Priority Information Management System (PIMS) to ensure that priority entitlements are valid and that departments and agencies observe them. In 2006-2007, the PSC took steps to address technical problems in the PIMS by releasing an improved reporting function module which is accessible to departments and agencies.

In 2006-2007, the PSC delivered 20 training sessions on priority administration to more than 700 human resources specialists across the country. Overall, the feedback received from the participants is quite positive and indicates a need for future sessions.

During 2006-2007, the PSC monitored 35,413 staffing processes where priority entitlements had to be considered (There were 22,287 in 2005-2006).

RPP Commitment: Monitor the application of the PSOLEAO:

• monitor data and cases of 70 or more departments on their use of the PSOLEAO's provisions for extensions; and
• grant exclusions under the PSOLEAO according to accepted criteria.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

As part of its oversight function, the PSC actively monitors the application of the PSOLEAO. Monitoring is achieved through the collection and analysis of data on the use of the PSOLEAO provisions, visits and follow-ups with all delegated organizations. The PSC requires departments and agencies to report on their compliance with the PSOLEAO and provide action plans to ensure employees are meeting the linguistic requirements of their positions. The PSC also sends follow-up letters to all deputy heads to reinforce the importance of implementing internal monitoring mechanisms and resolving non-compliant situations.

During the year in review, departments and agencies have been successful in regularizing the majority of cases where employees' linguistic requirements had not been met previously. The number of non-compliant situations decreased significantly from 892 as of March 31, 2005 to 218 as of March 31, 2007. In 2006-2007, there were 31 extensions for members of the EX Group. In addition, there were four medical exclusions granted for all groups. There were 608 requests for information, advice and interpretation received.

1.1.4 Audits, Studies and Evaluations

Description: The Audits, Studies and Evaluations sub-activity conducts independent audits, studies and evaluations and reports to Parliament on the integrity of the appointment process, including the protection of merit and political neutrality.

2006-2007 Financial resources ($ thousands) 

Planned Spending	Total Budget Authority	Actual
11,798	11,493	10,653

Results achieved:

Expected Results and Performance Indicators

Performance Information

Departments understand reports and follow up on issues we report. Performance Indicator: Percentage of audit recommendations accepted.

We completed two follow-up audits in 2006-07: Follow-up Audit of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and Follow-up Audit of the Military Police Complaints Commission. We concluded that these organizations had adequately responded to the recommendations made in our previous audits and had made improvements in their staffing systems and practices. Consequently, the PSC removed the remedial measures it had previously imposed on these organizations. We also completed the audits of Acting Executive Appointments, Readiness for the new Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) and the Canadian Space Agency. The audit recommendations in these three reports were accepted by the deputy heads of the departments and agencies audited.

RPP Commitment: Perform independent audits and studies that are relevant and meet quality assurance standards (approximately six audits and two studies per year).

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC performs audits, studies, evaluations and statistical studies as part of its mandate to safeguard the integrity of staffing in the public service and the political impartiality of public servants. The PSC selects audits of staffing activities either within a single department/agency or across multiple departments/agencies, based on criteria such as the relevance of proposed topics to our vision, mandate and strategic outcome, the assessment of risk using its monitoring activities and availability of resources. The PSC's audit mandate covers all departments and agencies to which it has delegated staffing authority. It also includes the PSC itself, for its non-delegated staffing responsibilities and for its overall direction to departments and agencies on policies and procedures for safeguarding the integrity of the appointment process.

As shown in the table above, five audits were completed during the year. Progress was made on other audits including the Audit of EX Appointments which is expected to be finalized in early 2008. In addition, work continued on our statistical studies series. In 2007-2008, we plan to finalize a number of audits and statistical studies, including: Acting Appointments and Subsequent Promotions in the Federal Public Service; To What Extent Do Casuals Become Employed under the Public Service Employment Act?;and New Indeterminate Hires: Who Are They?. While we had originally planned to release two of these studies in 2006-07, we delayed their release to 2007-2008 due to lack of available resources.

RPP Commitment: Build the capacity of the audit function by continuing to establish audit processes and methodology, by strengthening a risk-based planning system for the selection of audits and studies, and by establishing a human resources plan including recruitment and learning strategies.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC continues to build the audit function capacity through a variety of mechanisms. In 2006-2007, the PSC staffed four new executive level positions within the Audit, Evaluation and Studies Branch and continued to build the capacity of its professional staff through coaching, mentoring and training opportunities. The audit methodology was strengthened through the development and implementation of new audit guides and tools. Also, a preliminary risk-based framework for planning oversight, including audits, studies and evaluation was developed.

Capacity building of the audit function remains a priority of the PSC and is expected to take place over a three year period.

RPP Commitment: Support the longer-term planning of audits and studies by developing an evaluation framework for the five-year review of the new PSEA.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

Significant progress was made on the development of the evaluation framework for the five-year review of the new PSEA. A draft plan has been developed and final consultations are planned for the summer of 2007.

RPP Commitment: Establish an Independent Audit Advisory Committee, comprised of senior external experts, to review audit plans and findings.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The Independent Audit Advisory Committee was established and met for the first time in June 2006. The objective of the committee is to seek input and advice on the audits, studies and evaluations of the PSC. This contributes to the quality and independence of these reports. Committee members provide strategic advice on plans for audits, studies and evaluations; advice on the objectives of this work, general approach and matters of significance to be reported; provide input on new developments in the domains of human resource (HR) management and the auditing profession and provide strategic advice on their impact on audits. The committee is expected to meet about twice a year.

RPP Commitment: Provide appointment data and analysis and maintain related information systems to support the PSC's oversight role and the information needs of departments and agencies.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC's appointment data and related analysis provide key input into a variety of products that support our oversight function. For example, this data and analysis is used in the preparation of the PSC's Annual Report, in audits and in statistical studies. The PSC Survey of Appointments, which collects appointment information on appointments across the public service, was adapted to the new legislation and work was initiated to expand the coverage of the survey and to increase the reliability of the survey results as they apply to departmental populations. The Job-Based Analytical Information System, developed to generate and store appointment information, is used to support not only the PSC, but also the analytical needs of departments and agencies, particularly in the area of HR planning.

1.1.5 Investigations

Description: The Investigations sub-activity conducts investigations related to appointment process complaints under the new Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) and allegations of improper political activity. When applicable, it provides early intervention services. This sub-activity also administers appeals and investigations under the former PSEA.

2006-2007 Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Total Budget Authority	Actual
9,764	9,900	9,421

Results Achieved:

Expected Results and Performance Indicators	Performance Information
Fair, effective, informal and expeditious investigation activities, using the principles of natural justice. Performance Indicator: Study findings of the fairness, effectiveness, expediency and informal nature of investigation activities.	In May 2006, the PSC Investigations Branch completed a comparative analysis on the fairness, effectiveness and timeliness in resolving staffing complaints. This analysis was done using four years of internal data and benchmarking information from seven similar organizations. The results of the study were reported in the 2005-2006 DPR. A similar study was not completed for 2006-2007. A new performance measurement framework, in line with our responsibilities and priorities under the new PSEA, has been developed and will be implemented in 2007-2008.
Performance Indicator: Percentage of investigation activities resolved through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes, where appropriate.	ADR processes were conducted in 22% of accepted cases in 2006-2007 compared to 34% in 2005-2006. This is directly attributed to the high turnover rate of investigators, since new investigators are first trained in investigations content before they are ready to conduct early intervention processes.
Fair and timely resolution of appeals and investigations under the old PSEA.Performance Indicator: Average completion time.	Average disposal time for appeals: 2005–2006: 84 days to complete. 2006–2007: 137 days to complete. Average disposal time to complete investigations: 2005–2006: 139 days to complete. 2006–2007: 180 days to complete. The increase in average disposal time can be explained by the addition of quality assurance mechanisms and high turnover rates amongst investigators. However, these additional mechanisms have further minimized the risk of having decisions judicially reviewed and overturned by the Federal Court.

RPP Commitment: Finalize the implementation of a new operational framework and process for investigations to enhance oversight capacity, including policies, guidelines and procedures for the PSC mandated investigations, deputy head requested investigations and improper political activities investigations; and continue building Investigations Branch capacity through developmental programs, recruitment and knowledge transfer initiatives and learning strategies.

Status towards fulfilling commitments:

In 2006-2007, the PSC finalized and approved a new operational framework which supports mandated, deputy head and improper political activity investigations. Operational manuals are also being developed.

The PSC has undertaken a benchmarking study of four similar external organizations, to be completed in 2007-2008, to identify best practices. A Junior Investigator training and development plan was also established as part of the Branch's recruitment and retention strategies.

RPP Commitment: Conduct ADR processes for mandated investigations, where appropriate, under the new PSEA, as well as early interventions (EI) and mediation for appeals and investigations under the old PSEA.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

Early Intervention (EI) processes were offered in 72 of 90 cases accepted for investigation under the new PSEA, the remaining 18 cases proceeded directly to investigation or had yet to proceed to EI as of March 31, 2007.

Former PSEA	# EI Offer	# EI Declined	# EI Accepted	Results of Meeting - All Appellants Withdrew	Results of Meeting - An Appeal Hearing Needed to Take Place (Note 1)
2005-2006	508	147	359	101	258
2006-2007	129	28	101	22	79

New PSEA	# EI Offer	# EI Awaiting Response or Offer	# EI Not Accepted (includes declined or no response)	# EI Accepted	Results of Meeting (out of 31) (remainder not yet processed)
2006-2007	72	20	21	31	Resolved: 4	Unresolved or Discontinued: 3

Source: Investigations Branch Electronic Data Tracking System
Note 1: Includes processes where some appellants withdrew and appeals needed to take place.

RPP Commitment: Conduct investigations under the new PSEA. (There are approximately 700 requests for investigations annually).

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The new PSEA provides the PSC with the authority to investigate staffing activities and improper political activities in the following cases:

• external appointments;
• internal appointments, if not delegated;
• delegated internal appointments, at the request of deputy heads;
• appointments involving possible political influence;
• appointments involving possible fraud; and
• allegations of improper political activities.

Statistics on PSC investigations are provided below.

 Source: Investigations Branch Electronic Data Tracking System

In addition, seven investigations were completed during 2006-2007: two were deemed unfounded, three were discontinued and two were resolved through EI. Additional information on the types of issues under investigation is available in the 2006-2007 PSC Annual Report.

We anticipate demand for our investigation services under the new PSEA to increase as the new PSEA is fully implemented and recourse under the old PSEA is exhausted. To assess deputy head interest in our investigations services, letters were sent to departments listed in Schedule 1of the Financial Administration Act. These responses, coupled with the results of the benchmarking study to be completed in 2007-2008, will guide us in formulating strategic plans concerning our investigation function.

RPP Commitment: Continue to hear appeals and conduct investigations to complete the load of cases being received under the former PSEA. (There were approximately 3,000 requests for appeals annually under the old PSEA.)

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

Most appeals and investigations completed by the PSC in 2006-2007 related to the former PSEA. During 2006-2007, 704 employees (appellants) appealed 267 selection processes under the former Act, compared to 1,098 processes in 2005-2006. Lower appeal numbers were expected this fiscal year due to the decreasing number of selection processes eligible to be appealed under the former Act. In total in 2006-2007, the PSC dealt with 572 appeals, of which 95 (17%) were allowed. These included appeals from the previous year that were processed during the current year. Appeals were allowed for a variety of merit-related reasons including: notice of competition, improper assessment, conduct of selection board, failure to assess qualifications and composition of the selection board.

Source: Investigations Branch Electronic Data Tracking System

Some outstanding appeals and investigations under the former PSEA will be carried over into 2007-2008. As of March 31, 2007, 45 appeals of selection processes were being finalized. Appeals are expected to be completed by the first quarter, and investigations by the third quarter of 2007-2008.

The overlap with investigations being undertaken under the old and new PSEA, combined with legal issues and judicial reviews, has resulted in some delays in closing files that remained outstanding under the former PSEA as of March 31, 2007. During last fiscal year, 197 requests for investigations under the former PSEA were received and 83 new investigations were opened, compared to 500 and 232 respectively, in 2005-2006.

Source: Investigations Branch Electronic Data Tracking System

During 2006-2007, 121 investigations (159 in 2005-2006) relating to the former Act were closed, of which 29 (24.8%) were founded; 25 (20.7%) were resolved through mediation or other early resolution mechanisms; 41 (33.9%) were unfounded; 24 (19.8%) were withdrawn or discontinued and one was closed because it was not within the PSC's jurisdiction. As of March 31, 2007, 117 investigations under the former Act were being finalized.

Program Activity 1.2.0 - Recruitment and Assessment Services

Description:

The Recruitment and Assessment Services activity develops and maintains the resourcing systems that link Canadians and public servants seeking employment opportunities in the federal public service with hiring departments and agencies. It provides assessment-related products and services in the form of research and development, consultation, assessment operations and counselling for use in recruitment, selection and development throughout the federal public service. This activity also includes delivering resourcing services, programs and products to departments and agencies, to Canadians and public servants, through client service units located across Canada.

Structure:

Related Resources:

Resources	Planned Spending	Total Budget Authority	Actual
Financial ($ thousands)	63,275	65,834	58,521
FTE	634	652	581

Results Achieved:

To ensure that Program Activity 1.2.0 (Recruitment and Assessment Services) is on track, the PSC established the following expected results and performance indicators. Our performance against these indicators at the program activity level is reported below.

Expected Results and Performance Indicators	Performance Information
Recruitment and assessment services and products meet the business needs of clients and are consistent with PSC staffing policies. Performance Indicator: Study findings.	During March 2007, focus group sessions with key stakeholders were held across Canada. The consultations sought feedback from both hiring managers and members of the human resources (HR)/staffing community on their needs as well as other issues emerging from the transformation of the Staffing and Assessment Services Branch's (SASB) services. Preliminary feedback of clients based on our consultation sessions provided the following recommendations: improve current services, with continued traditional services and products (student/graduate recruitment, Personnel Psychology Center (PPC) services/tests) being offered; provide support for high volume activities (collective staffing, National Area of Selection support, test administration and facilities); share our service standards; and offer flexible integrated services to accommodate organizations with differing sizes, capacities and service level requirements. In addition, regional updates are provided regarding SASB transformation. In early 2007, the Central and Southern Ontario Region met with the regional offices of such departments and agencies as Environment Canada, Health Canada, Public Health, Canadian Heritage and Courts Administrative Service to discuss the SASB transformation. Meetings also took place with the Human Resources Leadership Council of Ontario and the Ontario Staffing Council to discuss transformation and to receive feedback from clients.
Clients are satisfied with recruitment and assessment services and products. Performance Indicator: Percentage of departmental clients satisfied or very satisfied overall with recruitment and assessment services.	PSC consultations The focus group sessions held across Canada with key stakeholders provided valuable input regarding business needs. Public Service Resourcing System (PSRS) surveys PSRS provided a survey link to employment equity (EE) applicants to collect information to support the PSC EE drop-off study. Jobs.gc.ca Public opinion research was conducted on the satisfaction with the jobs.gc.ca site. Overall, 86% of the people surveyed are satisfied with the jobs.gc.ca site, including elements such as structure and content. The site is seen as being user friendly and easily navigable (speed, clarity, and buttons). PPC surveys Client satisfaction data suggest clients are pleased with test services (shipping, scoring, results management and communication, etc.) in the PPC. Ninety-three percent of respondents indicated they “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that PPC responded quickly to their requests and were “completely satisfied” with the service provided. Ninety-two percent of respondents indicated that PPC staff were “friendly and courteous” in responding to their needs. Review of Service Standards The review of Service Standards has been delayed to 2007-2008. The review will be completed as part of a full review of SASB's service standards.

1.2.1 Recruitment and Staffing Services

Description:

The Recruitment and Staffing Services activity develops and maintains the resourcing systems that link Canadians and public servants seeking employment opportunities in the federal public service with hiring departments and agencies. This activity also includes delivering resourcing services, programs and products to departments and agencies, to Canadians and public servants, through client service units located across Canada.

2006-2007 Financial resources ($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Total Budget Authority	Actual
30,052	32,173	30,892

Results Achieved:

Expected Results and Performance Indicators	Performance Information
Recruitment services delivered within service standards. Performance Indicator: Percentage of recruitment services delivered meeting service standards.	The review of existing service standards for new products and services has been delayed to 2007-2008. The review will be completed as part of a full review of Staffing and Assessment Services Branch's (SASB) service standards.
Fair, effective and responsive staffing of executives across the public service. Performance Indicator: Service improvements resulting from client consultations.	Executive Resourcing sought client input to advise on current perceptions and needs. The consultations indicated a continuing need to be proactive in the human resources (HR) community, to focus our resources and to strive to improve speed of staffing processes for executive resourcing. A client satisfaction survey has been developed to further assist in tracking service delivery performance.

RPP Commitment: Deliver high-quality general and central (corporate) recruitment services, programs and products customized to the new Public Service Employment Act (PSEA), to departments and agencies, Canadians and public servants, through client service units located across Canada. Central (corporate) programs include the Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP), Post-Secondary Recruitment (PSR) Program, Research Affiliate Program (RAP) and Recruitment of Policy Leaders (RPL) Program. (For 2006-2007, the forecasted volume: is 3,700 requests for central (corporate) recruitment and 7,500 requests for general recruitment.)

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

In 2006-2007, the PSC supported departments and agencies by providing general and central (corporate) recruitment services, programs and products aimed at attracting talented recruits from across the country. Through the SASB, the PSC offered Canadians a wide range of employment opportunities in the federal public service.

General Recruitment
Even with broad delegation of appointment authorities, departments and agencies still need access to a source of staffing services complementing those available within their organization. The PSC's long-standing recruitment and staffing expertise positions us well to be the provider of choice. The PSC's approach to services supports four components of a well-functioning recruitment and staffing system: understanding hiring needs, branding and marketing, attracting talent and continually enhancing processes. Through the provision of high quality services, the PSC is committed to creating and maintaining a representative public service that promotes linguistic duality and pursues excellence.

In 2006-2007, PSEA and non-PSEA departments and agencies posted a total of 6,439 external staffing advertisements, which generated 1,140,149 applications. In 2006-2007, the PSC administered 95.7% of external recruitment processes. The high number of requests serviced by the PSC demonstrates a continuing demand exists for the PSC's recruitment and staffing services.

General Recruitment Statistics	2003-2004	2004-2005	2005-2006	2006-2007
Applications	440,363	556,383	675,368	1,140,149
Recruitment requests from departments	3,208	7,786	8,496	9,511
Advertisements	n/a	n/a	n/a	6,439
Jobs.gc.ca Website visits	14,785,000	14,534,000	17,754,000	22,976,000
Infotel inquiries	174,255	116,167	100,297	70,588

Source: Automated Screening Reports, Public Service Resourcing System (PSRS). Priority Information Management System and Service Canada

The PSC offers Canadians common points of access to a complete range of employment opportunities across the public service of Canada. The PSC's appointment policy requires departments and agencies advertising external job opportunities (outside the public service) to post opportunities on the jobs.gc.ca Website and on Infotel or on that of an alternative service provider. Infotel allows Canadians to listen to information regarding job advertisements posted on jobs.gc.ca via the telephone. In 2006-2007, a total of 22,976,000 visits were made to the jobs.gc.ca Website and 70,588 calls were made to the Infotel service. The table demonstrates that the number of visits to the jobs.gc.ca Website continues to increase as inquiries to Infotel decrease.

The PSC conducted a survey to determine whether the revised Website is meeting the needs of Canadians, public service employees, HR specialists and hiring managers. Results show a high overall satisfaction (86%) with the jobs.gc.ca site. Jobs Web site visitors indicated that the site is easy to navigate, has a good layout and is user-friendly. However, 12% of respondents noted that it is not easy to find information on the site.

Central (Corporate) Recruitment Programs
The PSC offers efficient, targeted recruitment strategies that match candidates with career opportunities in the federal public service. The PSC administers five central (corporate) recruitment programs that target students and post-secondary graduates – the Federal Student Work Experience Program (FSWEP), the Cooperative Education and Internship Program (CO-OP), the Research Affiliate Program (RAP), the Post-Secondary Recruitment (PSR) Program and the Recruitment of Policy Leaders (RPL) Program. In 2006-2007, use of specialized recruitment programs continued to increase as organizations and functional communities strove to attract and hire a diverse, representative and competent workforce to the federal public service.

Central (Corporate) Recruitment Programs – 2006-2007

	FSWEP		RAP		PSR		RPL
	2005-2006	2006-2007	2005-2006	2006-2007	2005-2006	2006-2007	2005-2006	2006-2007
Number of applications received:	76,000	71,402	168	175	35,227	31,686	2,300	1005
Number of requests	8,494	10,187	67	93		n/a
Number of referrals	37,819	56,162		76	8,777	9,599
Number of appointments	8,581	9,574	53	36	550	429	33	70
Number of re-employments		1,833		95		n/a

CO-OP
In 2006-2007, departmental and agency demand for Co-op students remained stable. There were 3,465 Co-op students hired compared to 3,454 students in 2005-2006.

Post-Secondary Recruitment
The PSC's ongoing efforts and success at encouraging the use of the PSR program by federal organizations is reflected in the number of career choices advertised in 2006-2007. Combined, the two PSR campaigns held over the fall and winter of 2007 advertised a total of 22 career choices at 15 organizations. In 2007-2008, the PSC will continue examining various options to enhance the participation of federal departments and agencies.

RPP Commitment: Provide delegated staffing and recruitment services to departments and agencies under new service agreements.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The National Capital and Eastern Ontario Region supports staffing for, among others, the Copyright Board of Canada, the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board, the Registry of the Competition Tribunal and the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat. The PSC will continue to offer this valuable service, as required.

RPP Commitment: Maximize opportunities under the new PSEA and conduct consultations with clients to facilitate the implementation of National Area of Selection (NAoS) and the development of new products and services. 

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The expansion of the NAoS increased the number of applications for some processes. The use of electronic tools such as the PSRS is an effective and efficient way to manage the receipt and screening of applications in high volume situations. Prior to the PSRS, all applications were screened manually. Data obtained through the initial pilots indicated that this generally took three weeks and resulted in the elimination of 15% of applications that did not meet the screening criteria. The PSRS includes a functionality to obtain and screen on information from the individual applicant's profile as well as text boxes, screening questions and experience questionnaires. In 2006-2007, 1,071,365 applications were received for the 5,671 advertisements for organizations under the PSEA. Of these, 338,486 applications were screened out, representing an overall screen-out rate of 32%. Out of the same population, 2,423 advertisements utilized at least one screening tool, which resulted in a screen-out rate of 45% (303,201 applications out of the 670,322). 

Continuing use of e-screening is critical for high volume management of applications that may results from NAoS. The PSC is committed to maximizing the use of technology in staffing through our services and training.

RPP Commitment: Provide executive staffing services to departments and agencies (Forecasted volume for 2006-2007 is: 500 executive staffing actions initiated and 450 executive staffing appointments).

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC works in close partnership with federal departments and agencies to provide full staffing services for the Executive (EX) Group. Provision of these services by the PSC ensures adherence to the key staffing values of fairness, accessibility, transparency and representativeness. It also supports ongoing, government-wide EX Group renewal efforts.

In 2006-2007, the PSC provided recruitment, assessment and selection services for 603 executive staffing processes at the EX-1 to EX-3 levels. (There were 696 staffing requests in 2005-2006.) This surpassed the expected forecast of 500 staffing requests. 

RPP Commitment: Conduct client consultations to assess needs and identify service improvements.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC undertook extensive nation-wide consultations with external clients on their need for staffing and assessment products and services, as well as other components of the service delivery model. During March 2007, focus group sessions were held across Canada with key stakeholders such as the Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada, the National Managers' Community, the Human Resources Council, the National Staffing Council and the Personnel Advisory Group. The consultations sought feedback from both hiring managers and members of the HR/staffing community on their needs as well as on other components emerging from the transformation of PSC's services.

An IT Web-based Client Satisfaction Survey was established in 2006-2007. This survey tool allows for one hundred percent sampling. Survey results will provide feedback to the PSC for ongoing service improvements. The results will be available in 2007-2008.

1.2.2 Assessment Services

Description:

Assessment Services provides assessment-related products and services in the form of research and development, consultation, assessment operations and counselling for use in recruitment, selection and development throughout the federal public service.

2006-2007 Financial resources ($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Total Budget Authority	Actual
13,394	13,112	13,841

Results Achieved:

Expected Result and Performance Indicator

Performance Information

Assessment services delivered within service standards. Performance Indicator: Percentage of assessment services delivered meeting service standards.

There is ongoing monitoring of Second Language Evaluation (SLE) Oral Interaction (OI) testing against the Personnel Psychology Centre's (PPC) two week service standard for OI testing. Significant progress was achieved in French OI Testing (the average French OI wait time for the month of March 2007 was four weeks in the National Capital and Eastern Ontario Region (NCEOR) and four weeks in Montreal, while the average for the full fiscal year was seven weeks in the NCEOR and eight weeks in Montreal). Some delays were experienced in providing English OI testing within established service standards (the average English OI wait time for the month of March 2007 was 16 weeks in the National Capital and Eastern Ontario Region (NCEOR) and 12 weeks in Montreal, while the average for the full fiscal year was seven weeks in the NCEOR and nine weeks in Montreal). This issue will be addressed in 2007-2008. Client satisfaction data collected in Test Services indicated clients are pleased with test services (shipping, scoring, results management & communication etc.) in the PPC. Ninety-three percent of respondents indicated they “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that the PPC responded quickly to their requests and indicated that they were “completely satisfied” with the service provided, while 92% of respondents indicated that PPC staff were “friendly and courteous” in responding to their needs. Assessment service standards will be reviewed as part of the Staffing and Assessment Services Branch (SASB)-wide initiative to review service standards in 2007-2008.

RPP Commitment: Provide assessment-related development, operational, research and consultation services and products for use in recruitment, selection and development throughout the federal public service through appropriation and cost recovery. (For 2006-2007, the forecasted volume is: testing: 115,000 tests administered, including 64,000 SLEs; number of new products modified or developed: 30).

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

In the federal public service, assessment products and services play an integral part in the health of the staffing system. The PSC develops and administers professional assessment instruments with a three-fold objective:

• ensure merit is observed;
• act as essential tools in recruitment; and
• provide public servants with invaluable feedback regarding strengths and developmental needs.

To meet these objectives, the PPC offers a broad range of assessment products and services to federal departments and agencies. The PPC, in addition to conducting research and developing assessment tools, offers consultation, counselling and assessment services. It helps determine the assessment needs of federal departments and agencies and develops products and services that identify talent and measure competencies for a variety of positions.

In 2006-2007, the PSC experienced a significant increase in the demand for standardized tests and related services. A total of 180,591 assessments were completed by the PPC, representing an increase of 11% over the 162,200 assessments reported in 2005-2006. SLEs reached 81,458, an increase of 4.1% over the 78,232 in the previous year. Increases are likely due to a range of factors, including expansion of the National Area of Selection, increased recruitment activity and increased use of collective staffing.

A range of new and modified assessment instruments was introduced during the fiscal year. Development of new SLE instruments to assess writing proficiency was completed, including multiple versions of evaluation products in English and French and alternative versions for persons with disabilities. The PPC also formally introduced Identification of Paths to Executive Development, a new assessment instrument designed specifically for executive development. Along with these standardized PSC instruments, a variety of tools were developed and tailored to meet specific departmental requirements.

RPP Commitment: Develop and update instruments and procedures, including SLE.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC is responsible for all SLEs for appointment processes in the federal public service. It fulfills this responsibility through the development, maintenance, administration and scoring of a range of SLE instruments. In 2006-2007, the PSC continued modernizing its suite of instruments, including improving its second language evaluations.

Development of a new SLE writing test was initiated in 2005 to allow incorporation of today's language lexicon and assessment practices. Piloted in the fall of 2006, the PSC now has two new SLE writing tests (English and French) which support public service renewal. These will be implemented in 2007-2008. Plans are also under way to develop two new second language OI tests (English and French).

During 2006-2007, the PPC focused on the review and management of service standards in the delivery of OI testing. To this end, the PPC implemented a five-point improvement strategy aimed at decreasing SLE OI wait times. By the end of March 2007, SLE OI wait times were four weeks in the NCEOR and four weeks in the Quebec Region.

RPP Commitment: Establish an e-testing implementation strategy and priorities in 2006-2007 and stabilize e-testing operations in 2007-2008.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PPC offers a selection of tests in electronic format (e-testing). The PSC progressed significantly in implementing e-testing, thereby increasing staffing process efficiencies. Operational e-testing centres are now in place in numerous regions across the country, including Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa and Toronto. Further expansion of e-testing facilities is planned for 2007-2008.

RPP Commitment: Prepare a Treasury Board (TB) submission seeking continued authority to re-spend revenue beyond 2006-2007.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

A TB submission was not required due to the approval, through the Main Estimates in June 2006, of the net voting authority for the two-year period ending March 2008. A TB submission covering a broader range of SASB services, including the PPC, will be completed in fall 2007. A new fee structure for the PPC was developed and implemented in April 2007

1.2.3 Client Services

Description:

Client Services develops products and tools that link Canadians and public servants seeking employment opportunities in the federal public service with hiring departments and agencies.

2006-2007 Financial resources ($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Total Budget Authority	Actual
19,829	20,549	13,788

Results Achieved:

Expected Results and Performance Indicators	Performance Information
Timely supply of suitable candidates. Performance Indicator: Average time to supply candidates.	A study was undertaken to determine the reporting requirements of the Public Service Resourcing system (PSRS). This work is being moved forward to advance data availability on issues, including the average time required to supply candidates.
Increased efficiencies through faster screening and referrals and more manageable numbers of referrals. Performance indicators: Statistical evidence of faster screening and referrals; and Statistical evidence of fewer referrals.	The PSRS is an electronic screening tool that reduces the time required to screen job applications for federal public service jobs and increases screening effectiveness by reducing the number of applications referred to departments. Prior to PSRS, all applications were screened manually. This took up to three weeks, depending on the number of applications. With PSRS, this time is reduced to 48 hours from the closing date of the job advertisement. The level of screening effectiveness has also increased with electronic screening. Manual screening of job applications resulted in approximately 73% of applications received being referred to departments, compared to 45% using electronic screening. The importance of continuing with e-screening is critical given the increased volume of job applications with National Area of Selection. The PSC is committed to continuing its efforts to maximize the use of technology in staffing.

RPP Commitments:

• Develop and implement new central (corporate) recruitment programs to respond to client needs.
• Perform external labour market analyses.
• Develop marketing strategies material, assess departmental and agency need and translate them into technological solutions.

Status towards fulfilling commitments:

New recruitment activities and labour market analysis
The PSC works with central agencies and departments to identify shortage areas and potential labour supply markets for targeted recruitment. In 2006-2007, shortage areas were identified for the Government of Canada's, human resources community and the Science and Technology communities.

The PSC managed two collective recruitment strategies for the Human Resource community at the PE-03/PE-04 and PE-01/PE-02 levels. Through the PE-03/PE-04 initiative, 606 of 1,970 applications received were screened in. To date, the PSC has received 150 requests from 35 organizations to staff 268 positions. Seven appointments have been made as a result of this campaign. The PE-01/PE-02 collective process, held via the PSR fall campaign, generated a total of 1,886 applications. We expect collective recruitment initiatives will be an effective mechanism to address the government-wide shortage of PE-group professionals.

The Science and Technology (S&T) community also used PSR to attract recent graduates in scientific fields of study and create an inventory for use by all science-based organizations within government. Held in the fall of 2006, the campaign generated a total of 2,192 applications. Health Canada and Environment Canada have expressed an interest in using the S&T inventory to staff approximately 200 positions.

Marketing strategies
Consultations are ongoing with government organizations to discuss their recruitment and staffing needs and possible partnerships through new services and approaches. Communication of central (corporate) recruitment programs was enhanced through the PSC's support of the government's PS Renewal initiative. This has resulted in a greater awareness of specialized recruitment programs and increased interest from hiring organizations.

The PSC has developed a national marketing strategy and action plan for increasing the Aboriginal workforce.

RPP Commitment: Support implementation of e-resourcing to departments and agencies, aligned with the Government's agenda on Corporate Administrative Shared Services and human resources (HR) modernization. In 2006-2007: 12 federal departments implemented PSRS).

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC's introduction of the PSRS provides an electronic application and screening process for external recruitment. The PSRS is an interim solution that modernizes the way Canadians apply to job opportunities in the federal public service and provides a process for referring their applications to organizations for consideration. Direct access to PSRS, which allows organizations to post advertisements on jobs.gc.ca and screen applicants independently, will allow even greater efficiencies. The system has been deployed to 11 federal departments. It is currently used by all PSC Regional Offices and additional departments and agencies are scheduled for Direct Access during 2007-2008. The PSRS supports the policy on NAoS for federal government jobs by providing electronic screening of the high volume of applications received. There were 1.15 million job applications received through the PSRS in 2006-2007.

The PSC has provided client support services to departments as well as PSRS Direct Access training to over 400 PSRS users in the federal government. These departments and agencies are now becoming familiar with the electronic screening process and have expressed satisfaction with the systems and supports provided. Work will continue in 2007-2008 to ensure that all organizations wishing to have Direct Access are accommodated and receive the accompanying training and user support.

The PSC also implemented an innovative “text to speech” system to replace the current Infotel system. Previously, each advertisement was voice-recorded (in both official languages) by regional staff. Now the new “text to speech” technology allows instantaneous loading of employment information to both the Internet and the phone for Canadians seeking federal government jobs.

The Public Service Staffing Modernization Project (PSSMP) is a multi-year, government-wide initiative to transform staffing in the federal public service.

The objective of the PSSMP is to develop an integrated, government-wide staffing system that:

• supports public service staffing values;
• improves the quality of hiring across government;
• significantly reduces the time and cost to staff; and
• improves user satisfaction.

It is divided into two streams:

• Stream I: PSRS interim solution for external staffing (recruitment); and
• Stream II: The longer term, comprehensive solution for both internal and external staffing.

As Treasury Board (TB) hearings were delayed in March 2006, funding for Stream I (PSRS) was delayed and not approved until June 2006. As a result, the PSSMP was unable to fully engage its development and deployment teams.

Therefore, full implementation of certain project deliverables such as user support, sustainability analysis, long-term training solution with the Canada School of Public Service, Alternative access solutions and retirement of legacy systems such as the Federal Student Work Experience Program and the Integrated Staffing System, were deferred to 2007-2008. In October, TBS approved the PSC's request to reprofile Stream I (PSRS) funds totaling $5,055,618 (including EBP and accommodations expenses) to 2007-2008 for these purposes.

A more integrated approach was proposed for the project. Thereafter, it was realized that PSSMP Stream 1 project funds could be a potential source of funds for the Project Definition work for Stream II. In March 2007, TB approval was sought for an amended Effective Project Approval for PSSMP Stream 1.

The Project Definition work for Stream II is planned for 2007-2008 to identify the requirements for long-term solutions, examine the options available and to determine the most cost efficient and effective approach to developing and implementing the right solution for federal government staffing.

RPP Commitment: Initiate the long-term government-wide e-resourcing project if buy-in, support and funding is available.

Status towards fulfilling commitment:

The PSC submitted a plan to the government for a longer term staffing solution to support both internal and external staffing. Delays in the government approval system resulted in a further PSC submission being developed and put forward to TB ministers in March 2007. Upon approval of this submission, the PSC will move ahead with an analysis of the options for the longer-term staffing solution.

Management Priorities

The PSC is committed to building a model organization through effective management practices and stewardship of its financial, human and information resources. Demonstration of our capacity for accountability and strong comptrollership of our resources is viewed as an essential step to increasing our recognition as an independent organization. In 2006-2007, the PSC made significant progress in transforming the way it manages these resources. The PSC's commitment to becoming a model organization has been demonstrated through our proactive and integrated management of strategic and operational risks, the provision of audited financial statements and our commitment to building an organizational environment which nurtures excellence.

Our success at improving internal management practices has been noted in both the 2006-2007 Management Accountability Framework (MAF) assessment completed by Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) and the PSC's Management Accountability Framework Self-Assessment completed in March 2007. In both studies, the PSC received consistent ratings, ranging from “acceptable” to “strong” for 19 of the 20 indicators assessed. The PSC assessment has provided a more detailed analysis of our management practices, tailored to meet our specific management needs and priorities. A management action plan will be developed to address the results of our self-assessment report and will focus on the following areas:

• implementing our revised performance framework in line with Management, Resources and Results Structure (MRRS) policy;
• improving the PSC's human resources (HR) systems to facilitate planning and reporting capacity;
• improving the management of information through the implementation of a three year plan; and
• continuing refinement of our financial management practices.

Identification of appropriate funding mechanisms to help the PSC effectively address our changing roles and priorities under the Public Service Modernization Act and the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA) over the long term continues to be a challenge. Opportunities to reallocate funds internally have already been maximized. Additional long-term funding is still needed to meet demand for our recruitment and assessment services.

Key Commitment 1: The PSC's management of resources is integrated and effective.

Expected Result: The PSC's resource management is integrated, effective, consistently improved and aligned with departmental priorities.

RPP Commitments:	Performance Information
Establish rigorous procedures to review and challenge financial forecasts and plans through an integrated operational planning process; Implement zero-based budgeting process linked to Program ActivityArchitecture; and Prepare audited financial statements.	Through its integrated operational planning process, in 2006-2007, the PSC established rigorous procedures to review and challenge financial forecasts and plans. Use of business practices such as zero-based budgeting has allowed us to re-align funding allocations to new and changing priorities, as well as integrate performance and output results more proactively into review processes for existing allocations and priorities. This, along with the implementation of the MRRS policy, preparation of audited financial statements and development and implementation of high quality and timely management reports, have significantly improved our financial management capacity.
Integrate the various levels of risk analysis conducted within the PSC.	During 2006-2007, the PSC also progressed in its work on integrating the various levels of risk analysis internally into all levels of corporate planning, as well as into planning activities related to our externally focused oversight function. Senior management has been proactive in identifying risks, monitoring, analyzing and developing mitigating strategies, and communicating these to all management levels. Linkages between the PSC's corporate risk profile and strategic priorities, as documented in the Report on Plans and Priorities, have strengthened our priority setting and decision making processes at both the strategic and the operational levels. The PSC's Internal Audit Committee also considered risk issues on a regular basis as part of its mandate.
Continue benchmarking our corporate services.	Benchmarking corporate services continued during the year. The PSC will begin implementation of the Corporate Services Benchmarking report recommendations during 2007-2008.
Begin a three-year information management strategy including Records and Document Information Management System (RDIMS) implementation.	The PSC recognizes the importance of managing information as well as human and financial resources. In 2006-2007, the PSC finalized its three-year strategy to achieve full compliance with Management of Government Information Policy. Our commitment to following sound information practices includes plans for gradual implementation of a RDIMS. Treasury Board approval to proceed with the project is currently being sought.
Implement TBS policy for internal audit within the PSC.	The PSC's progress towards and commitment to implementing TBS policy for internal audit has been significant. Internal audit planning is risk-based and follows a well grounded consultation process with senior management, the Office of the Auditor General OAG and the Internal Audit Committee. Reports are timely, comprehensive and accessible to both the public and Parliament. The PSC has been proactive in establishing an Internal Audit Committee composed of external members.

The PSC has developed an HR plan that reflects our evolving business needs, encompasses strong people management practices and integrates our operational planning process. Finding and retaining talented staff and ensuring the sustainability of our workforce continued to be a challenge. In 2006-2007, the PSC undertook a variety of activities to achieve its HR commitment.

Key Commitment 2: The PSC's HR plan reflects business needs and strong people management practices.

Expected Result: The PSC has the necessary people, capacity and leadership to deliver results.

RPP Commitments:	Performance Information
Develop an action plan to address results of the 2005 Public Service Employee Survey (PSES).	Responding to the results of the 2005 PSES, the PSC has developed and implemented action plans to address issues and concerns. The annual PSC Employee Forum, Conversations With the President and meetings with new Executive appointees, have provided opportunities for employees and senior management to discuss issues and propose strategies.
Enhance our integrated HR and business planning.	Enhanced integration and alignment between HR and operational planning processes has allowed early identification of HR gaps and driven strategy development processes. Linkages between zero based budgeting processes and HR planning has allowed for the timely development of strategies to minimize the impact on personnel.
Implement recruitment mechanisms, programs and strategies to increase our resourcing capacity (e.g. pools).	To help increase our HR capacity, resourcing needs identified in the PSC Operational Plan were integrated into our resourcing strategies. The PSC initiated generic and collective staffing activities with management participation and has become a Public Service Recruitment System (PSRS) Direct Access user for external processes.
Develop and implement the PSC learning and policy strategy.	The PSC has the lead in developing and implementing the new Policy and Guidelines on Learning, Training and Development in line with government-wide training policy requirements. The annual PSC Corporate Leaning Strategy supports implementation of PSC operational goals, helps strengthen organizational leadership and encourages continuous improvements in performance. Almost all managers and executives have met the government-wide training requirements. In 2006-2007, PSC employees participated in 3,633 training activities, representing 8,031 training days.
Implement measures and developmental programs to support and enhance leadership capacity.	Review of current leadership development activities included a benchmarking exercise with other government organizations and consultations with senior management and managers. The Talent Management and Succession Readiness Strategy, supporting a corporate approach to talent management, was approved and builds on existing public service development programs. It also enhances linkages between HR planning, succession planning, employee career objectives and learning plans.
Continue implementing the Office of Conflict Management, including initiatives related to the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service.	The PSC has placed considerable emphasis on implementing Conflict Management and Values and Ethics. During the year, a new PSC ombudsperson was appointed, and an Informal Conflict Management System (ICMS) and Disclosure Offices were established. To support this, ICMS training was made mandatory for all PSC managers and was offered to all employees.
Finalize the implementation of PSEA and related policies, delegations and procedures.	Following recommendations from the Departmental Staffing Accountability Report (2004-2005, PSEA Readiness), changes were made to four organizational staffing policies. The revisions focus on streamlining the sub-delegation mechanism, providing greater flexibility to meet the needs of an organization, better accountability and increased comprehensiveness and integration.

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