ARCHIVED - Canada School of Public Service

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Section I: Overview

Minister's Message

I am pleased to present the Departmental Performance Report for the Canada School of Public Service (the School) for 2007-2008. This report outlines progress against commitments made in the School's 2007-2008 Report on Plans and Priorities.

As a common learning provider for the federal government, the School supports the government's goals of increased accountability and improved human resources management by providing an integrated approach to learning, training and development in the Public Service. The School's programs help instil a shared sense of accountability and values among all public servants through a focus on orientation and certification, including required training, maintenance of official languages competencies, leadership development, and knowledge transfer of innovative practices in public sector management. These activities contribute to building a highly-skilled, well-trained and professional Public Service workforce that is well-equipped to serve Canadians.

During the 2007-2008 fiscal year, the School focussed on expanding and improving its programs and tools in support of the government's vision for better human resources management and Public Service Renewal. Increased use of technology in the delivery of courses and information sessions enabled greater access to training and development opportunities. These efforts ensure not only the continued relevance of the School's learning activities, but also the advancement of government priorities through support of excellence in service to Canadians.

The Honorable Vic Toews
President of the Treasury Board

Management Representation Statement

I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2007-2008 Departmental Performance Report for the Canada School of Public Service.

This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in the Guide for the Preparation of Part III of the 2007-2008 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports:

• It adheres to the specific reporting requirements outlined in the Treasury Board Secretariat guidance;
• It is based on the department's approved Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture that were approved by the Treasury Board;
• 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.

Ruth Dantzer
President and Chief Executive Officer
Canada School of Public Service

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Summary Information

Raison d'être

To have a strong Public Service that serves Canadians, adapts quickly to change and achieves the government's priorities requires a culture of continuous learning and leadership. Knowledgeable and skilled public servants who have strong managerial and leadership competencies are the foundation of an effective and accountable government. The Canada School of Public Service (CSPS, the School) plays an important role in meeting the needs of both individual public servants and the government as a whole by providing one-stop access to learning, training, leadership and professional development.

Under the Canada School of Public Service Act, the School, as a departmental corporation, is mandated to:

• Encourage pride and excellence in the Public Service;
• Foster a common sense of purpose, values and traditions in the Public Service;
• Support the growth and development of public servants;
• Help ensure that public servants have the knowledge, skills and competencies they need to do their jobs effectively;
• Assist Deputy Heads in meeting the learning needs of their organization; and
• Pursue excellence in public management and administration.

The School achieves its mandate by ensuring that public servants have the foundational knowledge to perform their duties effectively, have access to leadership development programs, and are aware of innovative management practices and techniques to deliver results for Canadians.

Financial Resources (in thousands $)

2007-2008
Planned Spending	Total Authorities1	Actual Spending
$86,868	$143,168	$122,177

¹The increase from Planned Spending to Total Authorities is mainly due to an increase in revenues, revenues carry forward, operating budget carry forward and compensation for salary adjustments. The difference between Total Authorities and Actual Spending is made up of revenues to be carried forward to fiscal year 2008-2009 according to section 18(2) of the Canada School of Public Service Act, operating budget carry forward, and an amount set aside for the employee benefit plan. See financial tables in section 3 of this report for more details.

Human Resources (FTEs)

2007-2008
Planned	Actual2	Difference
940	789	151

² The actual FTE level more accurately reflects the size of the School at a more steady state level under the new learning model, and also the effects of recent government-wide expenditure reviews.

Status on Performance			2007-2008
		Performance Status	Planned Spending	Authorities	Actual Spending
Strategic Outcome: Public servants have the common knowledge and leadership and management competencies required to effectively serve Canada and Canadians
Program Activity 1.1: Public servants able to perform in their current job, take on the challenges of the next job in a dynamic, bilingual environment			$60,122	$102,765	$86,040
Priority	Program Sub-Activity
Delivery of required training: Authority Delegation Training (Ongoing) Orientation Program (Ongoing)	1.1.1 Strengthen capacity of public servants to meet the employer's knowledge standards	Successfully Met	$23,298	$17,264	$17,171
Provide learning products to functional communities (Ongoing)	1.1.2 Public sector management and professional foundations are built and sustained through targeted learning	Successfully Met	$15,029	$37,473	$27,212
Delivery of new model for language training (Ongoing)	1.1.3 Facilitate official languages capacity	Successfully Met	$21,795	$48,028	$41,657
Program Activity 1.2: Public Service has strong leaders delivering results for Canadians			$11,588	$17,463	$17,056
Deliver Leadership Development Programs (Ongoing)	1.2.1 Learning opportunities are accessible to enable public servants to become better leaders	Successfully Met	$4,881	$4,200	$4,153
	1.2.2 Systemic development of high potential public servants	Successfully Met	$3,217	$10,886	$10,815
	1.2.3 Developing leaders with stronger contextual knowledge	Successfully Met	$3,490	$2,377	$2,088
Program Activity 1.3: Public Service organizations innovate to achieve excellence in delivering results for Canadians.			$15,158	$22,940	$19,081
Departmental client relations (Ongoing)	1.3.1 Enhance capacity of organizations	Successfully Met	$6,924	$7,735	$6,744
Identify and transfer innovative management practices (Ongoing)	1.3.2 Knowledge of innovative management practices and emerging issues is transferred	Successfully Met	$8,234	$15,205	$12,337

The School has delivered a strong level of performance in 2007-2008 which is evidenced by both the overall volume and quality of service provided, as well as continued progress toward results which support the strategic outcome of the organization. During the reporting period, participation in the School's offerings doubled from the previous year with over 75,000 individuals, or 30 percent of public servants, accessing either classroom or online learning opportunities, with an associated doubling of the number of learning days provided. At the same time, high quality standards were met as an overall learner satisfaction level of 4.3 on a 5-point scale was achieved.

In support of the strategic outcome, much of this learning effort was focused on high priority areas of required training, demonstrating a growing alignment of learning programs with government-wide priorities for the Public Service. In this context, the School achieved significant progress in approaching steady-state in the implementation of required training, in developing a more targeted approach to serving functional communities, and in advancing the School's priority of reviewing and enhancing the leadership program to ensure it is fulfilling future needs and that gaps along the continuum of leadership capacity in the Public Service are addressed. Alignment of learning with organizational needs was also addressed by strengthening the School's Departmental Client Relations function to ensure previously established relationships were cultivated and explored with the results that more customized solutions were developed for clients — a 25 percent increase in the National Capital Region and a 40 percent increase in regions outside the National Capital.

The School was also successful with its implementation of the new model of supporting official languages learning through quality assurance, new learning tools and methods, and advising on practices to integrate bilingualism into the workplace. A transitional plan to support departments and agencies in accessing private sector sources of training through the School's Master Standing Offer in the National Capital Region and providing training directly in regions where quality-assured services may not yet be available was well-utilized by departments and agencies. A key element of success to the model was the availability of an increased number of online learning and proficiency maintenance tools, where the growth in usage more than doubled.

Innovation in public sector management practices was advanced through initiatives to more actively disseminate knowledge (eg.: targeted workshops) on an agenda identified through scanning trends/issues, building effective relationships with stakeholders and validated through consultation.

The significant difference in the School's planned spending and actual spending is explained in large part from the level of revenues earned in the reporting period (see footnote 1 and financial tables). The School has consistently exceeded its expectations in terms of cost recovery operations and 2007-2008 was no exception. One key area of unanticipated growth was the demand for the Authority Delegation Training on a developmental basis, and which therefore was subject to cost recovery (typically this training is required under the Treasury Board Policy on Learning, Training and Development and the School provides access to employees when they are appointed to new levels of delegated authorities). Training to functional specialists (not including required training) increased by 20 percent from 2006-2007 and, therefore, was also a key factor in revenue growth.

Context and Operating Environment

The Government of Canada is committed to a 21st century Public Service that develops human capital, nurtures innovation and manages knowledge as a strategic asset in order to best serve all Canadians. Specifically, this government has established as a clear priority ensuring a federal government and federal Public Service that is effective and accountable. Furthermore, the Public Service has signalled a focus on its renewal.

In his recent Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada, the Clerk of the Privy Council identified four broad priority areas for Public Service Renewal: planning, recruitment, employee development, and enabling infrastructure. In fact, the School's strategic outcome is directly aligned with the priority of employee development, and the School plays an essential role in supporting Deputy Heads' accountability for determining learning needs in their organizations by creating and delivering innovative and continuous learning opportunities for public servants at all levels. Through alignment of its expertise in learning with departments' and agencies' employee development needs, the School is well-positioned to help public servants to apply the full range of their skills and pursue meaningful careers, both now and in the future.

"The development of public servants as leaders, managers, professionals and empowered employees is central to a high performance institution ... Our performance in coming years will depend hugely on the skills, knowledge, seasoning and judgement of our employees, and on how well they grow as leaders and knowledge workers. We need to intensify our attention to employee development."

Source: Kevin G. Lynch, Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, Fifteenth Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada

The School also plays an essential role in supporting the implementation of the Treasury Board Policy on Learning, Training and Development. The Policy highlights the value of learning and the importance of creating a learning culture within the Public Service. More specifically, it establishes employee, organization and employer learning responsibilities and outlines the employer's specific training requirements. The School's identified program priorities are geared to help deliver on the Policy's expected results.

Through required training, the School ensures that:

• New employees will share a common understanding of their role as public servants, including their responsibility to respect the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service and other guiding documents and principles;
• Managers at all levels will have the necessary knowledge to effectively exercise their delegated authorities;
• Specialists in finance, human resources, internal audit, procurement, materiel management, real property, and information management will meet professional standards established by the employer; and
• Employees at all levels will acquire and maintain the knowledge, skills and competencies related to their level and functions.

The Policy also highlights the importance of leadership and innovation in building a culture of learning in the Public Service. In this context, the School actively develops accelerated leadership development programs to help meet current and future leadership and management needs and to align the learning of senior Public Service leaders with the management improvement objectives of government and departmental business priorities.

The School faced a significant challenge in meeting the high demand for its required training programs, specifically for the Orientation to the Public Service and Procurement, Materiel Management and Real Properties (PMMRP). In these cases, the School successfully met the challenge by modifying the program delivery approach to address the immediate need or by developing a strategy to resolve the issue in the longer term.

An integral component of renewal and building leadership capacity for the future is the ongoing identification and transfer of innovative management practices, by both integrating this knowledge into various learning forums, and by using it to support Deputy Heads in fulfilling their accountability for determining and addressing individual and organizational learning needs within their departments and agencies.

"Renewal is not about fixing something for all time but updating what we do and how we do it in order to remain relevant and effective now and into the future. It is about keeping the institution of the public service dynamic, fresh and respected."

Source: Kevin G. Lynch, Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, Fifteenth Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada

Link to the Government of Canada Outcomes

Under the whole-of-government framework, the Canada School of Public Service is a federal organization that contributes to all Government of Canada outcomes by providing learning services and support to all departments and agencies.

The School's priorities contribute to ensuring the accountability, professionalism and bilingualism of the federal Public Service. It accomplishes this by:

• Enabling public servants to perform in their current job, take on the challenges of the next job in a dynamic, bilingual environment;
• Providing the Public Service with strong leaders delivering results for Canadians; and
• Helping Public Service organizations innovate to achieve excellence in delivering results for Canadians.

The School's 2007-2008 Program Activity Architecture

1. Public Servants have the common knowledge and leadership and management competencies required to effectively serve Canada and Canadians
1.1 Public Servants able to perform in their current job, take on the challenges of the next job in a dynamic, bilingual environment	1.2 Public Service has strong leaders delivering results for Canadians	1.3. Public Service organizations innovate to achieve excellence in delivering results for Canadians	1.4 Corporate Level Services: Effective decision making supported through integrated advice, information strategies and the provision of high quality corporate services
1.1.1 Strengthen Capacity of Public Servants to Meet the Employer's Knowledge Standards	1.2.1 Learning Opportunities are Accessible to Enable Public Servants to Become Better Leaders	1.3.1 Enhance Capacity of Organizations	1.4.1 Corporate Governance Enables the School to Meet its Strategic Objectives
1.1.2 Public Sector Management and Professional Foundations are Built and Sustained through Targeted Learning	1.2.2 Systemic Development of High Potential Public Servants	1.3.2 Knowledge of Innovative Management Practices and Emerging Issues is Transferred	1.4.2 Effective Policy & Planning Advice/Analysis Support Corporate Decision Making Process
1.1.3 Facilitate Official Languages Capacity	1.2.3 Developing Leaders with Stronger Contextual Knowledge		1.4.3 Effective Communications and Marketing Support the School Agenda
			1.4.4 Registration & Learner Reporting
			1.4.5 Learning Evaluation & Quality Assurance
			1.4.6 Integrated Regional Services
			1.4.7 High Quality Corporate Services and Advice to Meet Corporate Objectives
			1.4.8 Human Resources are Managed Effectively and Strategically in Support of Corporate Objectives
			1.4.9 Informal Conflict Resolution
			1.4.10 Effective Legal Services are Delivered
			1.4.11 Audits are Used to Improve Departmental Policies, Programs and Management

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