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The original version was signed by
The Honourable Robert Douglas Nicholson
Attorney General of Canada
As Attorney General of Canada, I am pleased to submit the Public Prosecution Service of Canada's first Departmental Performance Report, covering the period ending March 31, 2008.
The Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) was created by the Director of Public Prosecutions Act on December 12, 2006, when Part 3 of the Federal Accountability Act came into force. This report covers the PPSC's first full year of operation.
The creation of the PPSC was an important step in the evolution of Canada's criminal justice system and an indication of how Canada has moved forward in ensuring independence, transparency and accountability in federal prosecutions.
This report provides an account of the PPSC's performance and results in delivering on the Strategic Outcome outlined in its Program Activity Architecture, namely to "Prosecute criminal offences under federal law in a manner that is independent of any improper influence and respects the public interest."
The measurement of PPSC performance in a number of key national roles is also included to describe its fulfillment of the Attorney General's criminal litigation responsibilities.
I would like to acknowledge the PPSC's efforts and accomplishments over the past year in its work conducting prosecutions, providing legal advice and helping law enforcement and investigative agencies across Canada in their efforts to tackle crime.
I look forward to continuing to work with our partners to achieve our goals and promote a safer Canada.
Original copy signed by
The Honourable Robert Douglas Nicholson
Attorney General of Canada
I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2007-2008 Departmental Performance Report for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC).
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:
Original copy signed by
Brian Saunders
Acting Director of Public Prosecutions
This Departmental Performance Report (DPR) presents information on the activities and achievements of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) in fiscal year 2007-2008 against the expected results and priorities described in the Report on Plans and Priorities for 2007-2008.
The PPSC was created on December 12, 2006 with the coming in force of the Director of Public Prosecutions Act, Part 3 of the Federal Accountability Act. The PPSC replaced the former Federal Prosecution Service of the Department of Justice Canada. This is the PPSC's first DPR because its performance information for 2006-2007 appeared within the Department of Justice's report for that fiscal year.
Consistent with guidance provided by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, this 2007-2008 Departmental Performance Report and the accompanying financial tables are presented using the Government's Program Activity Architecture (PAA) Framework. The PAA structure is being used by the PPSC to present information on accomplishments against its plans and priorities.
The mandate of the PPSC is to provide prosecutorial advice and litigation support to law enforcement and investigative agencies, and to prosecute on behalf of the Crown, all offences falling within the jurisdiction of the Attorney General of Canada. The PPSC's sole strategic outcome is the prosecution of criminal offences under federal law in a manner that is independent of any improper influence and respects the public interest.
The PPSC undertakes key duties on behalf of the Attorney General of Canada. These key duties, to be carried out in an objective and non-partisan manner, are:
The PPSC prosecutes cases under federal statutes that are referred to it by the RCMP, and other federal investigative agencies, as well as provincial and municipal police forces.
The PPSC's prosecution-related work is part of the criminal justice continuum, which includes investigative agencies, law enforcement, courts and other parts of the criminal justice system. Prosecution-related advice during the police investigation has become crucial to ensure that investigative techniques and procedures are consistent with evolving rules of evidence and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The advantage of early prosecutorial advice includes reducing the risk that operational decisions, such as those about methods of obtaining evidence, will detrimentally affect the admissibility of evidence at trial.
The mandate of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) is to provide prosecutorial advice and litigation support to law enforcement and investigative agencies, and to prosecute on behalf of the Crown, all offences falling within the jurisdiction of the Attorney General of Canada.
The PPSC plays an integral role in the criminal justice system, promoting respect for the rule of law and working to uphold the rights guaranteed by the Charter. The benefits to Canadians from the work carried out by the PPSC include:
Financial Resources ($ millions)
Planned Spending
|
Total Authorities
|
Actual Spending
|
125.3
|
119.2
|
109.9
|
Human Resources (in full-time equivalents)
Planned
|
Actual
|
Difference
|
724
|
748
|
24
|
Organizational Priorities
Name |
Type |
Performance Status |
A – Prosecuting criminal offences under federal law |
Ongoing |
The PPSC provided prosecutorial advice and litigation support to law enforcement and investigative agencies and handled 67,901 prosecution files, independent of any improper influence and in the public interest. |
B – Contributing to strengthening the criminal justice system |
Ongoing |
The PPSC participated fully in federal/provincial/territorial forums, contributed to law enforcement efforts at the international level, thereby addressing criminal justice issues of common interest, and contributed to improving the efficiency of the criminal justice system by providing legal training to prosecutors and law enforcement investigators. |
C – Addressing the sustainability of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada |
Ongoing |
As a newly created organization, the PPSC laid the foundations of its corporate and administrative services while ensuring continuity of operations through agreements on shared services with the Department of Justice. |
Program Activities by Strategic Outcome
($ millions) |
Expected Results |
Performance Status |
2007-2008 |
Contributes to the following priority |
|
Planned |
Actual |
||||
Strategic Outcome: Prosecute criminal offences under federal law in a manner that is independent of any improper influence and respects the public interest. |
|||||
Program Activity #1: Prosecution of drug, organized crime and Criminal Code offences |
Decisions on merit Effective pre-charge interventions / advice |
Successfully met expectations |
99.2 |
85.9 |
Priority A |
Program Activity #2: Prosecution of federal offences to protect the environment, natural resources, economic and social health |
Decisions on merit Effective pre-charge interventions / advice |
Successfully met expectations |
19.9 |
18.8 |
Priority A |
Program Activity #3: Addressing criminal issues, in the context of prosecutions, to contribute to a safer world for Canada |
Decisions on merit Effective pre-charge interventions / advice |
Successfully met expectations |
5.1 |
4.4 |
Priority A |
Program Activity #4: Promoting a fair and effective justice system that reflects Canadian values within a prosecutorial context |
Practical knowledge and training on criminal law topics provided to staff prosecutors, agents and senior law enforcement investigators Promotion of federal/provincial /territorial and international cooperation on prosecution issues to strengthen the criminal justice system |
Successfully met expectations |
1.1 |
0.8 |
Priority B |
Section II: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome provides details on the performance status of each of these program activities and related priorities.
Section IV: Other Items of Interest deals with activities carried out under Priority C - Addressing the sustainability of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.
1.2.1 Progress by Organizational Priorities
Priority A: Prosecuting criminal offences under federal law
This priority of the PPSC encompasses the work of the organization in carrying out its first three program activities. The total PPSC caseload under these activities reached 67,901 1 files in 2007-2008. The highlights of our achievements for the fiscal year with respect to these program activities are as follows:
Program Activity #1: Prosecuting drug, organized crime and Criminal Code offences
Program Activity #2: Prosecution of federal offences to protect the environment, natural resources, economic and social health
1 Caseload figures in this report differ from those published in the Public Prosecution Service of Canada Annual Report 2007-2008, which was prepared while final numbers were still being collected and compiled.
Program Activity #3: Addressing criminal issues, in the context of prosecutions, to contribute to a safer world for Canada
Priority B: Contributing to strengthening the criminal justice system
During 2007-2008, the PPSC continued to contribute to the government priority of strengthening the justice system across Canada. Some of the highlights were the following:
Finally, the PPSC identified as priorities for 2007-2008 the review of the Federal Prosecution Service Deskbook and the development of best practices for combating fraud against government. Progress on the Deskbook was slower than anticipated due to workload issues. As a result, steps were taken in early 2008 to initiate the staffing of a senior-level position to oversee this initiative. Work is well under way with respect to the best practices priority.
Priority C: Addressing the sustainability of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada
During 2007-2008, the PPSC's corporate priorities focused on providing the necessary support to its staff and building the organization's corporate structure. Throughout the year, the PPSC continued to improve its capacity to function administratively as an independent organization. A number of measures were taken, including the introduction of a governance structure for the resolution of legal issues, and the implementation of a governance committee structure that includes the Finance, Human Resources and Information Management/Information Technology committees, the Senior Advisory Board and the Executive Council. Several senior complement positions were created to reflect the work done by prosecutors and to provide them with a career path within the organization. Still in the area of human resources management, the PPSC adopted a strategic plan pursuant to the Official Languages Act, and implemented an infrastructure for effective labour-management consultations and communications.
1.2.2 Operating Environment and Challenges
Operational Trends
The PPSC worked on a total of 67,901 files in 2007-2008, compared to 63,801 files in 2006-2007, a year-over-year increase of 4.5%.2 Of this total, approximately 86% were in the program area of prosecution of drug, organized crime, and Criminal Code offences; 11% involved the prosecution of federal offences to protect the environment, natural resources, economic and social health; 1% addressed criminal issues related to contributing to a safer world for Canada; and the remaining 2% focused on related litigation issues.
The increasing volume does not tell the entire story. A small percentage of highly complex cases absorb a disproportionate share of the total resources of the PPSC. By way of example, organized crime cases, combined with other types of cases of high complexity, represented approximately only 3.3% of the litigation caseload in 2007-2008 but approximately 23% of the recorded litigation time of PPSC counsel and paralegals. A relatively small increase in the number of organized crime cases, in response to strengthened law enforcement efforts across Canada, may have a disproportionate impact on the demand for prosecutorial resources. As well, a single mega-case can absorb more prosecutorial resources than several hundred low-complexity cases. In 2007-2008, mega cases accounted for 0.2% of total caseload, but absorbed approximately 9% of recorded litigation time.
External and Internal Influences Facing the PPSC
The PPSC is subject to a variety of external and internal influences, described below.
International crime networks: The globalization of crime networks has introduced new and powerful dangers to national and global security. These networks are involved in organized crime, trafficking in human beings, telemarketing fraud, money laundering and drug trafficking. International criminal networks exploit national borders in an attempt to thwart the efforts of authorities in their battle to prevent transnational crime. This world reality makes it imperative for the PPSC and other organizations to work effectively with international partners to challenge the serious threats posed by these international criminal networks, to uphold the rule of law, and to enhance safety and security at home and abroad.
Government initiatives: The PPSC has an important role to play in supporting several government initiatives announced in Budgets 2006 and 2007 and in the 2006 and 2007 Speeches from the Throne. These initiatives include ensuring the integrity of all components of the federal justice system, tackling crime and strengthening the security of Canadians.
Workload and rising operational costs: As the PPSC's workload increases, prosecution costs are directly affected. The PPSC's workload is affected by investigative decisions regarding priorities, tactics and allocation of resources. Increases in drug enforcement or policing resources significantly affect the nature and volume of the PPSC caseload. Changes in police tactics to focus on the upper echelons of organized crime groups to maximize deterrence, disruption and dismantling rather than on individuals in the lower ranks, affect the complexity and cost of prosecutions.
Thus, the cost of prosecuting organized crime and complex cases is far greater than simple possession drug cases, since the former types of cases often involve multiple accused and charges, complex evidence (both factually and legally), international dimensions, extensive disclosure and numerous pre-trial applications. Similarly, investigative decisions in non-drug cases may lead to complex regulatory prosecutions related to the protection of the environment and natural resources, and complex economic crime cases involving tax evasion, market manipulation or complex fraudulent transactions under the Income Tax Act, the Competition Act and the Criminal Code.
The North: Reported crime rates in the North are much higher compared to the rest of Canada. Crown prosecutors assigned to the North face stressful working conditions and pressures associated with the remoteness of the communities involved. In addition, the circuit court system in the North raises specific challenges in terms of the time spent away from home and wellness issues.
Competition for scarce resources: The salaries of prosecutors and lawyers in the marketplace continue to increase, which affects the PPSC's ability to recruit and retain both its highly-skilled prosecutors and outside legal agents.
Security of staff: Ensuring the safety and security of its employees is a PPSC priority. The PPSC has established a Security Committee to ensure that appropriate security measures are developed and implemented to protect its prosecutors and other employees.
Federal/provincial/territorial cooperation within the prosecution community: There are shared issues and challenges faced by the federal and provincial prosecution services, which benefit from collaboration under the leadership of the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Heads of Prosecution Committee. The Committee works to promote inter-jurisdictional cooperation and assistance on operational issues such as organized crime prosecutions, proceeds of crime, expert witnesses and prosecutor training and security. This collaboration with key stakeholders in the criminal justice system is an important element of the operating context of the PPSC.
Provision of Support Services: The PPSC is in large part still dependent on the Department of Justice Canada for transactional services in the areas of human resources, financial management, information technology and information management. As the PPSC builds up capacity in these areas, this dependency will decrease.
2 This is a count of actual cases generated by the PPSC's case management system (iCase) and does not include all of the files related to each case, nor does it include Fine Recovery and Agent Supervision.
The Public Prosecution Service of Canada supports the Attorney General of Canada in the discharge of his criminal law mandate – in particular its work supports the priorities of prosecuting criminal offences under federal law and contributing to strengthening the criminal justice system.
Over 50 federal statutes confer prosecution and prosecution-related responsibilities on the Attorney General of Canada. These duties are carried out by the PPSC. In all provinces and territories, except Quebec and New Brunswick, the PPSC has responsibility for the prosecution of all drug offences under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, regardless of whether a federal, provincial, or municipal police agency lays the charges. In Quebec and New Brunswick, the PPSC is responsible for drug charges laid by the RCMP only.
In addition, in all provinces and territories, the PPSC prosecutes violations of federal statutes, such as the Fisheries Act, the Income Tax Act, the Excise Act, the Customs Act, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the Elections Act, the Competition Act and the Canada Shipping Act as well as conspiracies and attempts to violate these statutes. In the provinces, the PPSC also prosecutes certain Criminal Code offences, including those related to terrorism as well as criminal organizations, money laundering and proceeds of crime. In the three territories, the PPSC is responsible for prosecuting all Criminal Code offences.
Hence, the PPSC performs a number of key national roles in fulfilling the criminal litigation responsibilities of the Attorney General of Canada, including:
Our progress in achieving the Strategic Outcome of the PPSC is summarized in the following table:
Strategic Outcome |
Key Performance Indicators |
Results |
||||||||||||||
Prosecute criminal offences under federal law in a manner that is independent of any improper influence and respects the public interest |
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
3 The PPSC places operational priority for providing prosecution related advice during the investigative stage primarily on cases involving a high level of complexity and legal risk.
Information on trends in performance for each of the four program activities is described in the following pages.
Financial Resources ($ millions)
Planned Spending
|
Authorities
|
Actual Spending
|
99.2
|
94.4
|
85.9
|
Human Resources (FTEs)
Planned
|
Actual
|
Difference
|
573
|
583
|
10
|
Description of Activity
Under this program activity, the PPSC provides prosecution-related advice and litigation support during police investigations, and prosecutes all drug charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, regardless of whether a federal, provincial or municipal police agency lays the charges, except in the case of Quebec and New Brunswick, where the PPSC prosecutes only drug charges laid by the RCMP. Many of these cases involve organized crime. In the provinces, the PPSC prosecutes certain Criminal Code offences, including those related to terrorism as well as criminal organizations, money laundering and proceeds of crime. Pursuant to agreements and arrangements with the provinces, the PPSC also prosecutes Criminal Code offences where they are related to drug charges and the drug aspect forms the major part of the case. In the three territories, the PPSC prosecutes all Criminal Code offences.
Results: Program Activity #1
Expected Results |
Key Performance Indicators |
Results |
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|
|
|
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|
|
|
Drug Prosecutions
In 2007-2008, the PPSC handled 50,676 prosecution files related to offences under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. This number included cases prosecuted by staff counsel and by private-sector legal agents, and represented approximately 75 per cent of the files that the PPSC prosecuted. These cases covered a broad range of criminal activity. For example, the PPSC prosecuted cases of possession of marihuana, trafficking in crack cocaine on street corners, producing methamphetamine or growing marihuana in residential communities, or importing shipments of cocaine. Some cases were relatively straightforward, while others raised complex legal issues and required weeks, or even months, of testimony.
In recent years, several jurisdictions have established drug treatment courts to help address the problem posed by addiction-motivated crime. The drug treatment court model is predicated on the notion that reducing recidivism rates for such crime can sometimes be best achieved by addressing the underlying addiction to drugs. In this model, prosecutors, judges, treatment providers and other personnel work together to provide intensive supervision, monitoring and support for participants admitted into the program.
Drug treatment courts operate in six major Canadian centres, five of which are staffed by PPSC prosecutors. (The Regina Drug Treatment Court is staffed by prosecutors from the Ministry of the Attorney General of Saskatchewan). The Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto and Ottawa drug treatment courts collectively accepted 301 accused persons into their respective programs in 2007-2008.
Organized Crime
The RCMP and other Canadian police forces are increasingly focusing resources on organized crime. Their investigations in this area are usually complex and there is a need to manage the disclosure of evidence throughout the investigations. As a result, the PPSC is often called upon to work closely with the police during the investigative stage.
The increase in organized crime investigations has led to an increase in the number of complex prosecutions, including the phenomenon of mega-cases, prosecutions of extraordinary scope and complexity that can require the full-time assignment of several prosecutors for lengthy periods. In 2007-2008, the PPSC prosecuted approximately 545 cases related to organized criminal activity. While this represented approximately 2 per cent of the number of files prosecuted during the year, the time spent on them amounted to almost 20 per cent of total time recorded by PPSC counsel.
The PPSC follows a mega-case policy, which is included in the Federal Prosecution Service Deskbook, to implement the lessons learned in the management of these cases. The policy requires the early involvement of prosecutors, the preparation of a prosecution plan at an early stage, and the review of each mega-case prosecution plan by the PPSC's National Prosecution Advisory Committee.
The PPSC is an active participant in the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Heads of Prosecution Committee. The Director of Public Prosecutions is permanent co-chair, and the PPSC provides the administrative and secretarial support to the Committee and is responsible for the agenda of its meetings. With the assistance of provincial prosecution officials, the FPT Heads Committee enables a sharing of information, precedents, and best practices relating to organized crime prosecutions. In 2007-2008, the Committee moved forward on the full implementation of the National Organized Crime Database, a secure Extranet site for prosecutors specializing in organized crime cases that contains a case law and precedents library, as well as a discussion section. The site was demonstrated to the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and to the Criminal Intelligence Service of Canada, who have both expressed interest in supporting the site.
Proceeds of Crime and Offence-Related Property
The PPSC is responsible for seizing and restraining proceeds of crime as well as property used in the commission of offences (offence-related property). During the year in review, most of the offences that generated proceeds of crime and offence-related property were drug offences. By way of example, PPSC counsel restrained bank accounts into which proceeds of crime had been placed and prosecuted account owners for possession of proceeds of crime. A person who has used a residence to produce marihuana may have the house forfeited upon being convicted of producing a controlled substance. In 2007-2008, proceeds of crime offences and offence-related property were identified in 5,402 files prosecuted by the PPSC.
The PPSC is an active partner in the Integrated Proceeds of Crime (IPOC) initiative, created in 1996. The initiative contributes to the disruption and deterrence of targeted organized criminal groups by pursuing their illegally obtained proceeds and assets. Under the initiative, 12 IPOC units are funded across the country. These units are staffed with PPSC counsel, RCMP and other police force members, forensic accountants and Public Works and Government Services Canada asset managers. The PPSC provides Crown counsel to the IPOC units, prosecutors to prosecute money laundering and proceeds of crime charges, and a counsel at PPSC headquarters to manage and coordinate legal issues arising from proceeds of crime and money laundering cases.
Prosecutions in Canada's North
In Canada's three territories, the PPSC prosecutes all Criminal Code offences and all offences under other federal legislation. In 2007-2008, the PPSC prosecuted 8,189 files in the territories, including 7,321 Criminal Code offences, 406 drug offences, 235 regulatory offences and 227 various other offences.
Prosecutors who practice in the territories benefit from cultural sensitivity training to better understand the communities they serve. PPSC Crown Witness Coordinators, who are members of the local cultural communities, provide invaluable assistance in this area. In 2007-2008, the PPSC Yukon Regional Office provided an intensive three-day cultural session, where prosecutors spent time on the land, and heard from a number of long-time residents who spoke passionately about subjects such as residential school issues, traditional medicines and the challenges faced by Aboriginal justice committees.
The session received positive feedback from participants. PPSC offices in the North will continue to work on approaches to providing this training annually, in order to reach all northern prosecutors.
In 2007-2008, the PPSC appointed a headquarters special advisor on northern issues with a mandate to address the special training, recruitment and retention needs in the territories. The special advisor focused on developing a stronger relationship with provincial counterparts because their case profiles are similar to those in the PPSC northern offices.
Financial Resources ($ millions)
Planned Spending
|
Authorities
|
Actual Spending
|
19.1
|
19.2
|
18.8
|
Human Resources (FTEs)
Planned
|
Actual
|
Difference
|
115
|
127
|
12
|
Description of Activity
Under this program activity, the PPSC provides prosecution-related advice and litigation support to federal investigative agencies, and prosecutes all non-drug prosecutions under 50 federal statutes, including regulatory offences and economic crimes.
Specialized teams of prosecutors are dedicated to prosecutions where expert knowledge of specific legislation is required. By way of example, the offices in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver dedicate resources to economic crime prosecutions, whereas the Atlantic Regional Office has a dedicated team of counsel devoted full time to prosecuting fisheries offences, in addition to an economic crime team.
The PPSC provides advice on and prosecutes complex capital market fraud cases. PPSC legal advisors are part of the RCMP's Integrated Market Enforcement Teams (IMETs) that investigate suspected capital market fraud offences. The teams also include RCMP officers and other investigators, such as forensic accountants. Where provincial attorneys general decline to prosecute, the PPSC may prosecute complex capital market fraud cases referred by the IMETs.
As well, a group of PPSC prosecutors provides most of the prosecutorial services in highly specialized areas relating to offences under the Competition Act, the Textile Labelling Act, the Precious Metals Marking Act, and the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act.
The PPSC is also responsible for recovering, under provisions of the Criminal Code, outstanding fines, most of which relate to regulatory offences.
Results: Program Activity #2
Expected Results |
Key Performance Indicators |
Results |
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|
|
|
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|
|
|
Regulatory and Economic Crime
Regulatory Prosecutions
Under federal law, there exists a wide category of offences that regulate individual and corporate conduct in the interests of health, safety and the general welfare of the public. These are referred to as regulatory offences and are found under such statutes as: the Income Tax Act, the Fisheries Act, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Canada Elections Act, the Customs Act, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the Food and Drugs Act, the Copyright Act, the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Canada Labour Code.
Regulatory prosecutions comprise the second-largest category of offences prosecuted by the PPSC, after drug prosecutions. In 2007-2008, the PPSC was responsible for approximately 7,495 files involving regulatory prosecutions. This represented approximately 11% of the total number of PPSC files during this period.
Economic Crime
As part of its work to fight economic crime, the PPSC prosecutes Income Tax Act offences such as tax evasion and Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act offences. As noted above, Integrated Market Enforcement Teams (IMETs) combat capital market fraud offences that are regional or national in scope and that pose a threat to investor confidence in Canada. In 2007-2008, PPSC members of IMETs continued to provide legal advice to investigators on a number of ongoing investigations. In addition, the PPSC can prosecute Criminal Code fraud charges arising from IMET investigations. In December 2007, the RCMP released a report to the Commissioner, entitled Enhancing Integrated Market Enforcement Teams, Achieving Results in Fighting Capital Markets Crime, prepared by Senior Expert Advisor and former Superintendent of Financial Institutions, Mr. Nick Le Pan. The plan was developed to help improve the effectiveness of IMETs.
The PPSC is now working with its IMET partners, including provincial securities regulators, to implement recommendations from Mr. Le Pan's report, notably through the Economic Crime subcommittee of the FPT Heads of Prosecutions Committee, which will assist in developing a cross-jurisdictional implementation plan.
Competition Law
The Competition Law Section (CLS) of the PPSC handles prosecutions under the Competition Act and three other regulatory statutes: the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act, the Textile Labelling Act and the Precious Metals Marking Act. All of these statutes are administered and enforced by the Commissioner of Competition, who oversees the Competition Bureau.
The CLS also provides advisory services during investigations by the Bureau on matters that may lead to prosecutions. The bulk of the work handled by the CLS relates to offences under the Competition Act, such as criminal conspiracies to fix prices, bid-rigging, false or misleading representations, deceptive telemarketing, and pyramid selling. In 2007-2008, PPSC prosecutors with the CLS worked on 60 cases, 14 of which were adjudicated by the courts.
Fine Recovery
The PPSC's National Fine Recovery Program recovers outstanding court-ordered federal fines through the efforts of eight fine recovery units, located in regional PPSC offices across Canada. The responsibility for administering the program was the subject of an assignment from the Attorney General of Canada to the Director of Public Prosecutions on September 20, 2007. The program was implemented nationally in late 2002, and has since resulted in the recovery of over $39 million. In 2007-2008, the program recovered $4.5 million.
Outstanding fines are recovered through various types of interventions, including an initial demand letter, telephone contacts, seizure of assets, income garnishment, and suspension of federal licences. The final resort is the issuance of a warrant of committal in cases where offenders try to avoid making payment despite their ability to pay.
The most successful and cost-effective methods of recovery are demand letters, negotiated payment agreements and telephone calls, which resulted in the collection of $1.7 million or almost 40 percent of the total recovered in 2007-2008.
Financial Resources ($ millions)
Planned Spending
|
Authorities
|
Actual Spending
|
5.1
|
4.8
|
4.4
|
Human Resources (FTEs)
Planned
|
Actual
|
Difference
|
30
|
30
|
0
|
Description of Activity
Under this program activity, the PPSC provides prosecution-related advice and litigation support during investigations, and prosecutes charges under the Part II.1 of the Criminal Code (Terrorism), the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) Terrorist Financing Act, the Customs Act, the Excise Act, and the Excise Tax Act to combat trans-national crime and terrorism. As well, the PPSC may provide counsel to assist in the execution of extradition and mutual legal assistance requests before Canadian courts under the Extradition Act and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act.
This program activity supports the prosecution of criminal offences under federal law and prosecution-related work with a volume of approximately 718 litigation files in 2007-2008.
Results: Program Activity #3
Expected Results |
Key Performance Indicators |
Results |
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|
|
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|
|
• 21% |
National Security
Anti-terrorism
The Attorney General of Canada has concurrent jurisdiction with the provincial Attorneys General to prosecute terrorism offences. In 2007-2008, the PPSC was responsible for prosecuting four cases involving terrorism-related offences in Trois-Rivières, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. They required approximately 3 per cent of the total of all in-house counsel time during 2007-2008.
The PPSC is one of the federal partners on Canada's Integrated National Security Enforcement Teams (INSETs). INSETs bring together representatives of the RCMP, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, other federal departments and agencies, and provincial and municipal police services to help deal with threats to national security. INSETs are found in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.
The objective of INSETs is to increase the capacity to collect, share and analyze intelligence among partners on threats to national security and to improve the collective ability of partner departments and agencies to combat these threats to create an enhanced enforcement capacity.
Border Enforcement
A PPSC representative sits as a member of the International Joint Management Team of the Integrated Border Enforcement Teams (IBETs) program. The program is an intelligence-led initiative between Canadian and American law enforcement officials to promote integrated enforcement along the Canada-United States border. This bi-national partnership enables the core law enforcement partners involved in IBETs to share information and work together daily with other local, state and provincial enforcement agencies on issues relating to national security, organized crime and other criminal activity that occurs across the Canada-United States border.
War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity
The PPSC prosecutes offences under the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act. In 2007-2008, the PPSC was responsible for prosecuting Canada's first-ever such prosecution, in Montreal, in relation to offences alleged to have occurred in Rwanda in 1994. While such prosecutions may not arise frequently, they can be expected to be complex and lengthy, with significant amounts of evidence related to events beyond Canada's borders.
Financial Resources ($ millions)
Planned Spending
|
Authorities
|
Actual Spending
|
1.1
|
0.8
|
0.8
|
Human Resources (FTEs)
Planned
|
Actual
|
Difference
|
6
|
8
|
2
|
Description of Activity
Under this program activity, the PPSC contributes to the government priority of strengthening the criminal justice system across Canada and improving its efficiency by providing legal training to police, and by promoting federal/provincial/territorial cooperation within the prosecution community on shared issues. This latter work is carried out through the PPSC's leadership of and participation in the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Heads of Prosecution Committee, which supports and promotes effective horizontal linkages between various communities of interest and stakeholders involved in the administration of criminal justice in Canada. The Committee is also a convenient venue where stakeholders such as the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, the RCMP and the Federation of Law Societies can seek the views of the Canadian prosecution community.
To address prosecution issues of common interest, the PPSC works closely with the Heads of Prosecuting Agencies Conference (HOPAC), which brings together the heads of prosecution services from all over the world who operate in a criminal justice system based on common law. The PPSC also actively participates in various international groups and committees, such as the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP), whose mandate is to promote international cooperation between prosecution services and prosecutors on operational and management issues.
Results: Program Activity #4
Expected Results |
Key Performance Indicators |
Results |
Practical knowledge and training on criminal law topics provided to staff prosecutors, agents and senior law enforcement investigators |
Range of training initiatives |
|
Promotion of federal / provincial / territorial and international cooperation on prosecution issues to strengthen the criminal justice system |
Nature of cooperation venues Role of the PPSC Range of issues discussed |
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Training
In 2007-2008, PPSC counsel provided training to police officers across Canada on numerous criminal law matters including search warrants, disclosure obligations, wiretaps and informant-related issues. PPSC counsel also participated in training given at the Canadian Police College, where a general counsel was assigned on a full-time basis to ensure that training and training materials addressed prosecutorial concerns.
The PPSC, in conjunction with the RCMP, the Department of Justice Canada and other federal partners, conducted a series of training workshops on human trafficking to law enforcement and prosecutors across Canada. The training focused on investigating and prosecuting human trafficking cases, immigration issues relating to victims, border detection of victims, witness problems during investigation and trial, a legislative overview, and two case studies. Workshops took place in Edmonton, Halifax and Fredericton and will continue in other cities through 2008 and 2009.
On November 26, 2007, a senior PPSC counsel participated in training relating to the adversarial system provided to Latin American criminal justice system participants sponsored by Centro de Estudios de Justicia de las Americas (Justice Studies Centre of the Americas) in Santiago, Chile.
PPSC School for Prosecutors
The PPSC's School for Prosecutors offers annual in-house programs aimed at promoting professional development relevant to the prosecution function, through the delivery of practical and academic training to prosecutors. In August 2007, the School conducted two intensive one-week courses — one fundamental, the other advanced — each covering a number of topics, to a total of 70 participants. Legal agents were also among the participants.
The School's faculty are experts in criminal law and are drawn largely from the senior ranks of the PPSC. The School also invites guest speakers, including members of the judiciary, professors of law, defence counsel, senior provincial prosecutors and senior police investigators. A combination of lectures, seminars, panel discussions, case scenarios and papers is used to enhance participants' understanding of the modern practice of criminal law. Attention is also given to operational policies and guidelines, such as those contained in the Federal Prosecution Service Deskbook, that address important issues in prosecution practice. The School also serves as a forum for prosecutors to meet, network, share work experiences and develop mentoring relationships.
Federal-Provincial-Territorial Heads of Prosecutions Committee
Established in 1995, the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Heads of Prosecutions Committee coordinates many aspects of criminal law practice across Canada. The Director is permanent co-chair of the Committee and the PPSC acts as its secretariat.
The Committee promotes assistance and cooperation among different prosecution services; it also facilitates the coordination of national prosecution issues and the adoption, wherever possible, of a consistent position on these issues. The Committee works to promote consistency among the operational policies of Canada's prosecution services and consults on criminal appeals brought before the Supreme Court of Canada. It is the only national forum on prosecution issues and has provided the prosecution perspective to federal-provincial-territorial ministers and deputy ministers responsible for justice issues.
The PPSC co-chaired two meetings of the Committee: one in May 2007, organized with the Public Prosecution Service of New Brunswick, in Moncton, and the other in October 2007, with the Criminal Justice Division of Alberta, in Banff.
Heads of Prosecuting Agencies Conference and the International Association of Prosecutors
The PPSC participates in cooperative law enforcement efforts at the international level, particularly in the fight against organized and trans-national crime and threats to national security.
The PPSC jointly organized the Heads of Prosecuting Agencies Conference (HOPAC) 2007 with the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions of Quebec. This was the ninth meeting of HOPAC, which was formed in 1991 to bring together the heads of prosecuting agencies from countries with a criminal justice system derived from the common law tradition.
The PPSC also continued to support and participate in the activities of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP). The scope of IAP activities is wide: it promotes the effective, fair, impartial and efficient prosecution of criminal offences through high standards and principles, including procedures to prevent or address miscarriages of justice, assists prosecutors internationally in the fight against organized or other serious crime, and fosters measures for the elimination of corruption in public administration.
Federal/Provincial/Territorial Coordinating Committee of Senior Officials (CCSO) and the Uniform Law Conference of Canada (ULCC)
The PPSC participates in Federal/Provincial/Territorial CCSO meetings on a regular basis including a number of CCSO Working Groups on chronic offenders, compelled questioning criminal procedure, drug issues, organized crime, proceeds of crime and sentencing. The CCSO provides support to federal-provincial-territorial ministers and deputy ministers responsible for justice issues. Through its participation in these meetings, the PPSC provides prosecutorial and operational expertise and advice to senior government officials on criminal law reform issues including amendments to the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
The PPSC also participates annually in the Criminal Section meeting of the ULCC. The ULCC was founded in 1918 to harmonize the laws of the provinces and territories of Canada and, where appropriate, the federal laws as well. It also makes recommendations for changes to federal criminal legislation based on identified deficiencies, defects or gaps in the existing law, or based on problems created by judicial interpretation of existing law. The PPSC attended the annual meeting of the ULCC in August 2007 in Charlottetown, PEI.
Best Practices for Prosecuting Fraud Against Governments
February 21, 2007 saw the publication of a directive from the Attorney General, assigning to the Director of Public Prosecutions the responsibility of developing a set of best practices for prosecuting fraud involving governments. Work on this initiative is well under way, and included consultations with provincial prosecution services as well as with international partners whose criminal law systems are similar to Canada's.
The Government of Canada's performance reporting framework consists of thirteen outcomes grouped under three spending areas: Economic, Social and International Affairs. In addition, the PPSC, like several government organizations, provides advice that supports other government departments and agencies. These services are aligned with a fourth spending area, Government Affairs. The table below illustrates how the PPSC's four program activities are linked to Canada's performance.
Strategic Outcome: Prosecute criminal offences under federal law in a manner that is independent of any improper influence and respects the public interest. |
||||
Actual Spending 2007-2008 |
Alignment to Government of Canada Outcome Area |
|||
Budgetary |
Non-budgetary |
Total |
||
Program Activity #1: Prosecution of drug, organized crime and Criminal Code offences |
85.9 |
N/A |
85.9 |
Social Affairs |
Program Activity #2: Prosecution of federal offences to protect the environment, natural resources, economic and social health |
18.8 |
N/A |
18.8 |
Economic Affairs |
Program Activity #3: Addressing criminal issues, in the context of prosecutions, to contribute to a safer world for Canada |
4.4 |
N/A |
4.4 |
International Affairs |
Program Activity #4: Promoting a fair and effective justice system that reflects Canadian values within a prosecutorial context |
0.8 |
N/A |
0.8 |
Social Affairs |
Total |
109.9 |
- |
109.9 |
(For more information about the Government of Canada's four broad Spending Areas and the corresponding 13 Outcomes, visit http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ppg-cpr/Home-Accueil-eng.aspx.)
Department of Justice Canada
The PPSC continues to work closely and cooperatively with the Department of Justice Canada. Federal prosecutors benefit from consultations with Justice counsel in areas such as human rights law, constitutional law, Aboriginal law and criminal law policy. Both the PPSC and the Department provide legal advice to investigative agencies.
From an administrative perspective, the PPSC continues to rely on the Department for most transactional corporate services.
Investigative Agencies
The PPSC works with several investigative agencies, including the RCMP and other police forces. It also works with the enforcement arms of federal departments and agencies, including the Competition Bureau, the Canada Revenue Agency, the Canada Border Services Agency, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment Canada, and Health Canada.
Investigations that target sophisticated organizations or that use techniques that have not received definitive judicial consideration usually require ongoing advice from prosecutors. The complexity of the law and the high costs of multi-year investigations make it increasingly important for police to know as early as possible the impact of their decisions on potential prosecutions. In an era where considerable time in a trial can be spent analyzing investigative decisions, the PPSC provides ongoing legal advice before a charge is laid.
As well, certain key evidence gathering orders require — or may benefit from — the involvement of PPSC counsel. This includes wiretap applications and orders to produce potential evidence. In this capacity, counsel ensures that the court has what it needs in order to decide whether the police should be empowered to do what they are asking.
The early and ongoing involvement of prosecutors both during major investigations and in the implementation of national enforcement programs helps ensure that the police and other investigative agencies benefit from legal advice to decide how best to enforce the law.
Provinces
Jurisdiction over prosecutions is shared between the federal and provincial governments. From this shared responsibility, the need arises for cooperation and coordination in the enforcement of criminal law. For example, the PPSC may prosecute Criminal Code offences which fall under the jurisdiction of provincial Attorneys General with their consent and on their behalf, where it is more efficient and cost-effective to do so. This generally occurs where the Criminal Code offences are related to some federal charge, such as firearms offences related to a drug charge.
Similarly, a provincial prosecution service may prosecute a drug charge where the charge is one of many offences and where the major offence is one within its jurisdiction. Such arrangements are called "major-minor" agreements, meaning that the prosecution service responsible for prosecuting the "major" charge will prosecute the "minor" one as well. On February 10, 2007, the Director was assigned the power to conduct prosecutions that the Attorney General of Canada is authorized to undertake under such agreements.
Major cases that involve serious Criminal Code and other federal offences are also increasingly being prosecuted by joint prosecution teams, particularly in organized crime files.
2007-2008 |
||||||
($ millions) |
2005-2006 Actual |
2006-2007 Actual |
Main Estimates |
Planned Spending |
Total |
Actual |
Prosecution of drug, organized crime and Criminal Code offences |
N/A |
N/A |
75.7 |
99.2 |
94.4 |
85.9 |
Prosecution of federal offences to protect the environment, natural resources, economic and social health |
N/A |
N/A |
17.6 |
19.9 |
19.2 |
18.8 |
Addressing criminal issues to contribute to a safer word for Canada |
N/A |
N/A |
4.3 |
5.1 |
4.8 |
4.4 |
Promoting a fair and effective justice system that reflects Canadian values in a prosecutorial context. |
N/A |
N/A |
0.9 |
1.1 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
Total |
|
|
98.5 |
125.3 |
119.2 |
109.9 |
Less: Non-respendable revenue |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
1.2 |
Plus: Cost of services received without charge |
N/A |
N/A |
9.5 |
9.5 |
N/A |
11.6 |
Total Organizational Spending |
|
|
108.0 |
134.8 |
119.2 |
120.3 |
Full time equivalents |
N/A |
N/A |
674 |
724 |
- |
748 |
($ thousands) |
2007-2008 |
||||
Vote or Statutory Item |
Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording |
Main Estimates |
Planned Spending |
Total Authorities |
Actual |
Vote 35 |
Program expenditures |
86.3 |
112.1 |
109.1 |
99.8 |
- |
Capital expenditures |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
- |
Grants and contributions |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
- |
Minister - Salary and motor car allowance |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
- |
Contributions to |
12.2 |
13.2 |
10.1 |
10.1 |
Total |
98.5 |
125.3 |
119.2 |
109.9 |
For supplementary information on the PPSC's sources of respendable and non respendable revenue please visit: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/dpr-rmr/st-ts-eng.asp
During 2007-2008, the PPSC participated in two horizontal initiatives: the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy led by Health Canada, and the Public Security and Anti-Terrorism (PSAT) initiative, led by Public Safety Canada.
Supplementary information on horizontal initiatives can be found at
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rma/eppi-ibdrp/hrdb-rhbd/profil_e.asp.
No internal audits or evaluations were conducted during 2007-2008.
The PPSC follows the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Special Travel Authorities and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Travel Directive, Rates and Allowances.
Supplementary information on travel policies can be found at
http://publiservice.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/hrpubs/TBM_113/menu-travel-voyage_e.asp
All federal government departments and agencies as defined in section 2 of the Financial Administration Act and departments with revolving funds are to include their financial statements in their Departmental Performance Report.
Financial Statements (Unaudited) - For the Year Ended March 31, 2008
Responsibility for the integrity and objectivity of the accompanying financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2008 and all information contained in these statements rests with PPSC management. These financial statements have been prepared by management in accordance with Treasury Board accounting policies which are consistent with Canadian generally accepted accounting principles for the public sector.
Some of the information in the financial statements is based on management's best estimates and judgment and gives due consideration to materiality. To fulfill its accounting and reporting responsibilities, management maintains a set of accounts that provides a centralized record of the organization's financial transactions. The financial statements included in this Departmental Performance Report are consistent with financial information submitted to the Public Accounts of Canada.
Management maintains a system of financial management and internal control designed to provide reasonable assurance that financial information is reliable, that assets are safeguarded and that transactions are in accordance with the Financial Administration Act, are executed in accordance with prescribed regulations, within Parliamentary authorities, and are properly recorded to maintain accountability of Government funds. Management also seeks to ensure the objectivity and integrity of data in its financial statements by careful selection, training and development of qualified staff, by organizational arrangements that provide appropriate divisions of responsibility, and by communication programs aimed at ensuring that regulations, policies, standards and managerial authorities are understood throughout the organization.
The financial statements of the PPSC have not been audited.
Brian Saunders | Lucie Bourcier |
Director of Public Prosecution | Chief Financial Officer |
Ottawa, Canada
Date August 15, 2008
The Public Prosecution Service of Canada is a relatively small organization with 748 FTEs. As a national prosecution service, it provides its services through a network of offices located in every region of Canada. The majority of its employees are prosecutors. They are supported by other professionals including senior managers, paralegals, administrators, and corporate services staff. In addition, the PPSC retains private sector agents where it is more cost-effective than to have an office or to have staff counsel on travel status, or where the demand for prosecution services exceeds available staff resources. The PPSC currently contracts with some 230 standing agent firms across Canada, representing approximately 800 individually appointed counsel.
The PPSC's organizational structure is presented in Figure 1.
Organizational Information
Figure 1: PPSC Organizational Chart (March 31, 2008)
While delivering on the program priorities presented in Section II, the PPSC continued to make progress on the following management initiatives during 2007-2008, which deal with addressing the sustainability of the PPSC as a new and independent organization:
Managing the transition to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada
In 2007-2008, the PPSC continued with its phased approach to the transition from being part of the Department of Justice Canada to being responsible for its own corporate and administrative services. Progress was achieved in several areas:
Governance structure and organizational design: The PPSC established its governance structure and began developing its corporate services model. The governance structure includes an Executive Council and Senior Advisory Board, supported by committees with members from its various regional offices. The PPSC also reviewed the lines of authority in each region; ensured it had positions that reflect the mandate of the organization; and determined the interim delivery approach regarding the provision of corporate services to the organization.
Corporate Services: PPSC-wide progress continued in areas such as finance, administrative services, communications and strategic services. For example,
Strengthening our workforce
The PPSC faced recruitment and retention challenges in a competitive marketplace. Nonetheless, it built on the strength and capacity of its current workforce and embraced our open diverse and multicultural environment that values respect, fairness, integrity, sharing and recognition.
Recruitment and retention: As described earlier, PPSC-wide progress continues in the area of human resources management. Corporate priorities were established to help the PPSC in fulfilling its mandate. One of the priorities relates to "Our People" and is aimed at enhancing our recruitment and retention strategy which includes fostering a culture where development, management and diversity are valued and recognized as important to reach our organizational goals. As well, the PPSC will be offering a mentoring program in partnership with the Department of Justice.
The PPSC faces recruitment and retention challenges, primarily due to the increases in salaries for prosecutors in the marketplace across Canada. In 2007-2008, the PPSC began work on a national recruitment strategy and began to develop competency profiles to support both recruitment and career management of its workforce. A number of senior complement positions were created to reflect the work done by prosecutors and provide them with a career path within the organization.
Security: The PPSC established a Security Committee to examine the issues pertaining to the security of its prosecutors and other employees and to identify the measures required to address them. It continued to work closely with polices forces as well as with the FPT Heads of Prosecution Committee to share information on security threats, issues and mitigation strategies.
Other human resources initiatives:
Improving performance measurement, including legal risk management
Development of an organizational performance measurement framework: During 2007-2008, the PPSC began to develop an improved approach to monitoring performance relating to its program activities and to measure and report on the results achieved. As part of the government-wide "Management, Results and Resources Structure" initiative led by the Treasury Board Secretariat, the PPSC developed a preliminary set of performance indicators for its strategic outcome and for the expected results associated with each of its program activities, along with the corresponding data collection mechanisms, with a view to developing a strategy and framework to help manage our operational performance. Research for benchmarks and internal performance indicators was also undertaken with a view to preparing for a pilot implementation of a new framework.
Legal risk management: The PPSC has been tracking compliance with legal risk management (LRM) procedures since LRM was introduced in 2005 by the PPSC's predecessor, the Federal Prosecution Service. In the first few years of LRM implementation, compliance rates had been relatively low across Canada and varied considerably from region to region. The PPSC has been adapting the LRM approach to its new operating environment as a separate entity. In 2007-2008, it assessed and coded 97% of in-house litigation cases for legal risk, achieving an actual rate of 99%. There was almost no regional variation, as all regions scored between 94% and 100% on LRM compliance.
PPSC Enquiries
Telephone: 613-957-6489
Telephone toll free: 1 800 O-Canada (1 800 622-6232)
Email: info@ppsc.gc.ca