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Section II – Analysis of Program Activities

This section provides a performance summary as well as information on overall financial and human resources for the IRB's four program activities during the 2008-09 reporting period.

Strategic Outcome and Program Activities

As discussed in Section I, based on the IRB's legislated mandate and approved PAA, the IRB has a single strategic outcome and three program activities that include responsibility for all tribunal decisions and resolutions. These are supported by Internal Services, which is the fourth program activity.

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Common Elements

The results presented in this performance report are based on the plans and expected results presented in its corresponding RPP. A key part of the RPP was the identification of initiatives from the plans and expected results that are of common interest to all IRB program activities. These program activities resulted in the IRB being able to meet its 2008-09 strategic priorities and strategic outcome. The results are presented in the following table.

Common Elements in the IRB's Plans and Results

Strategic Outcome: Resolve immigration and refugee cases before the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada efficiently, fairly and in accordance with the law
Strategic Priority 1: Manage the case inventory through innovative adjudicative and case management strategies
Plans	Performance Status	Performance Summary
Focus on Integrated Case Management System (ICMS) maintenance and regional processing through the release of system improvements; review of reporting functionality so reports may better support senior management decision-making and case management; enhanced regional training efforts	Somewhat Met	Delivered two maintenance releases to enhance the functionality of system Undertook the assessment (ongoing at year-end) of enhancements required to improve the capacity of the system to meet operational needs Improved governance structure was put in place to enhance deliberation and decision-making regarding the future direction of the project Options were formulated to consider the long-term viability of the system and other critical IRB systems
Initiate consultations to map the business process and develop business requirements for the ID	Somewhat Met	All regional processes of the ID were mapped Additional work on business requirements remained outstanding at year-end
Develop the National Reasons Database	Mostly Met	Development and planning for the implementation of the National Reasons Database continued as planned A standardized naming convention for files was established
Develop a framework for the use of videoconferencing and new technology across the divisions	Somewhat Met	The IRB defined operational and adjudicative requirements for a Board-wide framework for videoconferencing Work continued on a policy document intended to provide high-level guidance to decision-makers regarding the use of videoconferencing
Hearing readiness: take pre-hearing action to ensure that files are hearing-ready and to facilitate proactive hearings	Mostly Met	Work continued on ensuring that case readiness procedures were in place across the three divisions, including conducting pre-hearing proceedings as required
Assessment of the revised ID-IAD streamlining process and consideration for expansion to other regions	Mostly Met	Revised process with participation by counsel and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) was implemented Reports were developed and implemented to monitor progress and measure results; assessment led to further recommendations and improvements As of year-end, the revised process, which includes a short oral hearing at the IAD, was in place in the Central Region while expansion to other regions remained pending
ID-IAD implementation of new legislation with respect to section 86 of the IRPA dealing with non-disclosure of information and use of special advocates	Mostly Met	Procedures were revised to reflect changes to the IRPA following the Supreme Court decision (Charkaoui) amending the process for application of non-disclosure IRB facilities were upgraded to accommodate the special advocate process while ensuring that an arm's length relationship between all parties is maintained Policy officers and legal advisors attended a Department of Justice (DOJ) training session for special advocates; liaison with DOJ remained ongoing at year-end regarding the evolution of the program
Deliver focused training on priority topics in order to: Meet the needs of decision-makers and tribunal officers and promote quality, consistency and efficiency Ensure RPD and IAD decision-makers are cross-divisionally trained Ensure tribunal officers are trained to provide support to all divisions Provide joint training where appropriate	Mostly Met	Training remained a priority due to the number of new and less experienced decision-makers: IRB decision-makers trained on IAD adjudication strategies, including conducting more proactive hearings, consistent approaches to postponements/ adjournments and conducting hearings in the absence of the Minister's counsel A successful and productive IAD National Training Session was held in November 2008 Training was delivered on the Code of Conduct for decision-makers Cross-divisional training was deferred until GIC decision-maker complement is closer to the number for which it is funded Tribunal officers were trained on advanced Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Early Informal Resolution (EIR) The ID conducted training on issues identified in the ID adjudicative strategy The RPD conducted focused training on priority topics
Liaise with Canada's administrative justice community and international partners in order to benefit from their experiences and best practices in the area of adjudicative and case management initiatives	Met All	The IRB considered the experiences of Canada's administrative justice community and international partners when developing its best practices The IRB attended 13 multilateral events, undertook 2 official visits abroad and participated in 10 visits of foreign delegations to Canada. The IRB also sent an expert on a short-term assignment to a UNHCR office overseas to provide advice and training
Strategic Priority 2: Further integrate the work of the IRB to promote effective management
Assess the IAD-RPD Western Region Integration pilot project and consider expansion to other regions	Met All	Assessment concluded and recommendations made and accepted Decision on expansion to other regions deferred until GIC decision-maker complement is closer to the number for which it is funded
Develop a common approach to reducing adjournments/ postponements across the divisions	Somewhat Met	Board-wide training on dealing with postponements and adjournments was delivered in October 2008 Reductions in postponements and adjournments were realized as a result of more targeted monitoring At year-end, work to ensure the accuracy and integrity of definitions, regional data entry, associated statistical analysis and reporting of postponements and adjournments remained ongoing. An evaluation of case scheduling processes has been initiated and the resulting action plan will be established in 2009-10 The application of Guideline 6, Scheduling and Changing the Date or Time of a Proceeding in the Refugee Protection Division, was reviewed with decision-makers, and plans were initiated to expand Guideline 6 to the IAD and the ID
Strategic Priority 3: Continue to build a flexible organization with clear accountabilities, ethical behaviour, leadership and operational capacity
Implement an action plan further to the recommendations of the Roles and Responsibilities Review	Met All	Eleven recommendations were made to address the review issues. All of the recommendations were successfully implemented
Implement the revised IRB Code of Conduct for all decision-makers	Met All	An IRB Code of Conduct for decision-makers was implemented Training on the IRB Code of Conduct for decision-makers was completed across the three divisions
Revise the complaint protocol and process for GIC decision-makers	Mostly Met	Revision of the complaint protocol and process for all decision-makers was ongoing at year-end. Completion is expected in fall 2009
Pursue recruitment efforts of GIC decision-makers for the RPD and the IAD	Exceeded	Recruitment campaigns were conducted in June 2008 and March 2009. Over 1,300 applications were received. Applicants were screened and tested Following the IRB rigorous selection process, qualified candidates from the June 2008 campaign were recommended to the Minister. A similar process is planned in the next fiscal year for the qualified candidates from the March 2009 campaign
Put resource planning in place to ensure that the IRB has the necessary complement of decision-makers and the necessary support for new decision-makers throughout their integration	Met All	Incorporation of GIC resource planning into the IRB's business planning cycles is ongoing New decision-makers receive extensive training and coaching in their first year, and ongoing legal and other support during the remainder of their mandate
Review and update accountability profiles for GIC decision-makers and develop guidelines on the application of GIC terms and conditions of employment	Somewhat Met	Accountability profiles for GIC decision-makers have been reviewed. Updated profiles will be finalized in fall 2009 The performance evaluation process was reviewed and updated The Privy Council Office is reviewing the terms and conditions of employment for GIC appointees. The IRB will issue appropriate guidelines following the completion of the review process

Distinct Program Activity Elements

The RPP also identified the plans, expected results and operations that are distinct to each of the four IRB program activities and contributed to achieving the IRB's strategic priorities for 2008-09 and the IRB's strategic outcome. The results for each of the program activities are highlighted in the following pages.

Program Activity 1: Refugee Protection

Description

The Refugee Protection Division (RPD) delivers the IRB's Refugee Protection program activity. It determines claims for refugee protection made in Canada. Processing of refugee claims is the main focus of the IRB's activities and resources. Through the work of the RPD, Canada fulfills its obligations as a signatory to a number of international human rights conventions.	2008-09 Highlights
	36,000 new refugee claims filed 20,000 refugee claims resolved Case inventory increased from 42,000 to 58,000

Program Activity: Refugee Protection

2008-09 Financial Resources ($ millions)			2008-09 Human Resources (FTEs)
Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending	Planned	Actual	Difference
80.8	88.7	82.5	780	743	(37)

Strategic Priority 1 Manage the case inventory through innovative adjudicative and case management strategies
Plans	Performance Status	Performance Summary
Implement a case management strategy to minimize the growing backlog of pending claims	Met All	Finalizations in the expedited stream increased from 5% to 12% of all claims More proactive hearings were conducted with the development of an "agreed statement of facts" between counsel and tribunal officers There was an increase in the use of pre-hearing readiness conferences and other hearing readiness tools There was a 5% increase in decision-maker productivity
Develop and implement an adjudicative strategy to ensure quality and efficiency of decision-making	Met All	New tools for quality decision-making were implemented including decision trees, flow charts and check lists
Assess the RPD Language Analysis pilot project and present results to the Policy Advisory Committee	Mostly Met	Claims within the Language Analysis pilot project continued to be heard during 2008-09 Project assessment and presentation of results are scheduled for 2009-10
Develop the next steps for the Early Information Gathering (EIG) initiative	Somewhat Met	Work continued on the EIG project. Given recent changes in information gathering on the part of CIC and CBSA, future direction of the project remained under consideration at year-end
Improve the National Documentation Packages (NDPs)	Met All	183 NDPs were maintained and updated on a regular basis Selection of documents for inclusion in the NDPs was improved through enhanced consultation process

Performance Analysis

Decision-makers. The RPD depends on experienced, highly trained decision-makers to provide well-reasoned quality decisions in a timely manner. Throughout 2008-09, the RPD operated with approximately 40 fewer decision-makers than its funded complement. Losses in experienced decision-makers were due to expired mandates, resignations, or reappointments not being made. Although the pace of GIC appointments quickened in the last quarter of the fiscal year, the shortfall in decision-makers hampers the RPD's ability to resolve more cases more quickly.

Pending case inventory. The RPD began the fiscal year with a pending inventory of approximately 42,000 cases. The Division received an additional 36,000 new refugee claim referrals in 2008-09. With the number of decision-makers available and their level of experience, the RPD finalized 20,000 claims. This resulted in a pending inventory of 58,000 claims at the end of 2008-09. With the RPD currently funded to decide 25,000 claims per year, the inventory has increased beyond our capacity to resolve within existing resource levels. Without increased resources for the RPD, refugee claimants, many of whom come from difficult circumstances, will face the added stress and uncertainty associated with lengthy delays in the resolution of their claim.

Business improvements, productivity increase. RPD decision-makers have increased their productivity, from finalizing an average of 3.8 cases per week per decision-maker during 2007-08 to 4.0 cases in 2008-09. This 5 percent increase was obtained through training, implementation of new procedures, internal process improvements, and strategic monitoring of postponements and adjournments, and of time taken to render reasons.

Lessons Learned

In the Eastern Region, the RPD introduced a new initiative through which a number of cases that are simple and involve the same counsel are scheduled together and decisions are rendered mostly orally. The initiative has resulted in more cases being resolved without the addition of new resources. This initiative could yield even better results with improved liaison with counsel and expansion to other regions.

Benefits for Canadians

Through the work of the Refugee Protection program activity, Canada accepts only those refugee claimants in need of protection. Canada provides a safe haven to persons with a well-founded fear of persecution, as well as to those who face a danger of torture or a risk to their life or a risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment. This contributes to a safe and secure world environment through international cooperation.

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Program Activity 2: Admissibility Hearings and Detention Reviews

Description

The Immigration Division (ID) delivers the Admissibility Hearings and Detention Reviews program activity. It holds hearings for foreign nationals or permanent residents who, under the provisions of the IRPA, are alleged to be inadmissible to Canada or are detained. Detainees must be seen by the ID within 48 hours after being taken into detention or without delay afterwards and subsequent reviews must be conducted within specific statutory timeframes. Decision-makers must balance the right to individual liberty with the security interests of Canadians.

2008-09 Highlights

3,150 admissibility hearings were finalized, 12% more than the previous year 18,300 detention reviews were carried out, 14% more than the previous year

Program Activity: Admissibility Hearings and Detention Reviews

2008-09 Financial Resources ($ millions)			2008-09 Human Resources (FTEs)
Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending	Planned	Actual	Difference
15.2	17.2	13.7	105	104	(1)

Strategic Priority 1 Manage the case inventory through innovative adjudicative and case management strategies
Plans	Performance Status	Performance Summary
Continue to implement a strategic approach to quality decision-making	Met All	The application of adjudicative strategies continued to ensure that the quality of ID proceedings are maintained, including: An analysis of decisions related to a specific group in Pakistan was completed A framework of analysis was developed to better support decision-makers in rendering oral decisions Work on the guideline on detention underway Training on sensitive information and weighing of factors in detention reviews was delivered Decision-makers were provided with opportunities to discuss issues of common concern: Five decision-makers' forum discussions were held Training on consistency in decision-making took place
Pursue cross-regional consistency efforts within the ID	Met All	Private/public file annotations were completed A new Order of Release form was completed Instructions on detention review requirements during statutory holidays were implemented Decision-makers were sent to other regions on short-term assignments

Performance Analysis

Increase in intake. The number of cases reviewed by the ID depends on the number of cases referred by the CBSA. Over the past four years, referrals of admissibility hearings have increased by 29 percent while referrals of detention reviews have increased by 19 percent (excludes cases resolved without a hearing). Through further enhanced efficiencies, the ID has continued to manage the increased workload within existing resources and has been able to conclude cases within the legislated timeframe for detention reviews.

Admissibility hearings. During 2008-09, the ID finalized 3,150 admissibility hearings, 12 percent more than the previous year. Of the admissibility hearings finalized, 74 percent resulted in a removal order being issued because the person was determined inadmissible, 3 percent resulted in permission to enter or to remain in Canada, 7 percent were subject to the withdrawal of the inadmissibility allegation by the CBSA at the hearing, and 14 percent were closed after the person failed to appear for the hearing.

Detention reviews. During 2008-09, the ID finalized approximately 18,300 detention reviews, 14 percent more than the previous year. Close to 5,300 detention reviews were finalized without a decision because the case was rescheduled or the person had been removed, released or detained by courts prior to a scheduled review. The remaining 13,000 detention reviews were finalized with a decision, a 9 percent increase over the previous year.

Lessons Learned

In most of its activities, the ID met expectations and in some cases exceeded them. As mentioned in the RPP, the ID had planned to publish two persuasive decisions as models to guide and assist in future decisions. However, after further evaluation, the ID determined that a framework of analysis better suits the needs of ID decision-makers and contributes to improved consistency in decision-making. A first framework of analysis on equivalency of foreign convictions was developed and work to develop other frameworks of analysis will continue in 2009-10.

Benefits for Canadians

The ID renders decisions that maintain the security of Canadian society and uphold Canada's reputation for justice and fairness to individuals. It is with this sense of responsibility that the IRB maintains the balance between individual rights and the security of Canadians.

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Program Activity 3: Immigration Appeal

Description

The Immigration Appeal Division (IAD) delivers the Immigration Appeal program activity. It hears immigration appeals from Canadian citizens and permanent residents whose applications to sponsor close family members to Canada have been refused. Other key functions include hearing appeals from permanent residents, foreign nationals with a permanent resident visa and protected persons who have been ordered removed from Canada, and permanent residents outside Canada who have not fulfilled their residency obligation.

2008-09 Highlights

7,400 new immigration appeals filed 6,300 immigration appeals finalized Case inventory increased from 9,500 to 10,600 Average processing time increased from 10 to 11 months

Program Activity: Immigration Appeal

2008-09 Financial Resources ($ millions)			2008-09 Human Resources (FTEs)
Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending	Planned	Actual	Difference
17.4	18.5	18.5	140	140	0

Strategic Priority 1 Manage the case inventory through innovative adjudicative and case management strategies
Plans	Performance Status	Performance Summary
Implement an inter-regional case inventory management plan, including continuation of the Central Region IAD's backlog reduction plan	Met All	Strategic sharing of decision-makers across the regions, with more videoconferencing hearings and inter-regional transfer of written proceedings Oldest appeals given priority
Develop and implement adjudicative strategies to enhance consistency in decision-making. Areas may include: Proactive hearings Removal order appeals Adjournments/postponements Hearings in the absence of the Minister's counsel	Met All	A best practices guide and training video on conducting proactive hearings were produced Successful intervention in Khosa case at the Supreme Court of Canada, which acknowledged judicial deference to the IAD's discretionary jurisdiction IAD worked with the CBSA to facilitate more resolutions of removal order appeals without hearings Board-wide training on more consistent approaches to postponements/adjournments was delivered IAD worked with the CBSA to expand hearings without the Minister's counsel present
Increase the early resolution of appeals without a hearing: assess and improve Early Informal Resolution (EIR) and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)	Mostly Met	1,366 appeals were resolved through ADR (25% increase over previous fiscal year) EIR process was supported by policy on communications, more focused training Many appeals were finalized by written proceedings
Assess the effectiveness of initiatives and case streaming implemented under IAD Innovation	Mostly Met	Pilot projects and case management initiatives were assessed and recommendations for improvements were considered

Performance Analysis

Decision-makers. The IAD depends on highly trained decision-makers to conduct fair and efficient hearings, and provide well-reasoned quality decisions in a timely manner. Throughout 2008-09, the IAD operated with an average of 9 fewer decision-makers (or 25 percent) than its funded level. While the pace of appointments and reappointments increased toward the end of the reporting period, the lack of a large group of experienced decision-makers raises challenges in maximizing productivity and managing the Division.

Key statistical highlights. In 2008-09, 7,400 appeals were filed. This was a record high: an increase of 9 percent in comparison with 2007-08 and an increase of 72 percent in comparison to pre-IRPA levels. The Division's productivity remained high with 6,300 finalizations (almost 7,000 when adding stays of removal orders). This resulted in a pending inventory of almost 10,600 cases at year-end, an increase of 12 percent over the previous year. The average case processing time increased by 11 percent to 11.1 months. The increase in the average cost is primarily due to a larger share of internal services costs as well as increased salary costs resulting from collective agreements.

Business improvements. Despite a shortage of decision-makers, the IAD dealt with its caseload by using innovative and effective case management and adjudication strategies to promote best practices and cross-regional consistency. New initiatives were implemented to maximize early resolution and ensure files were hearing-ready. With increased use of the IAD's successful Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) program, the number of appeals completed without a hearing rose by 6 percent from the previous fiscal year. Paper hearing processes and more proactive hearings were also key to increasing the IAD's effectiveness and efficiency.

Lessons Learned

During a period of a shortfall in decision-makers, having strong adjudicative support is especially important for sustaining high productivity through increased hearing readiness and early resolution of cases. The flexible sharing of decision-maker resources among regions continued to be crucial to the IAD's efforts to address the backlog in Central Region appeals. The need to coordinate resources with the CBSA continued to be a challenge in many areas where the cooperation of Minister's counsel is important, for example, for the ID-IAD streamlining of removal order appeals and for hearings in which the Minister's counsel appears only through written submissions. The IAD will capitalize on these lessons and continue to improve its efficiency and productivity.

Benefits for Canadians

Through its sponsorship appeals work, the IAD recognizes the contributions of immigrants to the strength and vitality of Canadian society and culture, as well as the Government's commitment to family reunification. Through its work on removal order appeals, the IAD enhances public safety while maintaining the balance with individual rights.

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Program Activity 4: Internal Services

Description

Internal Services are groups of related activities and resources required to support the needs of all three tribunal programs and other corporate obligations of the IRB. These services are: Management and Oversight, Communications, Legal, Human Resources Management, Financial Management, Information Management, Information Technology, Materiel, Acquisition, and Other Administrative Services. Internal Services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided to a specific program.

2008-09 Highlights

Corporate Integrated Human Resources Plan implemented Three-year Information Technology Strategic Plan implemented Independent office for internal audits created

Program Activity: Internal Services

2008-09 Financial Resources ($ millions)	2008-09 Human Resources (FTEs)
Consistent with the Main Estimates, funds for Internal Services were allocated to the core program activities based on respective expenditures trends. For 2008-09 Actual Spending, a total of $30.3 million was proportionally allocated as follows: $21.5 million to Refugee Protection, $4.6 million to Admissibility Hearings and Detention Reviews and $4.2 million to Immigration Appeal.	In the same manner, Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) for Internal Services were allocated to the core program activities. For 2008-09, a total of 253 FTEs were proportionally allocated as follows: 191 FTEs to Refugee Protection, 35 FTEs to Admissibility Hearings and Detention Reviews and 27 FTEs to Immigration Appeal.

Strategic Priority 2 Further integrate the work of the IRB to promote effective management
Plans	Performance Status	Performance Summary
Develop the Management, Resources and Results Structure (MRRS), the Program Activity Architecture (PAA) and the corresponding performance measurement framework	Mostly Met	The IRB's MRRS and PAA are established, operational and have recently been updated The performance measurement framework is almost complete - quantitative measures are in place while qualitative measures are under development
Implement the IRB's Core Management Controls Action Plan	Met All	Top-rated core controls are in place
Further integrate HR, financial and IT planning into the IRB's business planning cycles	Somewhat Met	A three-year IT Plan has been implemented and integration mechanisms with the business planning cycle are in place The IRB's business and management plans incorporate financial and non-financial information; HR plans will be integrated in coming years
Further implement a comprehensive Procurement and Asset Management Program	Mostly Met	An Asset Management System was implemented at National Headquarters and will be extended to the regions in 2009-10
Implement a corporate consultation framework	Met All	A consultation framework has been implemented and integrated with the planning cycle both nationally and regionally, resulting in improved consultation activity identification, planning and information sharing
Further focus the IRB's international activities into a cohesive program that assists the IRB in achieving its international objectives while balancing the numerous requests for international participation against available resources	Mostly Met	International activities have been carried out in accordance with the objectives, guidelines and directions set by the Chairperson's Management Board to maximize benefits and ensure a coherent approach
Strategic Priority 3 Continue to build a flexible organization with clear accountabilities, ethical behaviour, leadership and operational capacity
Further implement the three-year Employment Equity (EE) Strategy	Mostly Met	Phase 1 of the Mentoring Program was launched in May 2008 open to members of designated groups. Monitoring and assessment activities were conducted through surveys and interviews. The development of staffing benchmarks was postponed since Treasury Board and Statistics Canada did not release the Workforce Availability Estimates, which are needed to establish benchmarks, until February 2009 The development of a Career Progression Program was initiated. Focus groups with national and regional EE member representation were held to identify the needs and expectations for this program IRB personnel were kept aware of EE activities through messages, postings on the internal website and several events
Implement the new Official Languages (OL) Policy	Mostly Met	The IRB finalized its OL policy through consultations with its divisions, branches and regions. At year-end, work continued on guidelines to accompany the policy
Implement key Public Service Renewal activities through the consolidation of HR modernization initiatives	Mostly Met	A revised approach and tools to support the integration of HR planning were introduced in 2008-09, including the development of tools for succession planning As part of the Performance Management Program cycle, the IRB introduced Talent Management as a new feature for all Executives and EX equivalents Over the past few years, there has been considerable effort to strengthen the quality of the performance management program and efforts continued in 2008-09. The IRB achieved a 65% completion rate for 2008-09 The IRB used collective staffing processes and pre-qualified pools of candidates from the Public Service Commission to recruit employees
Develop a Values and Ethics Framework for IRB employees based on the new TBS Charter	Somewhat Met	The IRB has delayed implementing a Values and Ethics Framework until the Treasury Board Code of Values and Ethics is implemented Employees and managers received training and materials on values and ethics, disclosure of wrongdoing and political activities

Performance Analysis

Management and oversight. At the end of the 2008-09 reporting period, the IRB restructured its senior advisory committees and created an independent audit committee. These changes, in conjunction with the implementation of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) model, which is planned for 2009-10, will improve senior management decision-making support and enhance oversight for the Board's activities.

Communications. Through participation in outreach events and conferences, the IRB continued to develop its relationship with non-government organizations, stakeholders and other groups. Through national meetings of the Consultative Committee on Practices and Procedures (CCPP) and regional stakeholders meetings, IRB personnel and stakeholders had exchanges on key policy and procedural issues, which resulted in improved understanding and cooperation. Furthermore, in an effort to enhance its relationships with stakeholders, the IRB revised its consultation framework to coordinate and target its outreach activities more effectively and allow for improved information sharing.

Legal. In 2008-09, Legal Services continued to provide legal advice in support of all of the IRB's strategic priorities including streamlining and integration of special advocates in non-disclosure proceedings pursuant to section 86 of the IRPA. It also supported a broad range of corporate activities including human resources, procurement and GIC Secretariat Services activities. Training and support of Board decision-makers, especially those newly appointed, was a priority. Legal Services took a lead role in the IRB's successful intervention in the Khosa case before the Supreme Court of Canada. In Khosa, the Court recognized the IAD's authority to independently assess evidence previously presented in criminal courts, and granted greater deference to IAD decision-makers in judicial reviews of the exercise of the IAD's discretionary jurisdiction in removal order appeals. This may result in fewer IAD decisions being overturned by the Federal Court.

Human resources management. In 2008-09, the IRB continued to foster an environment where people management is recognized as a priority in achieving its strategic outcome. A Corporate Integrated Human Resources Plan was developed, which outlines the key people management priorities that the Board will focus on for the next three years. These priorities are in line with the organizational strategic priorities and the broader goals of the Government's Public Service Renewal Action Plan.

Financial management. A major accomplishment for 2008-09 was the testing of Version 6.2 of the departmental financial management system as well as its implementation in the IRB. A reallocation review was also completed in preparation for the financial pressures facing the Board as well as the Strategic Review for 2009-10.

Information management. In 2008-09, the IRB started a national clean-up of all files stored in Federal Record Centres and private warehousing facilities. This project is expected to continue for the next four years. A draft of a new function-based file classification structure was also completed at the end of March 2009.

Information technology (IT). In 2008-09, the IRB developed its first three-year IT strategic plan. The three-year plan will allow the Board to align and integrate its IT strategies and architecture with business requirements and priorities, which will result in improved business performance.

Procurement and assets management. The IRB's procurement program has been significantly improved and now reflects a consistent IRB-wide approach to file management, reporting, and application of Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) and Public Works Government Services Canada (PWGSC) policies and procedures. The IRB has implemented software that will track IT and non-IT assets, which will be implemented in the regions in the near future, thereby improving asset management.

Internal audit and evaluation. Near the end of 2008-09, the IRB created an independent office for Internal Audit, reporting directly to the Chairperson. A Chief Audit Executive, who is responsible for overseeing the Internal Audit function, was appointed. The process of establishing the IRB's Departmental Audit Committee was also initiated to provide the Chairperson with independent and objective advice, guidance and assurance on the adequacy of the IRB's control and accountability processes.

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