ARCHIVED - The National Battlefields Commission - Report

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Minister’s Message

The Government of Canada recognizes that the cultural sector plays a vital role in building strong and healthy communities throughout Canada and contributes immensely to our economy. As a Canadian Heritage Portfolio Agency, The National Battlefields Commission (NBC) works to engage Canadians in a vibrant cultural and civic life and encourages us to celebrate the uniquely Canadian nature of our country.

In 2009, the NBC dedicated itself to the conservation and development of National Battlefields Park and provided Canadians and visitors with various public and educational services, such as commemoration activities to highlight the 250^th anniversary of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. Users and visitors therefore had an opportunity to increase their knowledge of this key episode in the history of our country.

As the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, I am pleased to present the 2009–2010 Departmental Performance Report of the NBC. This report illustrates the activities of the NBC during the last fiscal year.

 

The Honourable James Moore P.C., M.P.

 

 

SECTION I - Overview

1.1   Summary Information

Raison d'être

The National Battlefields Commission (NBC), as manager of Battlefields Park, enables Canadians to enjoy the first national historic park in Canada and one of the most prestigious urban parks in the world.

Responsibilities

The NBC is responsible for the administration, management, conservation and development of National Battlefields Park (located in Quebec City) and manages the funding allocated for this purpose.

The Commission’s mandate derives from the Act Respecting the National Battlefields at Quebec, 7-8 Edward VII, ch 57, passed on March 17, 1908, and its amendments. It reports to Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages. The Commission is administered by a nine-member Board of Directors. Seven members are appointed by the Governor in Council and the NBC’s enabling legislation authorizes the provinces of Quebec and Ontario to each appoint a member in recognition of their contribution at that time of the creation of the Commission.

The Board provides general oversight and sets the broad policy direction of the NBC toward the achievement of the strategic outcomes of making the Battlefields Park in Quebec City a prestigious, accessible, safe and educational historic and urban site.

The Secretary of the Board, who acts as Director General, is appointed by the Governor in Council and is responsible for policy implementation and the day-to-day management of all NBC operations.

The physical grounds of the NBC constitute one of the most important historic sites in Canada. Commonly known as the Plains of Abraham, the site is the largest urban park in Quebec City and one of the most prestigious parks in the world. The NBC strikes a balance between the Plains of Abraham’s historic significance and its mission as an urban park. The NBC’s objectives are of preservation of the park as a legacy for future generations and also as of development so that the present generations can enjoy the park and learn more about the key events in Canadian history associated with the site.

Strategic Outcome

The NBC works to achieve the following strategic outcome:

The role of the National Battlefields Commission is to make Battlefields Park a prestigious national site, maintain its historic integrity and ensure that its urban mission receives equal consideration, allow for its safe use, and provide activities and relevant services in line with historic, cultural, recreational and natural aspects.

Program Activity Architecture (PAA)

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1.2   Summary of Performance

2009-2010 Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending
9,437	10,147	9,454

2009-2010 Human Resources

Planned	Actual	Difference
55 FTEs	60 FTEs	5 FTEs*

* Increased services and the reorganization of certain sectors led to the creation of new positions. The increase in salaries costs is being absorbed by revenues.

Strategic Outcome: The Battlefields Park of Quebec is a prestigious, accessible, safe and educational historic and urban site.
Performance Indicators - Overall integrity of the park and its facilities.     - The level of quality public of and educational services.	Targets - Maintain the general state of the park and make improvements to its infrastructure between now and 2013. - Maintain the quality of services and increase the dissemination of information in 2009 and 2010 about the historic events of 1759 and 1760.	2009-2010 Performance - The general condition of the park has been maintained and some work has been carried out to ensure the safety of employees and users, such as reinforcing the structure of the workshop, strengthening the cliff along Champlain Boulevard, replacing certain heating systems with less costly and less polluting ones, as well as landscape work in the Des Braves Park in particular. - The quality of public educational services has been maintained. According to an in-house survey, client satisfaction is comparable to the previous year, that is, 90% (in comparison with 93% in 2008-2009). - The number of visitors to exhibitions was 35,958, while the number of participants in activities was 84,793. This represents declines of 54% and 29% respectively, in comparison with the previous year which was exceptional owing to the NBC’s 100th anniversary and Quebec City’s 400th anniversary. - In 2009-2010, the Plaines Lunes show was not presented because of the activities planned for the 250th anniversary of the battles. However, preparations were made for its production in 2010-2011. - Free shows at the Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand drew 20,000 spectators to 34 shows, a drop in attendance in comparison with the previous year. See explanations in Section “Risk Analysis”. - The projects carried out as part of the 250th anniversary of the battles of 1759-1760, including a seminar, publication of books, special exhibitions and the unveiling of the Memorial to Combatants, served to make the information on the subject more accessible and easier to understand.

Program Activity	2008-2009 Actual Spending	2009-2010 ($ thousands)
		Main Estimates	Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending	Alignment to Government of Canada Outcome Area
Conservation and Development	6,863	2,749	2,749	3,074	2,170	A vibrant Canadian culture and heritage1
Public Education and Services	4,078	822	822	822	1,005
Internal Services *		5,748	5,866	6,251	6,279
Total	10,941	9,319	9,437	10,147	9,454

^* In 2008-2009, Internal Services was divided between two program activities: 60% to Conservation and Development and 40% to Public Education and Services. In 2009-2010, the resources for the Internal Services program activity are displayed separately from other program activities.

¹ The NBC’s program activities are aligned with the Government of Canada’s outcome A vibrant Canadian culture and heritage. The role of NBC is to provide an accessible and educational historic site. The NBC helps to raise awareness of Canada’s history and the battles fought on its park grounds and provides a pleasant entertainment venue. It also encourages the public to take part in various interpretive activities, to visit exhibitions and other attractions featuring the history of the park and of Canada, and to attend concerts supporting artists from the cultural milieu.

The difference of $118,000 between Planned Spending and Main Estimates is explained by the following:

The amount allocated for salaries in the 2009-2010 Supplementary Estimates (B)	$100,070
A portion of the contributions to the Employee Benefit Plans (EBP)	$17,930
	$118,000

The difference of $710,000 ($10,147,000 - $9,437,000) between Total Authorities and Planned Spending is explained by the following:

Report from previous year	$400,450
Revenue increase versus previous budget	$187,373
Benefits and salaries	$122,560
	$710,383

As for the difference between Total Authorities and Actual Spending, it is explained by:

Transfer to the following year	$367,716
Postponement of renovation work on administrative offices	$325,000
	$692,716

Contribution of Priorities to Strategic Outcome

Operational Priorities	Type	Performance Status	Linkage to Strategic Outcome
Ensure high-quality general maintenance and carry out planned infrastructure repairs	Ongoing	Fully met. According to planned renovations and allocated budgets. The NBC continued to carry out regular maintenance of the site and completed certain infrastructure renovations to ensure the health and safety of users.	Strategic Outcome 1 This operational priority is in line with the Conservation and Development program activity. Results attained under this priority contribute to preserving and improving the site’s infrastructure and amenities for future generations.
Provide the public with quality services on aspects of education, culture and nature	Ongoing	Fully met. The NBC continued to deliver services such as exhibitions and interpretative activities while taking users’ and visitors’ expectations into consideration and ensuring that high quality was maintained.	Strategic Outcome 1 This operational priority is in line with the Public Education and Services program activity: results attained under this priority contribute to preserving and raising awareness of the history of Canada’s first national historic park and its cultural, recreational and natural assets.
Conduct the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the historic battles of 1759 and 1760 in 2009 and 2010	Previously committed	Fully met. According to the programming revised during the previous fiscal year. The NBC increased Canadians’ awareness of a significant time in Canada’s history by organizing special activities to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the historic battles of 1759 and 1760.	Strategic Outcome 1 This operational priority is in line with the Public Education and Services program activity: results attained under this priority contribute to preserving and raising awareness of the history of Canada’s first national historic park.

Management Priorities	Type	Performance Status	Linkage to Strategic Outcome
Internal Management	Ongoing	Partially met. Review of the Land Use Policy is under way. However, it has been agreed to first identify specific expectations in the memoranda of understanding before signing off on the final review of the policy.   Drafting of the guide on workplace accident prevention is under way.	Strategic Outcome 1 This operational priority is in line with the Conservation and Development program activity: results attained under this priority contribute to the preservation and improvement of site infrastructure and amenities for future generations. For the future, maintain a functional framework to meet users’ needs and protect the site. This guide will be used to make future decisions and thereby reduce risks.
Human Resources Renewal	New	Fully met. The NBC oversaw the new director’s integration and hired new employees. Workforce renewal is in line with the rate of retirements.	Strategic Outcome 1 This management priority is in line with internal services, but it also concerns other programs and allows for the retention and hiring of a qualified workforce so as to pursue the NBC’s objectives.
Disposal of Archives	New	Partially met due to the workload for commemoration activities for the 250th anniversary of the battles. Disposal of documents has been undertaken in compliance with the Archives Act. The process is ongoing.	Strategic Outcome 1 This management priority is in line with internal services, but it also concerns other programs. The NBC plans to continue the review of the document classification system, which will allow for the preservation and disposal of documents consistent with the agreement signed with Library and Archives Canada.

Risk Analysis

The National Battlefields Commission (NBC) operates strictly in Quebec City. It manages the National Battlefields Park which includes primarily the Plains of Abraham (102 hectares) and Des Braves Park (six hectares); these are the sites of the battles of 1759 and 1760, respectively.

Situated in the heart of the city, the park is a rallying site par excellence which hosts four million users and visitors every year. Such high attendance could have an impact on the integrity of the land.

The year 2009-2010 was primarily marked by commemorations of the 250^th anniversary of the historic battles of 1759 and 1760. The NBC focussed on organizing commemoration activities for the Battle of the Plains of Abraham (1759) and on preparing commemoration activities for the Battle of Sainte-Foy (1760), in order to raise awareness among Canadians and foreign visitors of this important period in our history. These activities unfolded as planned and contributed to a better understanding of the issues that underlied the conflict.

The NBC continued with the day-to-day maintenance of Battlefields Park and its development by improving certain sectors, including Des Braves Park. The Commission is vigilant about ensuring compliance with the conditions for land use during events. It also provided various quality public (cross-country ski trails, Info-plant terminal) and educational (exhibitions and interpretative activities) services related to the history of the park. New activities were added to attract as many visitors as possible and to give the history of Battlefields Park visibility through other means. New interpretative activities were provided, especially at the Brown Basin and in schools. According to an in-house survey, 90% of the public expressed satisfaction with the activities and services provided by the NBC over 2009-2010.

The NBC monitored its budget very closely, while taking its priorities into account. This enabled the Commission to carry over $367,716 to the 2010–2011 fiscal year for projects, such as repairs to its infrastructure and facilities. The total budget used in fiscal 2009-2010 was $9,454,000, including revenues generated in the amount of $1,787,000. Material, financial and human resources were managed according to the Government’s management accountability framework.

The NBC’s organizational culture is based on respect, integrity and equity. Senior management interacts regularly with employees regarding decisions made and upcoming projects. Moreover, the NBC holds labour-management meetings on a regular basis. The Commission negotiates its employees’ collective agreement; working conditions are based on those of the federal public service.

The year 2009–2010 was also marked by retirements and the hiring of new employees in certain sectors. Changes were made in the Green Spaces Unit in order to improve the work climate in this sector and to facilitate the development of an integrated sustainable development strategy. The position of Head of the Green Spaces Unit was abolished, a new Land Use Planning and Environment Advisor seasonal position was created and a Horticultural Superintendent was hired to manage the work of the employees in the Horticultural Services Unit. Moreover, a new Secretary/Director General took office and, following the departure of the Chairperson of the Board of Directors who had held the position for 14 years, an acting chairperson was appointed.

As planned, the development of the guide on prevention of workplace accidents was undertaken and should be completed during the coming fiscal year. The risks identified will enable the NBC to enforce appropriate measures in order to improve the health and safety of its employees.

Client traffic in the park, weather and economic conditions, and reaching out to key partners are major factors that are taken into consideration in order to attain the expected outcomes.

In spite of a rainy summer in 2009-2010 and a drop in client traffic in the park in comparison with the previous year, which had been marked by the 400^th anniversary of Quebec City and the 100^th anniversary of The National Battlefields Commission (a record year in terms of client traffic in the park and everywhere else in Quebec City), the NBC generated $1,787,000 in revenues through parking lot fees, educational activities and requests for park use.

It was at the Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand that poor weather conditions had the greatest impact on client traffic. Of the 34 scheduled shows, six had to be cancelled because of bad weather. It rained for 20 of the 34 days of performances. Approximately 20,000 people attended the shows, representing (all other things being equal) a significant drop in attendance. In 2008-2009, 17,000 people attended 24 shows and five performances were cancelled because of bad weather.

The following are examples of partnerships established that also facilitated the achievement of major projects for the 250^th anniversary of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham:

• the Musée des beaux-arts du Québec, for the La prise de Québec 1759-1760 exhibition and the publication of a catalogue of the exhibition;
• Les éditions du Septentrion, for the publication of the book Québec Ville assiégée, 1759-1760, d’après les acteurs et les témoins, which presents the accounts of these events throughout the siege of Quebec City in 1759, until the surrender of Montreal in 1760;
• La Société de généalogique canadienne française, for its publication of the book Combattre pour la France en Amérique, which features information about the soldiers who fought in the Seven Year War in New France, as well as the proceedings of a seminar;
• the Québec Port Authority for the use of the Brown Basin building for the presentation of an exhibition related to the 250^th anniversary;
• the Commission scolaire de la Beauce-Etchemin for the presentation of an exhibition about New France and the 1759-1760 battles;
• various media for the dissemination and promotion of activities and services provided;
• various organizations for the presentation of public events.

All these partners made a major contribution to the success of the activities organized for the 250^th anniversary of the historic battles.

The challenges were primarily to handle the workload involved in organizing the activities related to the 250^th anniversary of the battles and to make sure that activities ran as planned. The small NBC team had to contend with very short deadlines.

The NBC is also pleased that it was able to collaborate with the union representatives to resolve conflicts in one sector and has laid the groundwork for improving relations and the work climate.

In 2009, the NBC joined the federal government’s Employee Assistance Program in order to contribute to the maintenance of a work environment that fosters employee development.

Furthermore, as administrator of a prestigious park, the NBC believes it is imperative that it develop an integrated sustainable development strategy based on sustainable development practices of other federal institutions. The NBC’s strategy will be based on principles of environmentally-sound use of natural resources and decision-making that takes environmental, economic and social factors equally into consideration. Steps to achieve this goal have already been undertaken. In addition to the appointment of an advisor, the NBC has taken action with the purchase of a hybrid vehicle and the installation of a gas heating system.

Expenditure Profile

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The fluctuation can be explained as follows:

• In 2007-2008, supplementary funding was obtained to organize celebrations as part of the NBC’s 100^th anniversary, to make major infrastructure repairs and carry out projects related to risk management.
• In 2008-2009, supplementary funding was obtained to organize celebrations for the NBC’s 100^th anniversary, and a budget carryover was authorized to complete the construction of public restrooms and renovations to the administrative offices.
• In 2009-2010, supplementary funding was allocated for salaries and employee benefit plans (EBP). A budget carry-over was authorized for renovations to its administrative offices.

Voted and Statutory Items

($ thousands)

Vote or Statutory Item	Truncated Vote  or Statutory Wording	2007-2008 Actual Spending	2008-2009 Actual Spending	2009-2010 Main Estimates	2009-2010 Actual Spending
55	Program expenditures	10,778	8,135	7,354	7,162
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	444	462	365	505
(S)	Expenditures pursuant to paragraph 29.1 (1) of the Financial Administration Act	1,704	2,344	1,600	1,787
	Total	12,926	10,941	9,319	9,454

For further information, refer to Section I – 1.2.

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