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As Chair of the RCMP External Review Committee (ERC), it is my pleasure to deliver this report of the progress it has made toward its expected results. The information contained in this year's report demonstrates that the ERC has embraced the concept of continual improvement and the public service's modern mechanisms for measuring and reporting on it.
The ERC's role is to conduct impartial and independent reviews of RCMP labour relations cases. Its aim is to positively influence the manner in which labour relations issues are addressed within the RCMP. This contributes to the confidence and trust that Canadians put in the administration of the Force, knowing that principles of fairness and statutory compliance are upheld in a transparent and credible manner.
It must be stated that the ERC is a uniquely small organization relative to most organizations with similar functions and to the greater federal public service in general. In addition to myself, the ERC is staffed by five public servants indeterminately. Three additional staff have been appointed temporarily for as long as resources are available to retain them. I am appointed by Cabinet. I am the sole member of the ERC, and thus I am the only individual who has the authority to reach findings and to make recommendations to the Commissioner of the RCMP - the essence of the ERC's statutory mandate.
In addition to reporting its findings and recommendations to the Commissioner of the RCMP, the ERC also takes pains to ensure that its reports are accessible to all those who have an interest in resolving member grievances and appeals through rational decisions that will stand the test of judicial review by the Federal Court. To that end, the ERC has made excellent use of online web-based technology to allow researchers, members and decision makers to search for past findings and recommendations as well as Commissioners' decisions and precedential case law. The ever-increasing traffic on the ERC's website is a testament to its ability to design a utility that benefits Canadians at minimal cost.
I am pleased that the ERC has been able to make effective use of the resources entrusted to it.
Catherine Ebbs
Chair
The RCMP External Review Committee (ERC) is an independent federal tribunal that helps to ensure fair and equitable labour relations within the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) . The ERC does this by conducting thorough impartial reviews of certain types of grievances, disciplinary appeals, as well as discharge and demotion appeals.
The ERC's reviews contribute to transparency, fairness, and impartiality in RCMP labour relations processes for regular and civilian members. The ERC's jurisdiction is restricted to regular members and civilian members only. Public servants employed by the RCMP have a separate labour relations process.
As one of two oversight/review bodies over the RCMP (the other being the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP (CPC)), the ERC plays an important role in maintaining public confidence in the RCMP and ensures that it respects the law and human rights.
For more information on the ERC, visit the website at: www.erc-cee.gc.ca.
The ERC was established in 1988 under Part II of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act with a distinct mandate. Its role is to conduct impartial and independent reviews of RCMP labour relations cases. These cases include grievance reviews in areas such as harassment, travel entitlements and relocation as well as appeals involving disciplinary measures, discharge and demotion.
Once a review is completed, the ERC provides its findings and recommendations on the case to the Commissioner of the RCMP. The ERC provides findings and recommendations only. The Commissioner of the RCMP takes the final decision and should the decision not follow the ERC's recommendations, the law requires that the Commissioner give reasons for not doing so.
In addition, the ERC engages in outreach activities designed to educate the RCMP and the public about its activities. The ERC issues a quarterly Communiqué and maintains a website (www.erc-cee.gc.ca) that includes summaries of all cases that the ERC has reviewed as well as articles of interest.
Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual Spending |
---|---|---|
1,074 | 1,969 | 1,614 |
Planned | Actual | Difference |
---|---|---|
8 | 8 | 0 |
Performance Indicators | Targets | 2009-10 Performance |
---|---|---|
Issuance of findings and recommendations to the RCMP Commissioner and the parties | 100% | Maintained 100% performance level |
Information to the public and the RCMP | 100% | Maintained 100% performance level |
Program Activity | 2008-09 Actual Spending |
2009-10* | Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Main Estimates |
Planned Spending |
Total Authorities |
Actual Spending |
|||
Independent and impartial case review | 1,191 | 859 | 859 | 1,575 | 1,457 | Well-managed and efficient government operations |
Outreach and information dissemination | 202 | 215 | 215 | 394 | 157 | A transparent, accountable and responsive federal government |
Total | 1,393 | 1,074 | 1,074 | 1,969 | 1,614 |
* Commencing in the 2009-10 Estimates cycle, the resources for Program Activity: Internal Services is displayed separately from other program activities; they are no longer distributed among the remaining program activities, as was the case in previous Main Estimates. This has affected the comparability of spending and FTE information by Program Activity between fiscal years. As a result of its experience in attempting to meet the reporting requirements, the ERC determined that the uniquely small size of the organization made the reporting of this Program Activity particularly inaccurate. The related expenditures could not be reliably apportioned between program activities without an inordinate expenditure of resources. Treasury Board agreed with the ERC's assertion. As such, the ERC has been granted an exemption until the end of the 2010-11 fiscal year from reporting on financial commitments to Internal Services as a separate Program Activity.
Operational Priorities | Type | Status | Links to Strategic Outcome(s) |
---|---|---|---|
Continue to deliver on statutory mandate | ongoing |
Met all - strategic deployment of its resources has permitted the ERC to conduct reviews unabated |
Strategic Outcome 1 and Program Activity 1 |
Raising awareness through outreach | ongoing |
Met all - outreach activities were accomplished through alternative means using a combination of print and digital technology in order to maintain visibility and to share information and knowledge |
Strategic Outcome 1, and Program Activity 2 |
Management Priorities | Type | Status | Links to Strategic Outcome(s) |
---|---|---|---|
Continue to improve on the corporate management framework and infrastructure | ongoing |
Met all |
Strategic Outcome 1 and Program Activity 1 and 2 |
Continue to invest in our people | ongoing |
Met all |
Strategic Outcome 1 and Program Activity 1 and 2 |
The ERC's successes this year are a reflection of its ability to continue to retain operational staff despite the determinate nature of the appointments it can offer in light of the temporary nature of the increases to its spending authorities. This year, the ERC lost staff for a variety of reasons, but not necessarily associated with the determinate nature of its funding. However staffing mitigation strategies permitted the ERC to attract highly qualified, and experienced staff which allowed its processes to proceed with relatively little interruption.
Staffing and retention continue to be the principal threat to the ERC's achievement of its program activity targets which is the reason that it has focussed efforts in this area. The positive results of maintaining this focus have been encouraging.
The receipt of a temporary increase in spending authorities contributed to the ERC's success in achieving its targets. Staffing determinate positions in an uncertain environment led to a lag in spending evident in the chart below.
($ thousands)Fiscal Year | Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual Spending |
---|---|---|---|
2007-08 | 1,192 | 1,606 | 1,214 |
2008-09 | 1,485 | 1,559 | 1,393 |
2009-10 | 1,074 | 1,969 | 1,614 |
Vote # or Statutory Item (S) | Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording | 2007-08 Actual Spending |
2008-09 Actual Spending |
2009-10 Main Estimates |
2009-10 Actual Spending |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
65 | Operating expenditures | 1,062 | 1,234 | 953 | 1,476 |
(S) | Contributions to employee benefits plans | 152 | 159 | 121 | 138 |
Total | 1,214 | 1,393 | 1,074 | 1,614 |
As indicated above, actual spending increased in 2009-10 further to temporarily increased authorities in order to meet statutory obligations.