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SECTION II:  ANALYSIS OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES BY STRATEGIC OUTCOME

Strategic Outcome

The 2009-10 Report on Plans and Priorities has one strategic outcome:

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police External Review Committee aims to positively influence the manner in which labour relations issues are addressed within the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

To achieve its strategic outcome, the ERC has identified two program activities:

1. Independent and impartial case review
2. Outreach and information dissemination

Program Activity by Strategic Outcome

Program Activity #1: Independent and impartial case review

2009-10 Financial Resources ($ thousands)			2009-10 Human Resources (FTEs)
Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending	Planned	Actual	Difference
859	1,575	1,457	6	6	0

Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets	Performance Status	Performance Summary
Parties and RCMP Commissioner are provided with an independent review of the dispute to facilitate transparent and accountable dispute resolution.	Percentage of cases where findings and recommendations are issued.	100% of referred files, subject to Grievor's right to withdraw	Met all	35 findings and recommendations were issued and no cases were withdrawn.
A body of findings and recommend-ations is created to assist RCMP Level 1 Adjudicators, concerned parties, RCMP Commissioner and staff representatives to interpret legislation, regulations and policy.	Number of times legislative, regulatory or policy interpretative guidance provided in findings and recommendations.	As required	Met all	All reports were distributed widely and also appended to the growing knowledge base maintained in the ERC's common look and feel (CLF) compliant website.
Identification of areas for legislative, regulatory or policy change/clarification.	Number of recommendations for change/ clarification provided in findings and recommend-ations.	As required	Somewhat met	The number of times when this measure applied was statistically insignificant.

The ERC concludes matters referred to it by the RCMP either on the basis of the material in the record or following a hearing.  In conducting its reviews, the ERC attempts to achieve timeliness and quality in its analysis and recommendations, and an equitable balance between all of the interested parties.  It relies on the principles of administrative and labour law and it respects the remedial approach indicated by the RCMP Act.  In each case, the ERC considers the public interest along with the members' interest in fair and equitable treatment.

The statutory mandate of the ERC in the RCMP Act is case review and it is in this respect that program activity 1 supports priority 1.

Benefits for Canadians

Canadians are served through the ERC's contribution to fair, transparent and accountable labour relations processes within the RCMP.  Canadians, and the RCMP itself, are assured that RCMP members are treated as would be expected by Canadians whose tax revenues support Canada's national police force.

Performance Analysis

Case Review

Referrals

Twenty-one cases were referred to ERC in 2009-10: 16 grievances and five disciplinary appeals.  The ERC received no referrals of discharge and demotion appeals this past year.

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Cases Completed and Recommendations Issued

The ERC completed 35 cases in 2009-10: 29 regarding grievances and four regarding disciplinary appeals.  Two cases were withdrawn by the member before the ERC issued its findings and recommendations.  The ERC did not issue any findings and recommendations in discharge and demotion cases this past year.

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Grievances

The chart below shows the distribution of this year's grievance recommendations by subject matter.

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Over the course of several years, the ERC has taken steps to reduce the time to analyse each file and has managed to show appreciable improvement.  However during the course of the year, the ERC raised the priority of its discipline files, specifically those in which the member was ordered to resign or be terminated.  The volume of each of these type of cases and their complexity necessarily hampered the high performance ERC anticipated for the close of the year.  While this emphasis was expected to result in the reduction in average per case performance, the effect was less than anticipated and the impact on other files was relatively minor.  The ERC is convinced that despite this reduction in measurable performance the importance of these cases justified this decision.

At the start of 2009-10, 60 grievances and appeals were pending before the ERC, and at fiscal year end, there were 46 cases before the ERC for review.  The cases were distributed as follows:

• 34 pending grievances; and
• 12 pending disciplinary appeals.

Other Activities

The ERC curtailed its in-person outreach activities to the extent that those requiring additional funding or the excess expenditure of human resources were omitted.

Lessons Learned

From this year's analysis the ERC determined that there can be some improvement in its performance measurement and has been working closely with the Treasury Board Secretariat to develop more meaningful measurements.  As a result, the ERC will be seeking permission from Treasury Board for revisions to its Program Activity Architecture.

Program Activity #2: Outreach and information dissemination

2009-10 Financial Resources ($ thousands)			2009-10 Human Resources (FTEs)
Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending	Planned	Actual	Difference
215	394	157	2	2	0

Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets	Performance Status	Performance Summary
Make available information to the public on labour relations issues within the RCMP to support accountability and transparency.	Subscription levels for quarterly Communiqué; subscription levels for annual report; website traffic; volume of requests for information.	ERC is committed to maintaining current levels	Exceeded	Subscription levels have remained constant and website traffic has increased more than anticipated.
Increase awareness of labour relations issues and resolutions within RCMP Policy.	Website access statistics; subscription and distribution data; number of requests for information; number of outreach events	ERC is committed to maintaining current levels	Exceeded	Continued increases in website traffic indicate greater accessibility and increased awareness.

The ERC strives to make timely information accessible and achieved both its paper and electronic distribution targets as well as its digital posting targets.  As a result, the utility and the credibility of its website holdings is progressively becoming better recognized.

Summaries of the ERC's findings and recommendations in each case, as well as articles of interest, relevant legal principles and information on related issues, are distributed widely.  Communication and outreach tools include: a quarterly publication (Communiqué); a website with inclusion of publications and case summaries; the Annual Report; and presentations, meetings, offered training and other outreach activities.

This part of the ERC's work is dedicated to program activity 2, and it directly supports priority 2.

Performance Analysis

Requests for Information

In 2009-10, the ERC received a total of 114 requests for information.  On average, the ERC provided an answer to each such request within two days.  Over one third of the requests came from the RCMP and members of the public were the second largest group of requesters.  The news media have seldom called upon the ERC for formal comment which is reflective of its recognition as an independent administrative tribunal.

The graph below illustrates the range of general categories of requests received.  Several requests were straightforward and the requesters were given appropriate information and direction.  However other requests were complicated and required more time and effort for a complete and accurate response.  The preponderance of the median response time of one day indicates that a small number of complex inquiries were significantly time-consuming.

Lessons Learned

Given the ERC's priority for its case review function over its outreach and information dissemination, it has learned that the well-designed practical application of technology can effectively perpetuate and bolster such a function with the expenditure of relatively little additional resources.  This was first determined in the previous reporting cycle and has been confirmed in this second year of assessing this particular activity.  The ERC's efforts to investigate the benefits of the use of technology to disseminate information have been fruitful.

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