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Prime Minister’s Message

In 2010-11, the Government’s top priority continued to be the delivery of the Economic Action Plan, a plan to help fight the effects of the global recession by providing sufficient stimulus to safeguard jobs, while at the same time, making important investments in Canada’s long-term economic prosperity.  During the year, the Privy Council Office continued to support Cabinet decisions on the direction of stimulus activities and coordinate communications and reporting to Canadians on the results of this plan.  The Privy Council Office also played a key role in preparing for the next phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan by facilitating discussions leading to Budget 2011.

In addition to supporting long-term growth and job creation through the Economic Action Plan, the Government also needed to deliver on its broader agenda, as set out in the Speech from the Throne of March 3, 2010. The Privy Council Office supported the Government in taking the decisions needed to support this agenda, thus helping to ensure a prosperous future for our communities and country. In particular, the Privy Council Office assisted the Government in launching the transition from a targeted economic stimulus effort to a plan for return to fiscal balance, working with the provinces and territories to help build the jobs and industries of the future, to make Canada the best place for families and to stand up for those who have helped to build this country.

On the international front, in 2010-11, Canada had a unique opportunity to provide leadership as host of both the G8 and G20 summits. The Government achieved important goals through these meetings, including securing support for the Muskoka Initiative on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, strengthening financial market regulation and averting a return to protectionism in response to the economic downturn. By coordinating the planning and delivery of these events, the Privy Council Office helped the Government to achieve these objectives. In 2010-11, PCO also assisted in the Government’s responses to several international crises, primarily through helping to coordinate plans for the delivery of international assistance and humanitarian aid. Finally, in 2010-11, the Privy Council Office supported the Government in its efforts to strengthen Canada’s relationships with key trading partners such as the United States and India.

Over the past year, the Government also began preparing for the next phase of Canada’s engagement in Afghanistan, which includes a transition to a military and police training role, and a continued focus on development and humanitarian aid. To facilitate this preparatory work, the Privy Council Office continued to support the development of policy on Afghanistan, providing a whole-of-government perspective that helps to integrate efforts across departments. Additionally, the Privy Council Office continued to coordinate the Government’s quarterly reports to Parliament on Canada’s engagement in Afghanistan, ensuring regular reporting on progress.

The Government recognizes the importance of the Public Service of Canada as a critical national institution and remains committed to its renewal and to ensuring that it is prepared for the challenge of an aging labour force. In support of this goal, in 2010-11 the Privy Council Office continued to lead efforts to drive Public Service Renewal across government, helping to ensure that our Public Service remains effective and efficient and maintains its focus on accountability, transparency and serving Canadians with excellence.

I am pleased to present the 2010-11 Departmental Performance Reports for the Privy Council Office and the Public Appointments Commission Secretariat.

The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada

Section I: Organizational Overview

Raison d’être

Responsibilities

Led by the Clerk of the Privy Council, PCO helps the Government to implement its vision and to respond effectively and quickly to issues facing the Government and the country.

Advice to the Prime Minister

PCO brings together quality, objective, non-partisan policy advice and information to support the Prime Minister, the ministers within the Prime Minister’s portfolio and the Cabinet. This includes:

PCO also provides advice on the Prime Minister’s international role.

Secretariat to the Cabinet

PCO facilitates the smooth, efficient and effective functioning of Cabinet and the Government of Canada on a day-to-day basis. This includes:

Public Service Leadership

PCO supports the development and maintenance of a high-quality Public Service that meets the highest standards of accountability, transparency and efficiency, one that is able to deliver the best advice to government and excellent services to Canadians. This includes:

For more information on PCO's main roles, please visit PCO's website.

Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture (PAA)

Organizational Priorities

PCO has four ongoing priorities that are closely tied to its organizational role and mandate:

• PCO’s first priority, “Support the Prime Minister in exercising his overall leadership responsibility,” facilitates the Prime Minister’s exercise of his responsibilities as the head of Government and his leadership role in delivering benefits to Canadians.
• PCO’s second priority, “Focus on key policy and legislative areas and strengthen medium-term policy planning,” supports the proper functioning of Cabinet and the exercise of the Prime Minister’s responsibilities as leader of Cabinet and leader of decision making for the medium-term policy agenda.
• PCO’s third priority, “Support management and accountability of government,” contributes to public service governance, management and service delivery.
• PCO’s fourth priority, “Strengthen PCO's internal management practices,” secures organizational capacity into the future and ensures the proper functioning of PCO in its supporting and advisory roles.

As illustrated below and as supported by evidence in Section II of this report, PCO met its expected level of performance in support of organizational priorities in 2010-11.

In 2010-11, PCO’s plans and priorities contributed to the achievement of its strategic outcome:

The Government's agenda and decision making are supported and implemented and the institutions of government are supported and maintained.

Risk Analysis

Delivering on the Government’s agenda

Given PCO’s role of supporting and implementing the Government’s agenda, the risks and opportunities faced by PCO are closely tied to the achievement of that agenda. PCO works to respond to these risks in its advice and support to the Prime Minister, portfolio ministers and the Cabinet, to ensure the Government can deliver on its overall agenda while responding effectively to emerging issues.

Although PCO’s Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP) for 2010-11 covers a range of government objectives, the Government set out its agenda for 2010-11 in greater detail in the March 3, 2010, Speech from the Throne.³ The commitments articulated in this Speech from the Throne thus became the priorities supported by PCO across the planning period.

In the March 3, 2010, Speech from the Throne, the Government set out its commitments under six overarching themes:

• Completing Canada’s Economic Action Plan (EAP), which included working with partners in the provinces and territories to make certain that projects were completed during the planning period, when stimulus was most needed. Over the course of the year, in the context of the overall success of the EAP in providing stimulus to the economy, the Government determined that it needed to be more flexible in relation to project completion deadlines, to allow projects where work had already been started to continue. By allowing flexibility for the completion of qualifying projects, the Government ensured that the economic benefits from these activities were maximized.
• Planning for Recovery: Returning to Fiscal Balance, which included not only restraining overall federal program spending on the domestic front, but also working as chair of the G8 and G20 to promote a globally coordinated approach to the winding down of stimulus programs. In this area, one commitment that had a particular impact on PCO was the Government’s decision to launch a review of administrative functions and overhead costs to identify savings and improve service delivery. This led to the creation of the Administrative Services Review unit, which was accomplished through internal reallocation and realignment of resources. The unit is delivering on the Government’s commitment by reviewing administrative processes and service delivery mechanisms and identifying new ways of doing business.
• Building the Jobs and Industries of the Future, building on the EAP with initiatives to strengthen the competitiveness of Canadian companies and increase the skills of Canada’s labour force. Throughout the planning period, PCO provided advice and supported decision making in these areas.
• Making Canada the Best Place for Families, with initiatives to support families and communities, reinforce the rule of law and ensure fairness to victims of crime. PCO worked throughout the planning period to help the Government deliver on these priorities, including supporting the timely introduction of new legislation where needed.
• Standing Up for Those Who Helped Build Canada, including meeting the demands of our aging population, commemorating the sacrifices of those in our armed forces and modernizing the support systems for veterans, and recognizing the contributions of Canada’s Aboriginal peoples while addressing the challenges that they face. Throughout the planning period, PCO provided advice and supported decision making on these issues.
• Strengthening a United Canada in a Changing World, which covered a range of issues, such as preparing to commemorate key milestones in Canada’s history, improving the recognition of foreign credentials and protecting immigrants from unscrupulous immigration consultants, realizing the potential of Canada’s North and pursuing a foreign policy that remains anchored in Canadian values. Under this theme, one priority that had a particular impact on PCO was the Government’s decision to strengthen coordination and decision making in the area of national security and to work toward a Canada-U.S. perimeter strategy. In February 2011, this perimeter strategy—Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness—was announced by Canada and the United States. This work required PCO to realign resources to respond to an increased demand for advice and support from the office of the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister.

Emerging domestic and international issues

As a fiscal year unfolds, issues often emerge that necessitate changes to PCO’s plans and activities. In 2010-11, a number of Government policies and priorities were driven by emerging issues; and this, ultimately, affected PCO’s work. For example, the issue of human smuggling came to prominence, both in 2009 and in 2010, with the arrival of the Ocean Lady and the Sun Sea off Canada’s west coast. The arrival of these ships, with irregular migrants from Southeast Asia on board, drew national attention to the subject of human smuggling. PCO assisted the Government in its response to these events by supporting the work of a special advisor appointed to coordinate the Government’s response to human smuggling and illegal migration and provide advice and recommendations to the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Following this effort, in October 2010, the Government introduced legislation that would strengthen Canada’s ability to prosecute human smugglers, deter those that seek to jump the queue, prevent human smuggling operations before they leave for Canada and maintain the integrity and fairness of our immigration system.

PCO’s mandate also includes support for the functioning of the Government’s activities in Parliament and support for Canada’s institutions of government. In 2010-11, this included support for parliamentary and legislative programs and the democratic reform agenda. There was also a high demand for advice related to the Prime Minister’s exercise of his prerogative for machinery of government, the structure and operation of Cabinet and its committees, the structure and form of government organizations, and ministerial mandates. The demand was driven, in part, by the inauguration of a new Governor General in 2010, and by a number of changes to the Ministry. This work, when it arises, is required to support Canada’s institutions of government, and so must take priority.

The 2008-11 phase of Canada’s engagement in Afghanistan, which focused on six priorities and three signature projects, and included a combat role centred around Kandahar, ends in 2011. As announced by the Government in November 2010, the next phase of this engagement, which will extend from 2011 to 2014, will be Kabul-centred and based on a smaller number of key areas of activity. In 2010-11, PCO advised the Prime Minister regarding this next phase in Canada’s engagement in Afghanistan and, in particular, on the following four key areas of activity: investing in the future of Afghan children and youth; advancing security, the rule of law and human rights, including through the provision of military and police trainers; promoting regional diplomacy; and delivering humanitarian assistance. Additionally, in 2010-11, PCO was called upon to support the work of an ad hoc committee of parliamentarians and the independent Panel of Arbiters tasked with determining whether and how information relevant to Canadian-transferred Afghan detainees should be made available to parliamentarians and the public.

Another major effort in 2010-11, the Canada-U.S. perimeter initiative mentioned earlier, was spurred by the rapid advancement of a joint Canada-U.S. approach for enhancing competitiveness and safeguarding borders. In 2010-11, PCO was asked to engage in public consultation and intergovernmental discussion in four key areas that would come to form the basis for this joint Canada-U.S. perimeter initiative. These areas included: addressing common hazards and threats early (e.g., natural disasters and terrorism); trade facilitation, economic growth and jobs; integrated cross-border law enforcement; and critical infrastructure and cyber security.

International crises

PCO’s work plans are also affected by the extent to which it is called upon to assist in the management of international crises that have an impact on Canada and Canadians. Much of the work that PCO does, including work to support Canada’s response to international crises, depends on close and effective collaboration with and among key partners. In this regard, PCO typically plays a leadership role in coordinating and integrating response efforts—work that facilitates implementation activities undertaken by government departments, agencies and other organizations. This coordination and integration helps to ensure that the Government of Canada provides an effective and efficient response to the situation at hand, be it a natural disaster, humanitarian emergency or other crisis. In 2010-11, for example, PCO contributed to coordinating the responses to the aftermath of earthquakes in Haiti and Japan and advised the Government in response to developments across the Middle East and North Africa. PCO assisted the Government in its response to these latter events by providing extensive assessments and advice related to: developments in the region; the evacuation of Canadians from affected areas; and the imposition of targeted sanctions.

In these and other instances, PCO has helped to ensure that Canada’s response to international crises such as natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies is well-managed and well-coordinated. As with changing Government priorities and emerging issues, PCO’s first responsibility in such cases is to address the immediate requirements in support of the Government and Canadians, which include assisting in the delivery of Canada’s international assistance commitments. In 2010-11, PCO also supported Canada’s interests in this area with analytical work, including the development of risk analyses, mitigation strategies, and policy, legal and legislative options. For example, PCO provided timely policy, legal and legislative options to support the quick passage of the Freezing Assets of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act, which was introduced in response to developments in Tunisia and Egypt.

Human resource and corporate management

As is evident from what has been reported above, fulfilling PCO’s mandate of advising on and supporting the Government’s agenda requires a high degree of versatility and flexibility. In particular, PCO faces unique challenges in ensuring that appropriate policy expertise and support is available to the Government, when needed. Good human resource management, and more generally, good corporate management, are therefore essential for the delivery of PCO’s mandate.

To this end, in 2010-11, PCO continued to implement its three-year Strategic Human Resources Plan, a plan that aims to address PCO’s human resource challenges in the areas of career development, empowerment and innovation, and work environment.

In 2010-11, PCO also undertook several initiatives designed to enhance its corporate services, including, for example, advancing PCO’s readiness posture in the area of emergency management and improving the security of its networks, telecommunications and offices.

Conclusion

Despite the risks associated with competing demands for resources to deliver on the Government’s agenda, emerging issues and international crises, PCO successfully met the commitments identified as part of its planning exercises for 2010-11. As will be shown in Section II, PCO responded with flexibility to the evolving forward agenda and to changing economic, global and domestic conditions, ensuring that both planned activities and new work—such as work linked to economic prosperity, job creation, fiscal restraint, national security, emerging issues and international crises—were successfully completed, and allowing the Government to make choices and decisions in these areas. Broadly speaking, this work supported the smooth functioning of government, and thereby, both the institutions of government and the implementation of the Government’s agenda and decision making.

Summary of Performance

Expenditure Profile

Canada’s Economic Action Plan

During fiscal years 2009-10 and 2010-11, PCO contributed to the implementation of initiatives under the Economic Action Plan (EAP), including monitoring and advising on implementation policies in provinces and territories. Additionally, PCO played a central role in the coordination and management of Government communications for the EAP, as determined by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

Departmental Spending Trend (thousands of dollars)

*Includes Canada Economic Action Plan for fiscal years 2009-10 and 2010-11

Overall, spending by PCO has increased over the past years due to several new initiatives undertaken by PCO.

In 2008-09, some of the reasons for increased spending were as follows:

• creation of the Cabinet Committee on Afghanistan and the Afghanistan Task Force to better coordinate Canada’s activities in Afghanistan;
• coordination of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and G8 and G20 security to help facilitate a whole-of-government approach and integration among various players;
• cost increase due to ratification of several collective bargaining agreements for which funding was received in 2008-09, salary-related costs such as severance and separation pay, as well as Employee Benefit Plans; and
• legal costs related to public inquiries.
  

These increases were partially offset by a decrease in spending for commissions of inquiry.

In 2009-10, some of the reasons for increased spending were as follows:

• support for the implementation and coordination of a government-wide communications strategy for the EAP;
• additional operating requirements to permanently eliminate various chronic funding pressures for PCO;
• increases due to salary costs and fewer vacant positions;
• Public Service Renewal Task Force Branch, which was transferred from the Canada Public Service Agency; and
• increases in salary-related costs such as severance and separation pay.

These increases were partially offset by a decrease in spending for commissions of inquiry.

In 2010-11, some of the reasons for increased spending were as follows:

• the Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River, which was partially offset by the closing of three commissions: the Commission of Inquiry into Certain Allegations Respecting Business and Financial Dealings Between Karlheinz Schreiber and the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney; the Commission of Inquiry into the Investigation of the Bombing of Air India Flight 182; and the Internal Inquiry into the Actions of Canadian Officials in Relation to Abdullah Almalki, Ahmad Abou-Elmaati and Muayyed Nureddin;
• support to the Panel of Arbiters, created pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government and Opposition Parties, for the review of documents related to the transfer of Afghan detainees by the Canadian Forces;
• enhancements to PCO’s security posture, in order to focus on the highest priority elements directly related to the protection of PCO’s personnel, information and assets;
• the newly created group leading the Administrative Services Review;⁷ and
• the office of the Special Advisor on Human Smuggling and Illegal Migration, created for the coordination of the Government’s strategy and response to human smuggling, particularly through international engagement.

These increases were partially offset by:

• an overall decrease in spending in corporate services, due to hiring of full-time staff instead of temporary help and contractors, and the conclusion of in-year, one-time initiatives that were implemented in 2009-10;
• a decrease in legal costs related to public inquiries;
• a decrease in spending for cost containment measures identified in the day-to-day operations of the Prime Minister's Office; and
• the closure of the Office of the Coordinator for the 2010 Olympics and G8 Security following the completion of the G8 and G20 Summits.

For more details on Planned Spending and Total Authorities, please see the link to the Performance Summary Details (Annex I) in Section IV of this report.

Estimates by Vote

For information on PCO’s organizational votes and/or statutory expenditures, please see the Public Accounts of Canada 2010 (Volume II). An electronic version of the Public Accounts is available on the Public Works and Government Services Canada website.⁸

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