ARCHIVED - Privy Council Office and Public Appointments Commission Secretariat

• Previous Page
• Table of Contents
• Next Page

This page has been archived.

Section II – Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Strategic Outcome

The Privy Council Office has one Strategic Outcome:

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

Program Activity One:

Provide professional, non-partisan policy advice and support to the Prime Minister and portfolio ministers

Financial Resources (thousands of dollars)

	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11
Main Estimates	97,573	97,573	97,573
Planned Spending	99,473	99,623	98,642

Human Resources (full-time equivalents)

	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11
Main Estimates	734	734	734
Planned	744	744	744

Performance measurement

The Privy Council Office developed a Performance Measurement Framework for monitoring and measuring performance against the expected results for each Program Activity. We are presenting some performance indicators that will be reported on in our 2008-2009 Departmental Performance Report.

Activity	Description	Expected Result	Priorities Supported	Performance Indicators
Provide professional, non-partisan policy advice and support to the Prime Minister and portfolio ministers	To support the Prime Minister in carrying out his unique responsibilities as Head of Government, the Privy Council Office provides advice to the Prime Minister and portfolio ministers on policies; legislation and parliamentary issues facing the Government; appointments; and machinery of government issues. PCO also provides the Prime Minister’s Office and the offices of portfolio ministers with financial and administrative support.	The Prime Minister and portfolio ministers are able to carry out their respective responsibilities.	Support the Prime Minister in exercising his overall leadership responsibility Focus on key policy areas and strengthen medium-term policy planning Support management and accountability of government	The Prime Minister and portfolio ministers are provided with value-added5 information to make decisions Advice is provided in a timely manner PCO advice enables the Government to achieve its legislative and policy agenda The Prime Minister is supported for official visits The PMO and offices of portfolio ministers receive the necessary services and resources in a timely manner

5. Value-added means complete, accurate, relevant and timely.

Specific activities are highlighted in the following paragraphs.

The Privy Council Office, in consultation with other departments and agencies, provides advice to the Prime Minister on the full range of issues and policies (social, economic, environment, foreign and defence, security and intelligence, machinery of government), maintains inventories of senior personnel and monitors senior personnel performance.

PCO coordinates advice across relevant government departments and agencies including the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Department of National Defence, the Canadian International Development Agency and Public Safety Canada, undertakes research, and provides advice on matters related to security and intelligence, Canada-U.S. relations, foreign and defence policy issues, and international assistance.

PCO, in consultation with other departments and agencies, provides advice and support to the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister for Democratic Reform, and the Leader of the Government in the Senate and Secretary of State (Seniors), as well as the Cabinet decision-making system, on the development, coordination and implementation of the Government’s legislative program and the Government’s agenda of democratic reform.

PCO staff advise and support the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs by providing an integrated view of relations with the provinces and territories across the Government’s broad policy agenda. Advice and assistance are provided to develop federal-provincial-territorial strategies, advance broader government-wide priorities, and support the Minister’s participation in Cabinet committees and parliamentary activities.

PCO staff, as appropriate, consult with stakeholders, conduct research and prepare advice on intergovernmental relations. They provide a challenge function on policy developments that could have an impact on intergovernmental relations. They also provide liaison and advice on relations with the provinces and territories and the renewal of the federation; support communications and parliamentary affairs on issues and initiatives with important federal-provincial-territorial dimensions.  

PCO staff provide the required administrative and financial services to the PMO and the offices of the portfolio ministers.

Program Activity Two:

Provide policy advice and secretariat support to Cabinet and Cabinet committees

Financial Resources (thousands of dollars)

	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11
Main Estimates	20,763	20,763	20,763
Planned Spending	20,763	20,763	20,763

Human Resources (full-time equivalents)

	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11
Main Estimates	159	159	159
Planned	159	159	159

Activity	Description	Expected Result	Priorities Supported	Performance Indicators
Provide policy advice and secretariat support to Cabinet and Cabinet committees	To ensure the smooth functioning of Cabinet decision making, the Privy Council Office provides policy advice and secretariat support to the Cabinet and Cabinet committees. PCO provides secretariat support to Cabinet and Cabinet committees by preparing briefing material and distributing agendas and documents.	Functioning and integrity of Cabinet decision making are maintained.	Support the Prime Minister in exercising his overall leadership responsibility Focus on key policy areas and strengthen medium-term policy planning	The Cabinet has received value-added information for decision making. Cabinet documents are distributed in a timely manner to ministers Deputy ministers are regularly informed of Government agenda and activities. Departments are able to prepare Memoranda to Cabinet and ministerial presentations that propose action to implement the Government’s agenda.

The Privy Council Office facilitates integration across the federal community in support of the implementation of the Government’s agenda by departments and agencies. PCO engages in consultation, provides a challenge function and researches issues.

It helps coordinate the operation of Cabinet and Cabinet committees, including agenda-setting, meeting management and secretarial support, and provides expert advice to the Cabinet and the chairs of Cabinet committees on the full range of issues and policies.

In order to facilitate integration across the federal community and support the Cabinet decision-making process, PCO staff coordinate the management of deputy minister-level meetings and provide expert advice to the Clerk of the Privy Council on a range of policy issues, in consultation with stakeholders.

Program Activity Three:

Provide overall leadership and direction to the Public Service in support of the Government’s agenda

Financial Resources (thousands of dollars)

	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11
Main Estimates	3,573	3,573	3,573
Planned Spending	3,573	3,573	3,573

Human Resources (full-time equivalents)

	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11
Main Estimates	37	37	37
Planned	37	37	37

Activity	Description	Expected Result	Priorities Supported	Performance Indicators
Provide overall leadership and direction to the Public Service in support of the Government’s agenda	To foster a high-performing and accountable Public Service that has the talent, capacity and management frameworks to provide advice on and implement the Government’s agenda, PCO sets the strategic direction for the Public Service. It also plays a key role in the selection, management and development of senior leaders in the Public Service.	The Public Service has the talent, capacity and management frameworks to provide advice on and implement the Government’s agenda.	Support management and accountability of government	The Public Service is engaged in renewal activities. The Public Service Renewal initiative is provided with advice and support. The Committee of Senior Officials is provided with the support needed.

PCO provides leadership for public service renewal through research, analysis and planning. Staff work closely with other departments and agencies to undertake or arrange for the research and thinking needed to ensure that the Public Service can serve the government and Canadians with excellence over the next few decades.

PCO also works with other central agencies in the advancement of the Government's public service management agenda to ensure the development and implementation of human resource management policies and programs that support excellence in management and service delivery.

Another key role is to develop and deliver human resource management policies and services for the effective recruitment, selection, retention and management of Governor‑in-Council appointees, including deputy ministers, chief executive officers of Crown corporations and heads of agencies.

In addition, PCO staff provide the support for the Deputy Minister Committee of Senior Officials (COSO) that is needed for members to understand and manage the challenges facing the leadership cadre of the Public Service and to develop a culture of high performance to ensure institutions have the capacity, now and in the future, to support and deliver on the Government’s agenda. Staff also provide expert advice to the Associate Secretary to the Cabinet and the Clerk of the Privy Council on issues related to the committee’s work.

Program Activity Four:

Provide commissions of inquiry with financial and administrative support

Financial Resources (thousands of dollars)

	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11
Main Estimates	1,316	-	-
Planned Spending	1,316	-	-

Human Resources (full-time equivalents)

	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11
Main Estimates	4	-	-
Planned	4	-	-

Activity	Description	Expected Result	Priorities Supported	Performance Indicators
Provide commissions of inquiry with financial  and administrative support	The Privy Council Office provides financial and administrative advice, guidance and support to commissions of inquiry from initial start-up to conclusion.	Commissions of inquiry receive required resources as well as advice and guidance on financial and administrative matters.	Strengthen PCO’s internal management practices	The commissions of inquiry have received appropriate resources in a timely manner.

Commissions of inquiry receive administrative and financial support from the Privy Council Office. When such an entity is created, PCO is responsible for initiating arrangements for accommodation, furnishings and equipment to ensure that the work of the commission, task force or inquiry proceeds efficiently. PCO also ensures that administrative advice and support are provided to each commission on an ongoing basis for hiring staff, acquisition services, contracting, financial services, access to funding, records management, payroll support, posting of transcripts on the Internet, translation, security and systems support. 

• Previous Page
• Table of Contents
• Next Page