Response to parliamentary committees and external audits

Response to parliamentary committees

House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence^{Footnote 1}

On June 18, 2018, the House Standing Committee on National Defence released its 10^th report: Canada and NATO: An Alliance Forged in Strength and Reliability. The Committee studied Canada’s involvement in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and investigated the ways in which the country can remain a strong, reliable, and indispensable founding member of NATO. The Government Response to this report was presented to the House of Commons on October 16, 2018. The Government acknowledged the importance of a strong relationship with NATO and indicated its intent to continue demonstrating its commitment to the Alliance by maintaining high-quality interoperable and expeditionary forces which can be deployed on NATO operations, exercises, and activities. The Government will also continue to work to enhance Canada’s contribution to NATO. The response noted the additional contributions announced by the Prime Minister in July 2018, such as Canada assuming command of a new NATO training and capacity building mission in Iraq, beginning in fall 2018, and the support for NATO’s Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS).

House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs^{Footnote 2}

On May 24, 2018, the House Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs release its 9^th report: A Seamless Transition to Civilian Life for all Veterans: It’s Time for Action. The Committee studied the barriers and challenges faced by veterans transitioning to civilian life. The Government Response to this report was presented to the House of Commons on July 18, 2018. The response highlighted the Government’s commitment to continue its efforts to ensure the smooth and successful transition of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members to life after service and the ongoing initiatives to improve this transition and the delivery of services to military members, Veterans, and their families.

House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts^{Footnote 3}

On May 10, 2018, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts released its 46^th report: Report 6, Royal Military College of Canada – National Defence, of the Fall 2017 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada. The Committee studied the Royal Military College (RMC) of Canada’s role and purposes, its unique status as a defence university, and its standards of military leadership and proper conduct. The Committee made seven recommendations to National Defence to address the Office of the Auditor General (OAG)’s concerns, and help RMC achieve its mandate to develop future leaders of the CAF. The Government Response to this report was presented to the House of Commons on July 18, 2018. The Government acknowledged that it is of the utmost importance that RMC produces the best possible professional leaders with the ethical, mental, physical, and linguistic capabilities to lead members of the CAF. The response also highlighted the Government’s commitment to improve the instruction and governance at RMC and continue to work diligently to address the concerns identified in the Committee’s report.

Response to audits conducted by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada (including audits conducted by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development)

• Building and Implementing the Phoenix Pay System - Report 1 | Spring 2018 Reports of the Auditor General

  The objective of this audit was to determine whether Public Services and Procurement Canada effectively and efficiently managed the delivery of the Phoenix project. The Auditor General concluded that the Phoenix project was an incomprehensible failure of project management and oversight. The Auditor General also opined that the decision by Phoenix executives to implement Phoenix was unreasonable according to the information available at the time and, as a result, Phoenix has not met user needs, has cost the federal government hundreds of millions of dollars, and has financially affected tens of thousands of its employees.

  There were no recommendations for the Department of National Defence.

• Administration of Justice in the Canadian Armed Forces - Report 3 | Spring 2018 Reports of the Auditor General

  The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) administered the military justice system efficiently.  The Auditor General concluded that, for the period audited, the CAF did not administer the military justice system efficiently. There were delays throughout the various processes for both summary trials and court martial cases. In addition, systemic weaknesses, including the lack of time standards and poor communication, compromised the timely and efficient resolution of military justice cases. The Auditor General also concluded that the Office of the Judge Advocate General did not provide effective oversight of the military justice system and did not have the information needed to adequately oversee the military justice system.

  National Defence is taking steps to address the concerns the Auditor General highlighted in the report. – National Defence Management Action Plan

• Departmental Progress Made in Implementing Sustainable Development Strategies - Report 3 | Fall 2018 Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development 

  The objective of this audit was to determine whether the federal departments and agencies had examined adequately applied the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals and its related guidelines to policy, plan, and program proposals submitted for approval to Cabinet, including the Treasury Board Secretariat; and had adequately met their commitments to strengthening their strategic environmental assessment practices as outlined in their departmental sustainable development strategies, the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, and departmental responses to recommendations from past audits by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development. The Commissioner concluded that the organizations examined had adequately applied the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals to most policy, plan, and program proposals submitted for approval to Cabinet in 2017. Overall, the organizations had applied the directive to 93% of proposals, which represents a significant improvement in comparison with observations made in the previous reports on the same topic over the past five years. These organizations had also made satisfactory progress toward meeting their commitments to strengthening their strategic environmental assessment practices.

  There were no recommendations for the Department of National Defence.

• Conserving Federal Heritage Buildings - Report 2 | Fall 2018 Reports of the Auditor General

  The objective of this audit was to determine whether Parks Canada and selected departments, National Defence included, were working to conserve the heritage value and extend the physical life of federal heritage buildings and national historic sites for the enjoyment of present and future generations of Canadians. The Auditor General concluded that Parks Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and National Defence did not work sufficiently to conserve the heritage value and extend the physical life of federal heritage properties. They did not have a full picture of their heritage properties; for example, information on the condition of their heritage properties was not current. The life of some federal properties was at risk—properties that are for the enjoyment of present and future generations of Canadians. Heritage property designation included no additional funding to conserve buildings. Information to the public and to parliamentarians was also found to be inadequate. The Auditor General makes three recommendations in the report but only one involves the Department of National Defence.

  The Department of National Defence agrees with and is taking steps to address the recommendation to update asset management databases to have more complete information on numbers and condition of heritage properties. – National Defence Management Action Plan

• Canada’s Fighter Force - Report 3 | Fall 2018 Reports of the Auditor General

  The objective of this audit was to determine whether the Department of National Defence managed risks related to Canada’s fighter fleet to meet government commitments to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) until an operational replacement fleet is in place. The Auditor General concluded that the Department of National Defence had not done enough to manage risks related to Canada’s fighter aircraft fleet so that it can meet commitments to NORAD and NATO until a replacement fleet is in place. The Auditor General will explain that this is in part because of factors outside of National Defence control, due to uncertainty around when a replacement fighter fleet would be in place and due to increased operational requirements established by the government in 2016.

  The Department of National Defence agrees with the two recommendations in the report and is taking steps to address the concerns the Auditor General highlighted and the resulting recommendations to implement recruitment and retention strategies designed to meet operational requirements and prepare for transition to the replacement fleet; as well to analyze upgrades required to the fleet of CF-18s. – National Defence Management Action Plan

• Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour in the Canadian Armed Forces - Report 5 | Fall 2018 Reports of the Auditor General

  The objective of this audit was to determine whether the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) adequately responded to inappropriate sexual behaviour through actions to respond to and support victims and to understand and prevent such behaviour. The Auditor General concluded that the CAF  had not yet fully accomplished what it intended through its actions to respond to and support victims and to understand and prevent inappropriate sexual behaviour. The goal of the audit was not to conclude on the success of Operation HONOUR but to add value by providing an external review of the Forces’ progress at a point in time. The Auditor General made seven recommendations in his report that focused on the: balance of roles between the independent response centre (SMRC) and the internal CAF strategic response team; the establishment of an integrated, national approach to victim support; clarification of complaint processes and integrated victim case management, making victim support a top priority; guidance regarding “duty to report” in the context of inappropriate sexual behaviour; training that supports the goals of Operation HONOUR; performance measurement framework for Operation HONOUR; and the need for the CAF to expand its use of external subject matter experts, and information sources and evidence, to support performance measurement.

  The Department of National Defence is taking steps to address the issues raised by the Auditor General.  – National Defence Management Action Plan

Response to audits conducted by the Public Service Commission of Canada or the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages

Public Service Commission of Canada (PSC):

System Wide Staffing Audit: Integrity of the federal public service staffing system– Final Report

During Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-19, the PSC completed a System-Wide Staffing Audit. In all, 25 departments and agencies participated in the audit, providing a sample of 386 appointments. The audit had three objectives: to determine compliance on implementing the New Direction in Staffing requirements; to assess adherence to the Public Service Employment Act and other applicable statutes, the Appointment Policy, and the Appointment Delegation and Accountability Instrument; and to gauge stakeholders’ awareness and understanding of New Direction in Staffing requirements as well as their roles and responsibilities. There were four recommendations in the audit addressed to the PSC.

There were no recommendations for the Department of National Defence.

Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (OCOL):

There were no audits in FY 2018-19 requiring a response.