Departmental Results Report 2020-21
The Hon. Harjit S. Sajjan, PC, OMM, MSM, CD, MP
Minister of National Defence
Catalogue No: DG2-7E-PDF
ISSN: 2560-9521
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2021
Table of contents
- From the Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer
- Results at a glance and operating context
- Results: what we achieved
- Analysis of trends in spending and human resources
- Corporate Information
- Supporting information on the program inventory
- Supplementary information tables
- Federal tax expenditures
- Organizational contact information
- Appendix: definitions
- Endnotes
From the Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer
As the Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, I am pleased to submit the 2020-21 Departmental Results Report of the Military Grievances External Review Committee.
This was an unprecedented time for the entire world, Canadians and the Committee. There is no denying the COVID-19 pandemic re-defined our daily lives both personally and professionally. However, it can equally be said this was an unprecedented time because we not only adapted, but thrived.
This report presents the successes achieved in year two of the Committee's three-year strategic framework. We made significant investments in our processes, our tools and our people, driven by a focus on modernization, continuous improvement and innovation.
Operations and Corporate Services met planned targets. We issued 290 Findings and Recommendations reports, continued to examine the grievance review process for efficiencies, advanced the shift to a digital, greener and leaner workplace, and staffed several vacancies innovatively and quickly to ensure business continuity. We also focussed on the health and wellness of staff, particularly ensuring their work from home scenario was efficient, safe and healthy.
Yes, it was a challenging year, but I admit it was inspiring as well. I saw Committee Members and employees demonstrate immeasurable dedication and strength of spirit. They approached their duties with fervour and the quality of their work attested to an impressive resolve and meticulousness.
As we settle into the next fiscal year, I am already encouraged by the team's energy, focus and productivity. The Committee will continue to reach new milestones in delivering its mandate of serving the Canadian Armed Forces and its members. I cannot be anything but proud to lead this inspiring team.
(Original signed by)
Christine Guérette, CPA, CGA
Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer
Results at a glance and operating context
Despite a challenging year, Committee Members and grievance review teams succeeded in issuing 290 Findings and Recommendations (F&R) reports in the second year of its three-year strategic plan. This ranks as the second highest number of reports issued within a fiscal year at the Military Grievances External Review Committee (the Committee) in the last 10 fiscal years. Furthermore, the Committee implemented improved business practices, such as digitizing the entire flow of the grievance review process from reception, analysis, case conferences and issuing reports to the Final Authority (FA) and the grievors.
Harnessing human capital and embracing innovative approaches to work are key to our success. All key positions in the grievance review process were staffed in the third and fourth quarters of 2020-21, following a rigorous staffing process that successfully recruited talented team players. These individuals are expected to be fully trained in 2021. Current employees qualified, through a rigorous competitive process, to fill key vacancies that align with our succession planning and professional development strategies. To continue providing the Chief of the Defense Staff (CDS) and the grievor with F&Rs expeditiously, the Committee launched additional staffing processes to ensure a continuity in operations and to have a pool of talented candidates for positions that cannot be staffed internally. Simultaneously, we looked at succession planning for those experienced employees who will be retiring in the near future or could be absent for a determinate period.
The Committee also undertook a deep business process review. While it is still ongoing, consultations with staff and Committee Members have taken place and the goal is to both optimize the process and implement the results in 2021.
For more information on the Military Grievances External Review Committee's plans, priorities and results achieved, see the "Results: what we achieved" section of this report.
Results: what we achieved
Core responsibility
Description:
The Military Grievances External Review Committee – an independent tribunal – reviews military grievances, which are referred to it, pursuant to section 29 of the National Defence Act (NDA). Section 29 provides a statutory right for an officer or a non-commissioned member, who has been aggrieved by a decision, an act or an omission in the administration of the affairs of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), to submit a grievance. This is, with certain narrow exceptions, the only formal complaint process available to members of the CAF.
The Committee is required to provide its F&Rs to the CDS and the member who submitted the grievance. The F&Rs may identify issues with policies or other matters of broad concern. The Committee conducts its review as informally and expeditiously as the circumstances and the considerations of fairness permit.
The Committee reports the results of its activities through its annual report and various publications.
Results:
Gender-based analysis plus
The Committee included Gender-based analysis plus (GBA plus) training in its mandatory training curriculum for all its employees. By the end of 2020-2021, 72% of Committee employees had successfully completed training.
Experimentation
The year of the pandemic was a year of experimentation by default, requiring all Government of Canada (GC) organizations to think outside the box and do things differently. At the Committee, this was particularly true of staffing initiatives, training and case conferences.
- The Committee developed and implemented innovative tools (written exams and interviews via Zoom) to evaluate candidates and keep up the momentum in the hiring of new employees. Hiring from outside the National Capital Region (NCR) permitted not only timely hiring but also acquiring high quality candidates. We applied a virtual onboarding approach for new employees to ensure a comprehensive and welcoming integration.
- The Committee offered new training throughout the year that specifically complimented virtual work scenario.
- The Committee successfully delivered case conferences virtually, via Zoom. Case conferences are crucial to the challenge function and free and open exchange of ideas, perspectives and the production of F&Rs at the Committee. Virtual was the only way to conduct case conferences in a COVID-19 world. Being able to do it in this way helped mitigate the impersonal nature of telephone conferences as a medium of collaboration and ensured the Committee would deliver on its mandate successfully.
Results achieved
This reporting year was especially challenging for the Committee for two reasons. First, we received a high number of grievance referrals from the CAF. This increase, which could not have been predicted, augmented the backlog of grievance files to review.
Secondly, in March 2020, Canada started feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and this too had a significant impact on the Committee. Like all GC organizations, we had an 'in office' organization and, up until the pandemic, telework was the exception rather than the rule. Over the course of one day, the Committee pivoted to an exclusively telework model. Although the Committee was already studying an expansion of its telework policy, it was not equipped for this overnight transition. Not knowing when or if the Committee would return to its 'in office' operations, this was the moment to act quickly and advance the implementation of the Committee's vision of a fully digitized and online tribunal. We chose to focus our efforts on putting in place the technology, equipment and supervisory structures to ensure a quick transition to the new circumstances and ensure employees were appropriately set-up and supported in doing their work remotely on a permanent basis.
Given that telework remains the rule even today, it is clear the Committee made the right decision, even though it was not without a cost. In order to ensure continuity of operations and to address the backlog, some of the Committee's strategic priorities had to be postponed to properly implement the vision sooner than originally planned. It is against this backdrop that the key achievements are presented.
Despite these challenges, it is worth highlighting again that the Committee completed 290 grievance reviews, the second highest number over the past 10 years. With respect to streamlining its operations, the Committee implemented a large electronic file transfer capability. In previous years, due to technological limitations, the Committee had to photocopy/print and mail large grievance files to grievors upon completion of a file. Aside from being inefficient, it was particularly impractical during the pandemic. Now the Committee has the capability to send large files electronically. In addition, prior to the pandemic, the file review process was still not fully paperless. However, with the pandemic, in order to be able to continue operations, the Committee had to quickly shift to paperless, with very few exceptions such as files containing "secret" information. This initiative renders the Committee much more efficient. Again, due to COVID-19, the Committee adopted new technologies such as Zoom to carry out meetings that were previously held in person. The Committee has adapted exceedingly well to this platform and its operations are more efficient and more effective than pre-COVID.
The Committee made strides on the business process review. All consultations were completed and took into consideration the fact that moving forward, the Committee will likely adopt a hybrid work model with employees able to work both from home and the office. The review confirmed and validated that the Committee has a well-established process that relies on the collaboration of all team members to produce high quality findings and recommendations reports. While areas for adjustment/improvement have been identified, the changes to the process will not be drastic but will result in efficiency gains. These improvements will be implemented in 2021-22.
In terms of streamlining its operations and based on the results of the "special team" that was added in the last reporting year, the Committee expanded the special team in order to increase its ability to review files. The Committee also leveraged the specialized knowledge of certain teams by ensuring that files requiring that knowledge were assigned to those teams.
The Committee had planned to undertake a review of the structure of the Operations Division. Of course, to ensure the proper alignment of resources to task, this review could not be undertaken until the business process review has been completed. Nonetheless, the Committee added a management position to provide support to the Operations. This has effectively allowed the team to focus more on reviewing grievances and producing F&Rs.
Two initiatives arose that, while not captured in the Departmental Plan, nonetheless required the Committee's full attention. In the fall of 2020, the Minister of National Defence announced the launch of the 3rd Independent Review of the NDA, to be conducted by retired Supreme Court Justice Morris Fish. He met with the Committee on two separate occasions and the Committee's two submissions on potential amendments to the NDA, to improve the functioning of the Canadian Armed Forces Grievance System (CAFGS), were prepared in short order. The submissions represented a significant strategic opportunity for the Committee to help improve the CAFGS.
The second initiative relates to staffing. During the early days of the pandemic, the Committee suffered from a shortage of grievance officers. In order to fill those positions and establish a pool of qualified candidates, the Committee had to re-evaluate its Human Resources (HR) competencies requirements and its pre-pandemic staffing process. In doing so, the Committee made three significant changes to its model. First, it created a repeatable online hiring process. Secondly, it created an online training program. Thirdly, it determined that key staff could be hired from outside the NCR, who would telework on a permanent basis. This has had positive results for the Committee as it is no longer reliant on an in-person process to hire staff and it can widen its area of selection to attract the highest quality of diverse candidates.
While the pandemic has had profound effects around the world, the Committee was able to successfully move its strategic deliverables forward while delivering extremely favourable operational results. We are now well-placed for the future as we are no longer reliant on a physical office space.
| Departmental results | Performance indicators | Target | Date to achieve target | 2018–19 Actual results |
2019–20 Actual results | 2020–21 Actual results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR1 – Findings and Recommendations on all referred military grievances are provided in a timely manner | DRI1 - % of written Findings and Recommendations that are issued within four months of receipt (service standard) | 75% of Findings and Recommendations issued within 4 months of receipt | March 31, 2021 | 0% | 5.08% | 16.26% |
| DR2 – The Chief of Defence Staff is able to rely on the Committee's Findings and Recommendations in the military grievances decision-making process | DRI2 – Achievement of a rating by the Chief of Defence Staff of at least 4 out of 5 on each of the following attributes related to Findings and Recommendations issued by the Committee: usefulness, clarity, and completeness | A cumulative minimum average of 4 out of 5 for each attribute | March 31, 2021 | Usefulness: 5/5 Clarity: 5/5 Completeness 5/5 |
Usefulness: 4.96/5 Clarity: 5/5 Completeness 4.91/5 |
Usefulness: 4.94/5 Clarity: 5/5 Completeness 5/5 |
NOTE: The Committee currently has a backlog of grievance files. As a result, the average age of a file, before it is assessed, is more often in excess of four months. This working reality is reflected in the statistics reported in the table above. Notwithstanding the current challenges, it should be noted that the CDS finds the Committee's F&Rs offer vital value to the CAF.
Although the Committee faces a backlog from previous years, the Operations Team was able to process grievances within an average five-month period in 2020-21. The Committee put into place a special team to assist in completing additional F&R reports, reducing the time required to complete grievance reviews, and successfully restored optimal staffing levels towards the third quarter of 2020-21. Having completed more F&R reports than the number of referrals received in 2020-21 also contributed to reducing the backlog.
| 2020–21 Main Estimates |
2020–21 Planned spending |
2020–21 Total authorities available for use |
2020–21 Actual spending (authorities used) |
2020–21 Difference (Actual spending minus Planned spending) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $4,474,342 | $4,474,342 | $4,999,673 | $4,978,501 | -$21,172 |
| 2020–21 Planned full-time equivalents |
2020–21 Actual full-time equivalents |
2020–21 Difference (Actual full-time equivalents minus Planned full-time equivalents) |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | 34 | -1 |
Financial, human resources and performance information for the Military Grievances External Review Committee's Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBaseFootnote i.
Internal Services
Description
Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct service categories that support Program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. The 10 service categories are:
- Acquisition Management Services
- Communication Services
- Financial Management Services
- Human Resources Management Services
- Information Management Services
- Information Technology Services
- Legal Services
- Material Management Services
- Management and Oversight Services
- Real Property Management Services
The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions pushed the Committee, like all GC organizations, into a full-time, long-term work from home scenario. Perhaps like never before, this reality positioned Corporate Services at the forefront, as it needed to take care of employees and ensure continuity and continuation of organization business in uncertain times.
Even if the Committee had been paying particular attention to innovation through the design of business processes and digital tools in recent years, the transition to telework required rapid response and further corporate investments in communications, technology, digital competencies, and the mental health and safety of our employees.
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the HR team developed innovative ways of staffing positions, including different assessment methods and increased use of technologies. New options to attract and retain members of employment equity groups were also explored. The Committee also reviewed its performance management measures to be implemented this fiscal year.
In light of the pandemic, the safety and security of employees was the priority. The Committee worked to provide all staff with necessary tools and ergonomic equipment, as needed. While access to the office was controlled, a plan for the return to the workplace was developed as was a COVID-19 lessons learned in order to identify potential gaps in emergency preparedness.
The ongoing investment in digital tools shifted quickly from a priority to a necessity. In addition to the acquisition of computer equipment to expand the digital experience of employees at home, Corporate Services allotted a great deal of time, effort and money to the exploration and implementation of new telecommunications tools and systems to render the Committee's communications more efficient and secure. Early on in 2020, the Committee completed its cut the cord initiative. The Committee also implemented electronic authorizations and signatures in all official documents, ensuring both Operations and Corporate Services were able to conduct business with greater efficiency.
With the digital age taking on new meaning in the context of a pandemic, the Committee developed an enhanced training curriculum to integrate learning focused on the digital skills needed to help employees work more efficiently and effectively from home. Information Management Services not only developed plain-language guides, but also delivered courses to staff on how to use the new tools at their disposal.
At the outset of 2020, the Committee developed, approved and began implementation of an internal communications plan, with a strong focus on enhanced employee engagement. It envisioned myriad virtual-based and digital connections with staff, endeavouring to be present, transparent, collaborative and, above all, supportive of staff's mental health. Activities included monthly virtual all-staff meetings, a 20th anniversary virtual celebration, Chairperson's 'Coffee with the Chair' with individual teams, surveys to staff related to how they were coping with work from home, consultation with staff regarding their vision for the future of the Committee workplace and regular blog posts from the Directors-General and the Chairperson. Communications also developed a new intranet, which not only included a user-friendly navigation system and a more detailed inventory of internal information, but also incorporated new content related to wellness and GC-wide initiatives.
The shift to a virtual workplace had the peculiar effect of making the mental health of employees simply more obvious. As such, management was compelled to devise a conscious plan to tend to the mental health of their employees. In particular, the Committee worked to meet the regulation on prevention of harassment and violence in the workplace. A prevention of harassment and violence in the workplace program was established, including the development of a policy with a comprehensive training program.
| 2020–21 Main Estimates |
2020–21 Planned spending |
2020–21 Total authorities available for use |
2020–21 Actual spending (authorities used) |
2020–21 Difference (Actual spending minus Planned spending) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $2,409.261 | $2,409,261 | $2,651,184 | $2,216,719 | -$434,465 |
| 2020–21 Planned full-time equivalents |
2020–21 Actual full-time equivalents |
2020–21 Difference (Actual full-time equivalents minus Planned full-time equivalents) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | 14 | -1 |
Financial, human resources and performance information for the Military Grievances External Review Committee's Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBaseFootnote ii.
Analysis of trends in spending and human resources
Actual expenditures
The following graph presents planned (voted and statutory spending) over time.
Departmental spending trend graph - Text version
| 2018-2019 | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 | 2023-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statutory | 600 | 653 | 802 | 627 | 627 | 627 |
| Voted | 5,710 | 5,723 | 6,393 | 6,358 | 6,365 | 6,365 |
| Total | 6,310 | 6,376 | 7,195 | 6,985 | 6,992 | 6,992 |
For more information on these results, please refer to the budgetary performance summary for Programs and Internal Services table below.
| Core responsibilities and Internal Services | 2020–21 Main Estimates |
2020–21 Planned spending |
2021–22 Planned spending |
2022–23 Planned spending |
2020–21 Total authorities available for use |
2018–19 Actual spending (authorities used) | 2019–20 Actual spending (authorities used) | 2020–21 Actual spending (authorities used) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Review of Military Grievances | $4,474,342 | $4,474,342 | $4,638,896 | $4,544,705 | $4,999,673 | $4,053,377 | $4,157,427 | $4,978,501 |
| Subtotal | 4,474,342 | 4,474,342 | 4,638,896 | 4,544,705 | 4,999,673 | 4,053,377 | 4,157,427 | 4,978,501 |
| Internal Services | 2,409,261 | 2,409,261 | 2,346,188 | 2,447,149 | 2,651,184 | 2,256,512 | 2,218,457 | 2,216,719 |
| Total | $6,883,603 | $6,883,603 | $6,985,084 | $6,991,854 | $7,650,857 | $6,309,889 | $6,375,884 | $7,195,220 |
The actual spending of $7.195 million for 2020-21 is significantly higher than the actual spending of $6.376 million for 2019-20, representing an increase of $819 thousand. The variance is mostly explained by the retro and in-year adjustments for the ratification of the collective agreements for the Program and Administrative Services (PA) and Computer Systems (CS) groups. In addition, the number of full-time equivalents increased in 2020-21. The increase in salary expenditures was offset by a decrease in professional services, due to lower contract requirements in 2020-21 than the previous year.
The retro and in-year adjustments for the PA and CS groups also explain the variance between Planned Spending for 2020-21 and Actual Spending (increase of $311 000).
Actual human resources
| Core responsibilities and Internal Services | 2018–19 Actual full-time equivalents | 2019–20 Actual full-time equivalents | 2020–21 Planned full-time equivalents |
2020–21 Actual full-time equivalents | 2021–22 Planned full-time equivalents | 2022–23 Planned full-time equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Review of Military Grievances | 27 | 30 | 35 | 34 | 38 | 37 |
| Subtotal | 27 | 30 | 35 | 34 | 38 | 37 |
| Internal Services | 12 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 12 |
| Total | 39 | 45 | 50 | 48 | 50 | 49 |
The actual full-time equivalents (FTEs) in 2020-21 (48) are higher than in 2019-20 (45) as the Committee continued to welcome new employees to increase the production of Findings and Recommendations. As we continue to anticipate an increase in the number of grievance cases referred to the Committee, staffing of positions will continue to be a priority for 2021-22. A slight reduction in FTEs is projected for the upcoming years, as we believe the volume of F&R reports should remain constant.
Expenditures by vote
For information on the Military Grievances External Review Committee's organizational voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada 2020–2021.Footnote iii
Government of Canada spending and activities
Information on the alignment of the Military Grievances External Review Committee's spending with the Government of Canada's spending and activities is available in GC InfoBase.Footnote iv
Financial statements and financial statements highlights
Financial statements
The Military Grievances External Review Committee's financial statements (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2021, are available on the departmental websiteFootnote v.
Financial statement highlights
| Financial information | 2020–21 Planned results |
2020–21 Actual results |
2019–20 Actual results |
Difference (2020–21 Actual results minus 2020–21 Planned results) |
Difference (2020–21 Actual results minus 2019–20 Actual results) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | $7,340,000 | $8,033,332 | $6,968,367 | $693,332 | $1,064,965 |
| Total revenues | 1,000 | 145 | 0 | -855 | 145 |
| Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | $7,339,000 | $8,033,187 | $6,968,367 | $694,187 | $1,064,820 |
The majority of the Committee's expenses relate to salaries, office space rental and professional services. In line with the ratification of PA and CS collective agreements, and the increase in actual FTEs in 2020-21, the variance between the 2019-20 and the 2020-21 actual results is mostly attributed to an increase in employee wages. The increase was partly offset by a reduction in professional services and information expenditures in 2020-2021.
| Financial information | 2020–21 | 2019–20 | Difference (2020–21 minus 2019–20) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total net liabilities | $1,203,633 | $985,553 | $218,080 |
| Total net financial assets | 611,223 | 623,469 | -12,246 |
| Departmental net debt | 592,410 | 362,084 | 230,326 |
| Total non-financial assets | 749,056 | 894,180 | -145,124 |
| Departmental net financial position | $156,646 | $532,096 | -$375,450 |
The variance in Departmental net debt is mostly attributable to a significant increase in allowance for vacation pay of employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation. The Departmental net debt has also increased due to the change in method of calculating severance benefits for employees who did not withdraw their accumulated benefits.
The variance in non-financial assets is a combination of amortization and a decrease in capital asset acquisitions in 2020-21.
Corporate Information
Organizational profile
Appropriate minister[s]: The Hon. Harjit S. Sajjan PC, OMM, MSM, CD, MP
Institutional head: Christine Guérette, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer
Ministerial portfolio: National Defence
Enabling instrument[s]: National Defence Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. N-5Footnote vi
Year of incorporation / commencement: 2000
Other: About the CommitteeFootnote vii
Raison d'être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do
"Raison d'être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do" is available on the Military Grievances External Review Committee's websiteFootnote viii.
For more information on the department's organizational mandate letter commitments, see the Minister's mandate letterFootnote ix.
Operating context
Information on the operating context is available on the Military Grievances External Review Committee's websiteFootnote x.
Reporting framework
The Military Grievances External Review Committee's approved departmental results framework and program inventory for 2020–21 are as follows.
Text Version
| Departmental Results Framework | CR1 – Independent Review of Military grievances | Internal Services | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Departmental Result 1: Findings and recommendations on all referred military grievances are provided in a timely manner |
Departmental Result Indicator 1: % of written findings and recommendations that are issued within four months of receipt (service standard) |
||
| Departmental Result 2: The Committee provides Findings and Recommendations to the Final Authority (FA) that are clear, complete and useful in the military grievances decision-making process |
Departmental Result Indicator 2: Achievement of a rating by the Final Authority (FA) of at least 4 out of 5 on each of the following attributes related to Findings and Recommendations issued by the Committee: usefulness, clarity, and completeness (service standard) |
||
| Program Inventory | Independent Review of Military Grievances | ||
Supporting information on the program inventory
Financial, human resources and performance information for the Military Grievances External Review Committee's Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBase.Footnote xi
Supplementary information tables
The following supplementary information tables are available on the Military Grievances External Review Committee's websiteFootnote xii:
Federal tax expenditures
The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures.Footnote xv This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs as well as evaluations and GBA Plus of tax expenditures.
Organizational contact information
60 Queen Street, 10th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5Y7
Canada
Telephone: (613) 996-8529
Toll-Free Telephone: 877-276-4193
Fax: (613) 996-6491
Email: mgerc-ceegm@mgerc-ceegm.gc.caFootnote xvi
Web: https://www.canada.ca/en/military-grievances-external-review.htmlFootnote xvii
Appendix: definitions
- appropriation (crédit)
- Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
- budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)
- Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.
- core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)
- An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.
- Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)
- A report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a 3‑year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament each spring.
- departmental priority (priorité)
- A plan or project that a department has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired departmental results.
- departmental result (résultat ministériel)
- A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. A departmental result is often outside departments' immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.
- departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)
- A quantitative measure of progress on a departmental result.
- departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)
- A framework that connects the department's core responsibilities to its departmental results and departmental result indicators.
- Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)
- A report on a department's actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.
- experimentation (expérimentation)
- The conducting of activities that seek to first explore, then test and compare the effects and impacts of policies and interventions in order to inform evidence-based decision-making, and improve outcomes for Canadians, by learning what works, for whom and in what circumstances. Experimentation is related to, but distinct from innovation (the trying of new things), because it involves a rigorous comparison of results. For example, using a new website to communicate with Canadians can be an innovation; systematically testing the new website against existing outreach tools or an old website to see which one leads to more engagement, is experimentation.
- full‑time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)
- A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person‑year charge against a departmental budget. For a particular position, the full‑time equivalent figure is the ratio of number of hours the person actually works divided by the standard number of hours set out in the person's collective agreement.
- gender-based analysis plus (GBA plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS plus])
- An analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and services based on multiple factors including race ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.
- government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
- For the purpose of the 2020–21 Departmental Results Report, those high-level themes outlining the government's agenda in the 2019 Speech from the Throne, namely: Fighting climate change; Strengthening the Middle Class; Walking the road of reconciliation; Keeping Canadians safe and healthy; and Positioning Canada for success in an uncertain world.
- horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
- An initiative where two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.
- non‑budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)
- Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.
- performance (rendement)
- What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.
- performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)
- A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an organization, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.
- performance reporting (production de rapports sur le rendement)
- The process of communicating evidence‑based performance information. Performance reporting supports decision making, accountability and transparency.
- plan (plan)
- The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead to the expected result.
- planned spending (dépenses prévues)
- For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in Main Estimates.
- A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.
- program (programme)
- Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.
- program inventory (répertoire des programmes)
- Identifies all the department's programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department's core responsibilities and results.
- result (résultat)
- A consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the organization's influence.
- statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)
- Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.
- target (cible)
- A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.
- voted expenditures (dépenses votées)
- Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an appropriation act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.