(Chapter 2—Governor in Council Appointments Process - March 2009 Status Report of the Auditor General)
Ottawa, 31 March 2009—There are still long delays in making Governor in Council (GIC) appointments to Crown corporations, small federal entities, and the Immigration and Refugee Board. This represents unsatisfactory progress since previous audits, says the Auditor General of Canada, Sheila Fraser, in a Status Report tabled today in the House of Commons.
A GIC appointment is an appointment made by the Cabinet and formally signed by the Governor General following the recommendation of the minister responsible for the organization. The Privy Council Office (PCO) oversees the administration of the GIC appointment process.
“Delays in making appointments can compromise an organization’s ability to function effectively,” said Ms. Fraser. “I am especially concerned about the consequences for the Immigration and Refugee Board, given the high financial, social, and human costs resulting from the Board’s backlog of unresolved claims.”
The audit found that the high number of vacancies on the Immigration and Refugee Board has contributed significantly to the backlog of refugee claims waiting to be heard. Turnover and vacancy rates for GIC-appointed positions at the Board were higher at the end of the audit than in 1997, when the Auditor General first raised the issue.
The audit also found that the lack of communication about appointments and reappointments among the PCO, ministers’ offices, entities, and appointees has led to considerable frustration. Individuals were left in the dark as to what was involved in the process. Some chairs and CEOs learned of their appointments through the media. In some cases, directors learned at a board meeting that they had been replaced days earlier, which also affected the corporation’s ability to manage the transition. Some members of small entities received no notice other than a call from the organization’s payroll department asking about termination arrangements.
“Poor communication shows a lack of respect for the individuals involved. These are important positions, and the problems we identified could discourage qualified people from accepting them,” said Ms. Fraser.
The Status Report follows up on the government’s progress in addressing issues identified in previous reports. Progress is deemed either satisfactory or unsatisfactory, taking into account the complexity and significance of the issues and the amount of time that has passed since the original audit.
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The chapter “Governor in Council Appointments Process” is available on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada website.
For more information, please click here.
