2016-2017 Departmental Results Report

Chairperson’s Message

As Chairperson of the Parole Board of Canada (PBC), it is my pleasure to present the Departmental Results Report (DRR) for fiscal year 2016-17.  This report provides parliamentarians and Canadians with an overview of the PBC’s performance in delivering on its established plans and priorities.  To improve reporting to Canadians, the government introduced a new, simplified report to replace the Departmental Performance Report (DPR).

Since 1959, Board members and public servants at the PBC have worked hard to contribute to a safe and secure Canada.  As an agency within the Public Safety of Canada portfolio, the PBC provides independent, quality conditional release and record suspension decisions and clemency recommendations, in an open and accountable manner, while respecting the rights and dignity of both offenders and victims, in accordance with its statutory responsibilities and authorities.

It’s been a year of amazing achievements, between administering legislative responsibilities, clearing the pardons backlog, the successful implementation of the E-File project, continuing to embrace new technologies to improve the way we work, our ongoing services to victims, and our work in the area of Indigenous offenders. I am immensely proud of the work the PBC continues to do.

Our work to strengthen the efficiency of the PBC to meet the need of Indigenous offenders, victims and communities continues to ensure that systemic barriers to Indigenous involvement in relation to conditional release and record suspensions are addressed.

The PBC also vigorously worked on the pardons backlog and completed our objective of processing and completing 3,865 pardon applications which resulted in elimination of the pardon’s backlog.

In terms of performance results in 2016-17, the PBC completed 15,451 conditional release reviews for federal and provincial/territorial offenders.  Data over the last ten years continued to demonstrate that parole contributes to public safety as 99% of releases on parole did not result in a conviction for a new violent offence prior to warrant expiry.  As well, over 99% of offenders who completed their sentences on full parole within the last five years have not re-offended and returned to a federal penitentiary because of a new violent offence.

The PBC’s accomplishments reflect our ability to respond to a changing environment with innovative thinking, continuous stakeholder engagement and the application of fairness in decision-making.

Once again this year, I want to acknowledge the exceptional performance by our Board members and public service employees and their profound contributions to the PBC.  This year’s accomplishments and results underline the outstanding work being done at the PBC in keeping Canada safe and secure.

________________________
Harvey Cenaiko
Chairperson, Parole Board of Canada

Results at a glance

Results for the PBC include:

For more information on the department’s plans, priorities and results achieved, see the “Results: what we achieved” section of this report.

Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do

Raison d’être

The PBC is an agency within the Public Safety portfolio.

The PBC is an independent administrative tribunal that has exclusive jurisdiction and absolute discretion under the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA) to grant, cancel, terminate or revoke day parole, full parole, and authorize or approve temporary absences. The PBC can also terminate or revoke statutory release.  The PBC may also order (on referral by the Correctional Service Canada (CSC)) that certain offenders be held in custody until the end of their sentence. This is called detention during a period of statutory release.  Furthermore, the PBC is responsible for imposing, modifying or removing release conditions on temporary absences, day parole, full parole, statutory release, and long-term supervision.

The PBC also has exclusive jurisdiction and absolute discretion to order, refuse to order, or revoke a record suspension under the Criminal Records Act (CRA).  In addition, the PBC is authorized to modify or remove driving prohibitions under Section 109 and to investigate Royal Prerogative of Mercy (RPM) requests under Section 110 of the CCRA.  The PBC also provides recommendations on clemency to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

Mandate and role

The PBC makes conditional release decisions for federal offenders, (i.e., those serving sentences of two years or more), and for offenders serving sentences of less than two years in provinces and territories that do not have their own parole boards.  Only the provinces of Ontario and Quebec currently have their own parole boards, which make parole decisions for provincial offenders.

The PBC is the federal agency responsible for processing record suspensions for convictions under federal acts or regulations of Canada and to review clemency applications, conduct investigations (at the direction of the Minister of Public Safety), and make recommendations to the Minister regarding whether to grant the clemency request.

In addition to the raison d’être above, the PBC has legislated responsibilities related to openness and accountability, which are the provision of information to victims of crime and observers at hearings, access to the PBC’s decision registry, and delivery of a program of public information.

For more general information about the department, see the “Supplementary Information” section of this report. For more information on the department’s organizational mandate letter commitments, see the Minister’s mandate letter.

Operating context and key risks

Operating context

The PBC works in a challenging environment that demands effective alignment to the Government of Canada’s outcome of a safe and secure Canada, and careful assessment of criminal justice issues and community concerns.  Public safety remains the PBC’s primary consideration in all aspects of decision-making policy, training, and operations.

As an independent, administrative tribunal, the PBC contributes to public safety by making quality conditional release and record suspension decisions and clemency recommendations, in an open and accountable manner, while respecting the rights and dignity of both offenders and victims, in accordance with its statutory responsibilities and authorities.

The PBC must deal with legislated responsibilities for sharing appropriate information with victims of crime, offenders, other criminal justice partners, and the public.  In this environment, strategic information management is crucial, requiring the PBC to have the automated systems necessary to support effective collection, storage, and sharing of information.

The PBC proactively works with its criminal justice partners to coordinate, oversee and analyze legislative amendments and government initiatives, specifically in relation to our conditional release and record suspension programs.  The pace and complexity of proposed legislative changes, the impact of litigation, and the greater number of precedents created by the PBC have grown exponentially over the last few years and have had a continuous impact on the PBC’s operations.

In addition, with the disproportionate number of Indigenous offenders in federal corrections, the PBC has a responsibility to ensure that Indigenous offenders are aware of their rights with respect to conditional release and record suspensions and that there are no systemic barriers to Indigenous involvement in these areas.  We continued to work with stakeholders to support the reintegration of Indigenous offenders in the community and address the needs of Indigenous victims.

A key challenge for the PBC is to stabilize its workforce and funding as well as to strengthen succession planning in relation to both Board members and its public service staff.  It is essential for the PBC to maintain sufficient numbers of Board members, who are Governor-in-Council term appointments.  To this end, the PBC continued to ensure that it identified sufficient numbers of qualified candidates for consideration for selection as Board members.

For the foreseeable future, the PBC will face complex and growing workload pressures in areas of legislated responsibility.  For this reason, strong strategic management of financial resources is essential in order to closely monitor impacts and identify opportunities to reallocate and re-invest in the PBC’s programs in line with changing priorities.

Key risks

The risk response strategies outlined below were revised following the tabling of the 2016-17 Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP). As such, the reporting reflects the operational realities based on priorities that emerged during the fiscal year. The mitigation strategy information below provides a summary of the action plans used to reduce the risk likelihood and impact. All risks identified are existing risks for the PBC.

Results: what we achieved

Programs

Conditional Release Decisions

Description

Conditional release is based on the principle that community safety is enhanced by the gradual release of offenders to the community when appropriate.  Quality decisions based on the risk of re-offending, in conjunction with effective programs and treatment, and effective community supervision all contribute to the process.  Through this program, PBC staff provides timely, accurate information for Board member decision-making, and develops training and policies that are essential tools for risk assessment and decision-making.

Results

Information on performance demonstrates that the PBC achieved the priorities and commitments identified in its 2016-17 RPP.  In 2016-17, the PBC completed 15,451 conditional release reviews for federal and provincial/territorial offenders.

Multi-year data continues to confirm that parole contributes to public safety.  Over the last ten years, 99% of releases on parole did not result in a conviction for a new violent offence prior to warrant expiry, and over 99% of offenders who completed their sentences on full parole within the last five years have not re-offended and returned to a federal penitentiary because of a new violent offence.

Board members are responsible for making conditional release decisions using risk assessment tools that take into consideration risk factors and the future risk of recidivism of the offender.  The PBC is mandated under the CCRA to respect gender, ethnical and cultural needs of women, Indigenous peoples, and other groups.  In 2016-17, 605 elder-assisted hearings were conducted an increase from 405 in 2015-16.  This is due to in-reach activities conducted with Indigenous offenders by the PBC.

The percentage of decisions that are not modified by the Appeal Division decreased during 2016-17 to 75%, which is lower than the target and prior year results. This decrease is explained by litigation decisions relating to legislative and policy changes.

During 2016-17, spending of financial resources for the Conditional Release Decision responsibility was lower than planned due to in part to vacancies in some positions.  The PBC intentionally did not spend all of its available funds in 2016-17 in order to earmark funds for carry-forward to cover retroactive payments to employees for expired collective agreements, which the PBC will need to fund once these are ratified and signed.  As the largest program at the PBC, the Conditional Release Decision responsibility has the highest amount of funds set aside for this purpose.

Results achieved

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

Human resources (FTEs)

Conditional Release Openness and Accountability

Description

This program ensures that the PBC operates in an open and accountable manner, consistent with the provisions of the CCRA.  This program works with victims of crime and the general public by providing information, including access to the PBC's registry of decisions, as well as providing assistance for observers at hearings.  The program also works to encourage citizen engagement, investigates tragic incidents in the community, monitors the PBC's performance and reports on conditional release processes.

Results

The PBC continued to face important challenges related to the openness and accountability provisions of the CCRA, especially with respect to sharing information with victims of crime and with others wishing to observe PBC hearings or gain access to the PBC's registry of decisions, and delivering a program of public information.  Workloads in these areas have been growing since the introduction of the CCRA in 1992.

In 2016-17, the PBC had more than 32,000 contacts with victims.  This number has grown 46% over the last five years.  In 2016-17, 44% of the contacts were by letter and 31% were by telephone.  As with conditional release decision-making, the need for quality program delivery is critical, given its implications for public confidence in corrections and conditional release, particularly due to intense public scrutiny and extensive media interest.

More than 4,600 people observed a PBC hearing in 2016-17 (including victims, members of the public and the media), reflecting a 32% increase over the last five years.  The CCRA permits access to specific decisions and to decisions for research purposes through the PBC’s registry of decisions.  In 2016-17 the PBC released over 4,500 decisions from its registry of decisions. Victims were the most frequent requestors of decisions (approximately 48%), followed by the media (approximately 38%).

Results achieved

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

Human resources (FTEs)

Record Suspension Decisions/Clemency

Description

A record suspension is designed to support the successful reintegration of an individual into society.  It is a formal attempt to remove the stigma of a criminal record for people found guilty of a federal offence and who, after satisfying their sentence and specified waiting period, have shown themselves to be responsible law-abiding citizens.  Through this program the PBC screens applications for completeness and eligibility, collects information for decision-making, and develops policy to guide decision processes.  This program is also responsible for assessing requests and providing recommendations under the RPM (i.e., clemency) and providing advice to the PBC on the merits of each case.

Results

In 2016-17, the PBC received a total of 11,563 record suspension applications, accepted 8,191 for processing, and rendered 8,779 decisions.^{Footnote 2}  Since 2012-13, the number of record suspension applications received has been decreasing, from 19,526 in 2012-13 to 11,563 in 2016-17, while the proportion accepted increased to 71%.  The amendments to the CRA in March 2012 have had an impact on the availability of the program due to the changes in the eligibility criteria and waiting periods.  It is equally important to note that in the last quarter of the fiscal year announcements relative to reviewing the record suspension program may have contributed to applicants anticipating favorable changes and thereby delaying their application for a record suspension.  The PBC continued to process record suspension applications according to the following service standards:^{Footnote 3}

• Applications seeking a record suspension for (an) offence(s) tried summarily will be processed within 6 months of application acceptance;
• Applications seeking a record suspension for (an) offence(s) tried by indictment will be processed within 12 months of application acceptance; and
• Applications in which the PBC is proposing to refuse to order a record suspension may require up to 24 months after application acceptance to complete.

During the year, the PBC continued to work on the pardons backlog,^{Footnote 4}  processing and completing 3,865 pardon applications which resulted in the elimination of the pardons backlog.

In 2016-17, the Clemency Unit received 39 requests for the RPM, and had 118 active files. The number of active clemency files remains high as a result of the changes made to the CRA and legislative amendments (i.e., Limiting Pardons for Serious Crimes Act and Safe Streets and Communities Act).  Most requests are discontinued either because the applicant does not provide sufficient information or proof of excessive hardship to proceed with the request, or the Minister determines that the clemency request does not warrant investigation as the criteria have not been met.  During 2016-17, the number of active cases had a direct effect on resource demands, both financial and human resources, and required efficient resource management to keep pace with this workload.

Results achieved

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

Human resources (FTEs)

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 ten distinct service categories that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. The ten service categories are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Materiel Services; and Acquisition Services.

Results

In 2016-17, Internal Services continued to effectively deliver services in support of the PBC’s programs.  The PBC continues to work on providing Board members and staff with a healthy and respectful workplace through various initiatives (e.g., the Positive Space initiative, developmental workshops etc.).  It also maintains its Human Resources Integrated Plan through the following four management priorities which are used in operational HR planning:

• Attracting and retaining Board member and staff competencies;
• Managing performance and talent;
• Fostering a continuous learning culture; and
• Establishing a healthy and respectful work environment.

The PBC’s Management Accountability Framework (MAF) 2016-17 Departmental Report highlighted the PBC’s areas of strength, as well as areas which require improvement. Highlights included:

• The PBC’s sick-leave usage has decreased from 14.4 days in 2015-16 to 13.1 days in 2016-17. The department continues to address this area by promoting a healthy and respectful workplace;
• While the PBC has yet to reach compliance with the Treasury Board Secretariat’s (TBS) Directive on Recordkeeping, there has been an improvement towards integrating Information Management (IM) as a part of business planning; and
• The PBC will continue work to improve its disposition planning processes, procedures, and activities to ensure that information resources of business value in all formats are appropriately managed and disposed of at the end of the lifecycle.

Internal Services utilization of financial and human resources was lower than planned due to due to unforeseen vacancies in some positions and the reallocation of resources to higher priorities.

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

Human resources (FTEs)

Analysis of trends in spending and human resources

Actual expenditures

PBC’s expenditures in 2016-17 have remained consistent since 2015-16. The higher expenditures in 2014-15 are explained by spending on refitting the PBC’s national office accommodation, for which it received sunset funding that ended during that same year.

Budgetary performance summary for Programs and Internal Services (dollars)

Planned Spending for 2016-17 of $49,608,805 was based on funding through Main Estimates, plus an estimate of additional funding to be received in year for the carry-forward of unused funding from the previous year and an estimate for refundable salary-related expenditures (e.g. severance and parental benefits).  The amount of total authorities available for use in 2016-17 ($48,729,672) is lower than Planned Spending because the PBC did not request funding for refundable salary-related expenditures, as it anticipated having a lapse under its operating vote.

Planned spending for fiscal years 2017–18 and 2018–19 are $46.7 million respectively, which is the anticipated funding to be received through the Main Estimates and an estimate for refundable salary-related expenditures.

Actual spending in 2016-17 of $46,825,441 is lower than authorities available for use, and resulted in a lapse of $1,904,231, as reported in the Public Accounts of Canada.  Expenditures were lower than anticipated due to the timing of the signing of new collective agreements.  A significant portion of the carry-forward of unused funds is earmarked to cover three years of retroactive payments for expired collective agreements, which the PBC will need to pay to employees once the collective agreements are ratified and signed.  These payments include 2014-15 and 2015-16 salary increments, which departments are required to fund from their existing authorities as a result of the Budget 2014 operating budget freeze.

As presented in the following chart, spending by each program as a percentage of total spending has remained generally consistent over the last three years.  The decrease in spending in the area of Conditional Release Openness and Accountability and increase in spending in Internal Services in recent years is explained by the reallocation of certain costs between programs.  The nature of this spending did not change; the reallocation aligned the cost of activities defined by TBS as belonging to Internal Services.  Spending under Record Suspension Decisions/Clemency Recommendations is primarily influenced by the number of requests received, and resources spent on eliminating the backlog of pardons requests. This backlog was completed in 2016-17.

Actual human resources

Human resources summary for Programs and Internal Services (FTEs)

The actual utilization of human resources was slightly higher in 2016-17, primarily due to additional resources in Record Suspension Decisions/Clemency Recommendations to complete the backlog of pardon requests. As presented in the following chart, FTE utilization by responsibility area as a percentage of the PBC total has remained generally consistent over the last three years. Variances between years are explained by the same factors influencing financial spending (see previous section).

Expenditures by vote

For information on the PBC’s organizational voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada 2017.

Alignment of spending with the whole-of-government framework

Alignment of 2016-17 actual spending with the whole-of-government framework (dollars)

Total spending by spending area (dollars)

Financial statements and financial statements highlights

Financial statements

The PBC’s financial statements [unaudited] for the year ended March 31, 2017 are available on the PBC’s website.

Financial statements highlights

Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited)
For the year ended March 31, 2017 (dollars)

The 2016–17 Planned Results presented in the Statement of Operations are based on estimates known at the time of the RPP. The difference between 2016–17 Planned Results and 2016–17 Actual is mainly due to events not known during the RPP planning phase. There were no significant differences between 2016-17 and 2015-16 revenues and expenses; PBC activities were fairly consistent between years.

Condensed Statement of Financial Position (unaudited)
As at March 31, 2017 (dollars)

PBC’s liabilities are composed of accounts payable and accrued liabilities (53%), employee future benefits (24%), and employee vacation pay and compensatory leave (23%).  The decrease in liabilities between years is primarily attributed to a decrease in the liability for employee future benefits since the accumulation of severance benefits for voluntary departures has ceased for substantially all employees.

Total net financial assets consist of accounts receivable, advances, and amounts due from the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the Government of Canada.  The amount due from the CRF represents 98% of the year-end balance.  This represents the amount of net cash that the PBC is entitled to draw from the CRF in the future to discharge its current liabilities, without further appropriations.  The amount and composition of PBC's net financial assets have remained consistent between years.  On a gross basis, the amount of accounts receivable and advances outstanding at year-end more than doubled between years, and is attributed in part to the transition to the new Phoenix pay system.  Since the department is not able to re-spend future recoveries, the increase in gross receivables is eliminated on a net basis.

Total non-financial assets consist primarily of tangible capital assets, which makes up 93% of the balance (95% in 2015-16), with prepaid expense accounting for the remainder.  The amount and composition of PBC’s non-financial assets have remained consistent between years.

Supplementary information

Corporate information

Organizational Profile

Appropriate Minister: The Honourable Ralph Goodale, P.C., M.P.

Institutional Head: Harvey Cenaiko, Chairperson.

Ministerial Portfolio: Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

Enabling Instruments: The legal authority under which the PBC operates includes the CCRA and its Regulations, the CRA and its Regulations, the Letters Patent, the Criminal Code, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and other legislation.

Year of Incorporation/Commencement: 1959.

Other: The PBC constantly strives to contribute to the Government of Canada’s outcome of a safe and secure Canada.  The PBC contributes to this outcome by making quality conditional release and record suspension decisions and clemency recommendations.

The PBC is headed by a Chairperson who reports to Parliament through the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.  The Minister, however, does not have statutory authority to give direction to the Chairperson or other members of the PBC in the exercise of their decision-making powers.  This structure helps to ensure the impartiality and integrity of the PBC’s decision-making process.

In making conditional release and record suspension decisions, as well as clemency recommendations, the PBC's primary objective is the long-term protection of society.  In rendering its decisions, the PBC is autonomous and independent.  However, its decisions are open and transparent to the public consistent with its legislation and policies.

The protection of society is the paramount consideration for all decisions taken by the PBC.  Conditional release decisions are limited to only what is necessary and proportionate to facilitate, as appropriate, the timely reintegration of offenders as law-abiding citizens.  In addition, a record suspension allows people who were convicted of a criminal offence, but have completed their sentence and demonstrated they are law-abiding citizens for a prescribed number of years, to have their criminal record kept separate and apart from other criminal records.

Outcomes of the PBC’s work can be found in its annual Performance Monitoring Report (PMR).  The PMR provides performance and statistical information for the past five years for the PBC’s two legislative based programs: conditional release, and record suspension and clemency.

The PBC carries out its responsibilities through a national office in Ottawa, as well as six offices in five regions across the country (Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Prairie, and Pacific).

PBC Locations

The PBC’s regional offices deliver the conditional release program.  Conditional release decisions are made by Board members, who are supported in their decision-making by public service staff. Staff schedule hearings, provide information for decision-making, ensure that information for decision-making is shared with offenders, and communicate conditional release decisions to offenders, CSC representatives, and others as required.  Regional staff also provide information to victims, make arrangements for observers at hearings including elder- assisted and community-assisted hearings, and manage requests for access to the PBC’s decision registry.

While Board members from all five regions make decisions related to record suspensions, the data collection, investigation and assessment work for record suspensions and clemency are conducted by public service staff at the national office.  In addition, Board members in the Appeal Division at the national office review conditional release decisions upon receipt of an application for appeal to determine if the law and processes were respected.

Public service employees at the national office develop national policies and procedures related to all programs, help coordinate Board member selection and training, deliver a program of public information, and respond to ATIP requests.  Other work performed at the national office and at regional offices includes strategic and operational planning, resource management, program monitoring, case reviews and investigations, and an array of internal services.

Consistent with the provisions of the Acts that govern the PBC, Board members are independent in their decision-making responsibilities, and free from outside interference of any kind.  As independent decision-makers, Board members are bound by legislation, guided by policy, and are responsible for:

• Reviewing all information for consideration in conditional release, record suspension and clemency cases;
• Conducting an in-depth analysis of each case, and requesting additional information, as necessary, to support quality decision-making;
• Assessing the risk and other factors related to cases, voting independently on the disposition of each case, and providing sound, well-documented, written reasons for decisions; and
• Ensuring that reviews are conducted in accordance with the duty to act fairly, and with respect for all procedural safeguards.

The Chairperson of the PBC is a full-time member of the PBC and its Chief Executive Officer. The Chairperson directs the PBC’s delivery of its programs in keeping with the Government of Canada’s overall plans and priorities.  The Chairperson is accountable for the effectiveness and efficiency of the PBC’s policies and operations and is assisted in these responsibilities by the Executive Vice-Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson of the Appeal Division, the PBC’s five regional Vice-Chairpersons, and senior managers.

The Executive Director General of the PBC is its senior staff member and Chief Operating Officer.  The Executive Director General, in support of the Chairperson, provides leadership for strategic and operational planning, resource management, program monitoring and administration, as well as in the operation of the national office and the regional offices.

The following organizational chart provides additional details.

Note: Within the chart below the blue background denotes Governor-in-Council term appointees and the grey background signifies public service employees.

Reporting Framework

The PBC’s Strategic Outcome and Program Alignment Architecture of record for 2016-17 are shown below.

1. Strategic Outcome: Conditional release and record suspension decisions and decision processes that safeguard Canadian communities. 

1.1 Program: Conditional Release Decisions;

1.2 Program: Conditional Release Openness and Accountability;

1.3 Program: Record Suspension Decisions/Clemency Recommendations; and

Internal Services.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables listed are available on the PBC’s website:

1. Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy; and
2. User fees, regulatory charges and external fees.

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. This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs. The tax measures presented in this report are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance.

Organizational Contact Information

Regular mail:  

Public Affairs
410 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0R1

E-mail: info@PBC-CLCC.gc.ca

Appendix - definitions

Appropriation (credit)
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)
Provides information on the plans and expected performance of appropriated departments over a three-year period.  Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.

Departmental Result (résultat ministériel)
A Departmental Result represents the change or changes that the department seeks to influence.  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 factor or variable that provides a valid and reliable means to measure or describe progress on a Departmental Result.

Departmental Results Framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)
Consists of the department’s Programs, Departmental Results and Departmental Result Indicators.

Departmental Results Report (Rapport sur les résultats ministériels)
Provides information on the actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.

Evaluation (évaluation)
In the Government of Canada, the systematic and neutral collection and analysis of evidence to judge merit, worth or value. Evaluation informs decision making, improvements, innovation and accountability. Evaluations typically focus on programs, policies and priorities and examine questions related to relevance, effectiveness and efficiency. Depending on user needs, however, evaluations can also examine other units, themes and issues, including alternatives to existing interventions. Evaluations generally employ social science research methods.

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.  Full-time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.

Government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
For the purpose of the 2017-18 Departmental Plan, government-wide priorities refers to those high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2015 Speech from the Throne, namely: Growth for the Middle Class; Open and Transparent Government; A Clean Environment and a Strong Economy; Diversity is Canada's Strength; and Security and Opportunity.

Horizontal initiatives (initiative horizontale)
A horizontal initiative is one in which two or more federal organizations, through an approved funding agreement, work toward achieving clearly defined shared outcomes, and which has been designated (e.g., by Cabinet, a central agency, etc.) as a horizontal initiative for managing and reporting purposes.

Management, Resources and Results Structure (Structure de la gestion, des ressources et des résultats)
A comprehensive framework that consists of an organization’s inventory of programs, resources, results, performance indicators and governance information. Programs and results are depicted in their hierarchical relationship to each other and to the Strategic Outcome(s) to which they contribute.  The Management, Resources and Results Structure is developed from the Program Alignment Architecture.

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.

Planned spending (dépenses prévues)
For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts that receive Treasury Board approval by February 1.  Therefore, planned spending may include amounts incremental to planned expenditures presented in the 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.

Plans (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 up to the expected result.

Priorities (priorité)
Plans or projects that an organization 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 Strategic Outcome(s).

Program (programme)
A group of related resource inputs and activities that are managed to meet specific needs and to achieve intended results and that are treated as a budgetary unit.

Program Alignment Architecture (architecture d’alignement des programmes)
A structured inventory of an organization’s programs depicting the hierarchical relationship between programs and the Strategic Outcome(s) to which they contribute.

Results (résultat)
An external 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.

Strategic Outcome (résultat stratégique)
A long-term and enduring benefit to Canadians that is linked to the organization’s mandate, vision and core functions.

Sunset program (programme temporisé)
A time-limited program that does not have an ongoing funding and policy authority.  When the program is set to expire, a decision must be made whether to continue the program. In the case of a renewal, the decision specifies the scope, funding level and duration.

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.