Departmental Plan 2017-18

Table of Contents

• Chairperson’s Message
• Plans at a Glance
• Raison d’être, Mandate and Role : who we are and what we do
  • Raison d’être
  • Mandate and Role
• Operating Context: conditions affecting our work
• Key risks: things that could affect our ability to achieve our plans and results
• Planned results: what we want to achieve this year and beyond
  • Core responsibilities
  • Internal services
• Spending and human resources
  • Planned spending
  • Planned human resources
  • Estimates by vote
  • Future-Oriented Condensed Statement of Operations
• Supplementary Information
  • Corporate information
  • Reporting Framework
  • Supporting information on lower-level programs
  • Supplementary information tables
  • Federal tax expenditures
  • Organizational contact information
• Appendix A - Definitions

Chairperson’s Message

Our 2017-18 Departmental Plan provides parliamentarians and Canadians with information on what we do and the results we are trying to achieve during the upcoming year.  To improve reporting to Canadians, the government is introducing a new, simplified report to replace the Report on Plans and Priorities.

The title of the report has been changed to reflect its purpose: to communicate our annual performance goals and the financial and human resources forecast to deliver those results.  The report has also been restructured to tell a clearer, more straightforward and balanced story of the actual results we are trying to achieve, while continuing to provide transparency on how tax payers’ dollars will be spent.  We describe our programs and services for Canadians, our priorities for 2017-18, and how our work will fulfill our departmental mandate commitments and the government’s priorities.

As an independent, administrative tribunal, the Parole Board of Canada (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 is committed to building a progressive and modern organization positioned to respond to the complex and changing environment under which it operates.  Our Board members and staff are central to achieving this.

The PBC will continue to focus on Board member training, with a view to ensuring our decisions and recommendations are of the highest quality.  In addition to this, our implementation of modern case management and electronic-filing technology will help to streamline our processes and allow Board members and the public servants who support them to complete tasks with even greater efficiency.  Ensuring an inclusive, supportive and healthy work environment for our employees also remains one of our top priorities.

The excellent progress in processing the pardons backlog is another example of the tremendous work of staff.  There are no unassigned pardon files remaining in the pardons backlog, meaning, all files are at the investigation stage.  The PBC anticipates that any remaining pardon files without a final decision by March 31, 2017, will be the result of a proposal to deny the pardon, which affords the applicant additional time to provide representations for further consideration of a Board member prior to making a final decision.

The PBC will continue to proactively work with its criminal justice partners to coordinate, oversee and analyze legislative amendments and government initiatives, as part of the Government’s current review of the criminal justice system, specifically in relation to our conditional release and record suspension core responsibilities.  Additionally, the PBC will continue to ensure that systemic barriers faced by the Indigenous offender population, in relation to parole, are addressed.  Following recommendations from our Indigenous Circle, the PBC has already developed training to strengthen Board member response to the needs of Indigenous peoples involved in the criminal justice system.  Outreach to the indigenous community will also be increased.

I am confident that, by carrying out the plans and priorities outlined in this report, the PBC has set a course to ensure continued effectiveness in the fulfillment of its mandate, as it continues to meet the highest standards of quality, professionalism, and efficiency.

______________________________
Harvey Cenaiko
Chairperson, Parole Board of Canada

Plans at a glance

The PBC’s core responsibilities are:

The PBC is responsible for making decisions about the timing and conditions of release of offenders to the community on various forms of conditional release and for making recommendations to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness for clemency under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy (RPM).

Planning activities including the planned result(s) for 2017–18

The following identifies a select number of planning activities which collectively contribute to the PBC’s departmental results, support the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness’ mandate of keeping Canadians safe, and contribute to government-wide priorities.

Participate in the government’s Criminal Justice System Review.

• The PBC will work with criminal justice partners (i.e., Public Safety, Correctional Service Canada (CSC), Department of Justice) to review potential amendments to conditional release and record suspension legislation.

Enhance services to Indigenous peoples, address potential gaps in our operations, and inform Board member (BM) decision-making in order to respond to systemic barriers faced by Indigenous peoples in the criminal justice system.

• The PBC will enhance its BM orientation training dedicated to Indigenous peoples to ensure learning outcomes are aligned with both the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) calls to action and recent court decisions. In addition, Indigenous cultural awareness and continuous training will be given to BMs.  The PBC will also review the process of Elder Assisted Hearings in continuing to be responsive to the unique needs of Indigenous offenders while facilitating a hearing that maximizes the BM’s ability to collect, gather and apply the information required for decision-making purposes.  In addition, the development and delivery of training on the history of Indigenous peoples will be standardized for all PBC staff.
• The PBC will continue to seek advice and guidance from the Indigenous Circle and National Elders Gatherings.  During 2017-18, the department will be seeking advice on TRC calls to action, outreach to Indigenous victims of crime and the Elder Assisted Hearing review.  Following these activities, the PBC will improve services to Indigenous offenders and victims of crime, work with stakeholders, and increase cultural competency for BMs and staff.
• As part of the qualification process for Board member Governor-in-Council appointments, an Elder will participate as a member of the review panel to determine qualified candidates for recommendation to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

Respond to the mental health needs of offenders in the conditional release process to strengthen our operations and inform BM decision-making.

• The PBC is a member of the Heads of Corrections sub-committee on Health and Mental Health, working with Federal, Provincial and Territorial jurisdictions on matters pertaining to offenders in corrections. 
• For certain mentally disordered offenders, hearings are conducted in-person as opposed to by videoconference.
• BM training and policies are in place to guide BMs in their decision-making in respect of offenders with mental health issues.

Maintain a positive and diverse work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination, and values and supports the contributions of all BMs and staff.

• The PBC’s Workplace Health and Wellness working group will assess PBC policies and core responsibilities in support of this initiative, and will prioritize activities accordingly.  This will be achieved through a combination of qualitative and quantitative surveys, checklists, questionnaires, and consultations.  A training framework will be developed in collaboration with partners (i.e., the Canada School of Public Service, the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and other non-profit mental health organizations) and a communications plan will also be developed which will include a national anti-stigma campaign.

In addition to the activities noted above, the PBC has developed implementation plans through its Strategic Management Strategy and Priority Service Inventory to find new and innovative approaches for program service delivery in the following areas:

• Services for victims;
• Record suspension and clemency applications; and
• Information services (general public, victims, observers, media, etc.).

In 2017-18, the PBC plans to devote approximately 1% of program funds to experimenting with new program service delivery approaches in support of the government’s priority of experimentation.

For more information on the PBC’s plans, priorities and planned results, see the “Planned results” 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 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 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, 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 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.

Operating context: conditions affecting our work

In recognition of the current fiscal environment, the PBC will continue to examine spending and re-investment opportunities, identify efficiency measures, and make reallocations against identified priorities.  The PBC will continue to mitigate and manage the impact of pressures, efficiency measures, and legislative changes in order to achieve the best results for Canadians.

The PBC works in a dynamic environment that demands careful assessment of criminal justice issues and community concerns to ensure alignment with the Government of Canada’s outcome of a safe and secure Canada.  The PBC rigorously pursues innovation through the use of technology as well as operational efficiencies to meet workload pressures.  Public safety remains the PBC’s primary consideration in all aspects of decision-making policy, training, and operations.

The PBC delivers core responsibilities grounded in legislation, conditional release, and record suspension and clemency.  The PBC also manages a range of internal services that provide critical support for the delivery of core responsibilities.  The conditional release area is the largest and accounts for 77% of annual program expenditures before revenue (including conditional release, and openness and accountability).  Most of the remaining expenditures cover essential operating costs.

Conditional Release

The PBC’s workloads are shaped by many factors, some of which are beyond its control.  Legislation governing the PBC (i.e., the CCRA) is prescriptive, specifying when and how the PBC conducts its business (e.g., when a review is required by law; and when to use hearings).  In addition, workloads are driven by the actions of offenders, victims and the community.  In concrete terms, this means that the PBC must deal with high workload volumes, involving issues critical to public safety, under tight timeframes and amid intense public scrutiny.  In 2017-18, the PBC expects to complete about 15,000 conditional release reviews for federal and provincial/territorial offenders.

The openness and accountability provisions of the CCRA also continue to present important challenges due to increasing requests for services with respect to:

• Sharing information with victims of crime (e.g., the victims portal, audio recordings);
• Providing information and assistance to those who wish to observe PBC hearings or gain access to the PBC’s decision registry; and
• Delivering a program of public information.

The challenge for the PBC with increasing demand is the ability to continue to provide these services in a timely and efficient manner.

Record Suspension and Clemency

The PBC’s record suspension workload is also shaped by factors beyond its control.  Legislation governing the PBC’s work (i.e., the CRA) is prescriptive, specifying precisely how the PBC conducts its business (e.g., admissibility and measuring merit).  In addition, workloads are also driven by fluctuating volumes of requests for record suspensions, court decisions, and potential legislative amendments.  In concrete terms, this means that the PBC must deal with high and unexpected workload volumes, involving issues critical to public safety, under legislatively established timeframes (i.e., the User Fee Act (UFA)), and amid intense public scrutiny.  In 2017-18, the PBC expects to complete approximately 9,000 record suspension assessments and decisions. 

Since February 2012, applicants for a record suspension must pay a processing fee of $631.  Consequently, the PBC must adhere to established service standards prescribed by requirements of the UFA.

As of November 30, 2016, all pardon files remaining from the backlog are at the investigation stage.  The PBC anticipates that any pardon file remaining by March 31, 2017, will be the result of a proposal to deny the pardon, which affords the applicant additional time to provide representations for further consideration of a BM prior to making a final decision.

Since 2010, the PBC has seen constant growth in clemency requests.  In order to minimize the impact of this increase, human resource strategies and streamlined processes have been adopted and better investigation strategies are being used.  The PBC expects to receive approximately 45 clemency requests in 2017-18.

Strategic Resource Management

The PBC must continue to address the need for strategic management of human, financial, security and information and technology resources to support quality program delivery.  The PBC is committed to ensuring a strong, diverse and dynamic workforce that excels in delivering the PBC’s mandate to Canadians, today and in the years to come.

A key challenge for the PBC is to stabilize its workforce and strengthen succession planning in relation to both its BMs and its public service staff.

It is necessary for the PBC to maintain sufficient numbers of BMs, who are Governor-in-Council term appointments.  The CCRA specifies that the PBC will be comprised of no more than 60 full-time BMs, and provides for the appointment of part-time members to help manage fluctuating conditional release decision-making workloads.  The PBC continues to work with key partners to identify sufficient numbers of qualified candidates for consideration for selection as BMs.  The PBC also provides training and mentoring to ensure that BMs have the knowledge they need to adhere to legislation and regulations, and assess risk in their decision-making.

In addition, departures of experienced PBC public service staff have a significant impact as they erode corporate memory and diminish critical knowledge of law, policy and training.  The effect of this is especially acute in a small organization.  PBC staff provide the continuity of knowledge and information essential for support and delivery of programs.  As such, the PBC has developed and continues to update its human resources plan for dealing with staff turnover.

Timely access to relevant information provides the foundation for quality conditional release and record suspension decision-making and clemency recommendations, and ultimately for the PBC’s continuing contribution to public safety.  In addition, the PBC must deal with legislated responsibilities for sharing information with victims of crime, offenders, criminal justice partners, media 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.

Additionally, the PBC must have in place the policies and procedures necessary to ensure effective information management.  Progress in these areas requires the assistance of CSC, the PBC’s information technology service provider.

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 core responsibilities are in line with changing priorities.

Key risks: things that could affect our ability to achieve our plans and results

Key risks

In general, PBC’s corporate risks remain relatively static from year to year.  The PBC annually reviews its corporate risks and the corresponding sub-risks.  The review is informed through the development of the PBC’s annual Strategic Plan, inputs from the Integrated Operational Planning (IOP) process, and is influenced by the previous year’s version of the PBC’s Corporate Risk Profile (CRP).

The CRP is an important mechanism for building an overview and understanding of the threats that could affect the delivery of the PBC’s core responsibilities.  The annual process, through which the CRP is updated, helps build a common understanding of the corporate risks across the PBC, supports discussions on priority setting both at the corporate and operational planning levels, informs resource allocation choices, and ultimately strengthens program delivery, by ensuring that:

• A process is in place to integrate risk management into corporate planning, monitoring and reporting;
• Risks that significantly influence the PBC’s objectives and have an impact on available resources are identified, assessed, and prioritized;
• Risk mitigation strategies are in place for key core responsibilities and corporate risks;
• Senior management is engaged in managing risks by continuously monitoring and reviewing risk management processes; and
• Reporting and communication processes are in place to foster awareness, understanding, and the application of risk management strategies.

Corporate Risk Registers provide detailed action plans to manage individual risks.  The action plans are categorized under one of two activity types: Sustaining and Change.  Sustaining activities are ongoing in nature (i.e., current day-to-day activities) while change activities are new initiatives that help move the PBC from the current “as is” state to a desired future “to be” state.  The annual identification and development of action plans are informed by various departmental outputs (i.e., Policy on Service, Strategic Operational Planning reports, Ministerial mandate letters, IOP inputs, etc.).

Planned results: what we want to achieve this year and beyond

Core Responsibilities

Conditional Release Decisions

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 core responsibility, PBC staff provide timely, accurate information for BM decision-making, and develop training and policies that are essential tools for risk assessment and decision-making.

Planning highlights

With the objective of making quality conditional release decisions, the PBC will continue to:

• integrate corporate risk management into governance structures and decision-making processes;
• provide in-depth orientation and training for new BMs to provide them with information and the resources required to be prepared to assess risk and make quality conditional release decisions;
• ensure effective use of technology to support BM decision-making (i.e., through the Integrated Decision System development, support and maintenance, data analysis, video-conferencing procedures, etc.);
• assess legislative and government initiatives to respond to anticipated changes that may impact the PBC, and ensure corresponding PBC policies and procedures are updated accordingly;
• strengthen BM qualification and re-appointment processes and carry out professional conduct and performance evaluations;
• update and provide regular BM training, rooted in evidence-based practices and in line with legislation, policies and risk assessments, pertinent to BM activities, and consistent with adult learning principles; and
• maintain and streamline processes related to modern case management and electronic-filing technology (E-File).

In addition, the PBC will assess legislative and government initiatives to respond to anticipated changes that may impact the PBC, and ensure corresponding PBC policies and procedures are updated accordingly.

Planned results

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

Human resource (full-time equivalents)

Information on the PBC’s Program Inventory is available in the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) InfoBase.

Conditional Release Openness and Accountability

This core responsibility ensures that the PBC operates in an open and accountable manner, consistent with the provisions of the CCRA.  This core responsibility 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 core responsibility also works to encourage citizen engagement, monitor the PBC’s performance and reports on conditional release processes, and investigate tragic incidents in the community.

Planning highlights

With the objective of enhancing victim awareness the PBC will continue to:

• fulfill legislative responsibilities in the provision of information to victims, facilitating victim attendance and presentations at hearings, and their access to offender information, audio recordings and the decision registry;
• promote the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights; and
• provide national training to PBC staff working with victims to enhance the overall effectiveness and consistency of victim services.

To enhance engagement with partners, stakeholders, and Canadians, the PBC will continue to:

• reach out to provincial and territorial criminal justice partners, victims, and community partners; and
• provide information, and facilitate attendance at hearings to victims, to the media, the general public, and Indigenous peoples.

Planned results

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

Human resource (full-time equivalents)

Information on the PBC’s Program Inventory is available in the TBS InfoBase.

Record Suspension Decisions/Clemency Recommendations

A record suspension is designed to support the successful reintegration of an individual into society where appropriate.  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.  Record suspensions can be revoked or cease to have effect if an individual is convicted of a new indictable offence, or in some cases a summary offence, found to no longer be of good conduct, found to have made a false or misleading statement or hidden information or found to have been ineligible for a record suspension at the time the record suspension was ordered.  Through this core responsibility, 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 Minister on the merits of each case.  Clemency is granted in exceptional circumstances in deserving cases involving federal offences, where no other remedy exists in law to reduce severe negative effects of criminal sanctions.  Finally, the PBC also reviews requests for cancellation or varying of driving prohibitions and prepares applications for decision-making.

Planning highlights

With the objective of strengthening service delivery and finding program efficiencies the PBC will continue to work:

• with criminal justice partners in the PBC’s assessment of record suspension applications;
• with partners, including Indigenous organizations, in assisting record suspension applicants;
• on finding ways to e-enable forms via the PBC’s internet website; and
• directly with record suspension applicants to facilitate processes.

Planned results

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

Human resource (full-time equivalents)

Information on the PBC’s Program Inventory is available in the TBS InfoBase.

Internal Services

Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of core responsibilities 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: 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.

Planning highlights

Continue to:

• provide ongoing training to existing BMs and staff (e.g., positive space, values and ethics, security awareness, information management) to ensure that they are provided with current and relevant information as well as the resources to continuously improve their skills in the areas of internal services and to understand their responsibilities;
• enhance consistency in financial management practices and ensure compliance with central agency policy and directives through semi-annual remote monitoring and cyclical on-site monitoring exercises;
• improve BM and staff awareness and training of Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) to ensure compliance with legislated timeframes for each;
• enhance consistency in corporate services and ensure compliance with central agency policy and directives through annual monitoring;
• ensure all communication activities comply with the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, including the Official Languages Act and the Federal Identity Program;
• strengthen human resource capacity in areas such as talent management and values and ethics; and
• seek opportunities to leverage IT solutions for the delivery of core responsibilities.

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

Human resource (full-time equivalents)

Spending and human resources

Planned spending

For 2017-18, the PBC plans to spend $46.7 million to meet the expected results of its core responsibilities.

The figure below illustrates the PBC’s spending trend from 2014-15 to 2019-20. The 2016-17 forecast spending of $49.5 million is based on PBC’s November 2016 forecast.

The spending amounts presented in the chart for 2013-14 to 2015-16 are actual results presented in the Public Accounts of Canada.

Forecasted spending for fiscal year 2016-17 is $49.5 million.  The PBC’s estimated lapse will be minimal, if any.  The total authorities of $49.5 million include:

• funding received through the Main Estimates of $46.8 million;
• carry-forward of lapsed funds from 2015-16 of $2.3 million; and
• anticipated funding of $0.4 million through transfers from TBS related to the payout of severance pay and other salary related items refundable by TBS.

Fiscal year 2017-18 projected spending is $46.7 million, which includes:

• funding to be received through the Main Estimates of $ 46.3 million;
• anticipated funding of $0.4 million through transfers from TBS related to the payout of severance pay and other salary related items refundable by TBS; and
• it is estimated that the PBC will have a small carry-forward, if any from 2016–17.

Projected spending for fiscal years 2018-19 and 2019-20 is $46.7 million respectively, which is the anticipated funding to be received through the Main Estimates and from TBS related to the payout of severance pay and other salary related items refundable by TBS.

Budgetary planning summary for Core Responsibilities and Internal Services (dollars)

Planned Spending reflects funds to be authorized through the Estimates process as presented in the Annual Reference Level Update and additional Supplementary Estimates, and allotment transfers expected to be received during the respective fiscal year.

Planned human resources

Human resources planning summary for Core Responsibilities and Internal Services (full-time equivalents)

Estimates by Vote

For information on the PBC’s organizational appropriations, consult the 2017‐18 Main Estimates.

Future-Oriented Condensed Statement of Operations

The Future-Oriented Condensed Statement of Operations provides a general overview of the PBC’s operations.  The forecast of financial information on expenses and revenues is prepared on an accrual accounting basis to strengthen accountability and to improve transparency and financial management.

Because the Future-Oriented Condensed Statement of Operations is prepared on an accrual accounting basis, and the forecast and planned spending amounts presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan are prepared on an expenditure basis, amounts may differ.

A more detailed Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net costs of operations to the requested authorities, can be found on the PBC’s website.

Future-Oriented Condensed Statement of Operations for the Year Ended March 31, 2018 (dollars)

Planned results for the fiscal year are $3.2 million lower than 2016-17. The changes for this planning period include:

• Expenditures in 2016-17 are higher as collective agreements are expected to be signed representing an estimated cost of $1.9 million; additionally this was the final year of clearing the Pardons backlog $0.8 million;
• This is offset by an increase of $0.5 million in revenues from the Record Suspension program.

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 core responsibilities: 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 BMs, 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, and manage requests for access to the PBC’s decision registry.

While BMs 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, BMs 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 core responsibilities, help coordinate BM selection and training, deliver a program of public information, and respond to ATIP requests. Other work performed at the national office 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, BMs are independent in their decision-making responsibilities, and free from outside interference of any kind.  As independent decision-makers, BMs 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 core responsibilities 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 the operation of the national office and the regions.

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 Departmental Results Framework (DRF) and Program Inventory of record for 2017-18 are shown below:

Note: Within the chart below the blue background denotes core responsibilities; the white background signifies departmental results, and the beige background reflects result indicators.

The table below outlines the concordance between the DRF and Program Inventory, 2017-18, and Strategic Outcomes and Program Alignment Architecture (PAA), 2016-17.

In December 2016, the PBC has transitioned from its current Strategic Outcome and PAA, which was required under the old Policy on Management Resources and Results Structures, to the new DRF required by the Policy on Results.

Where the previous Strategic Outcome and PAA highlighted key aspects of the PBC’s legislated responsibilities for conditional release, record suspensions and clemency, the new DRF focuses on the same key aspects and strengthens accountability through enhanced departmental results and results indicators and represents the areas of in which the public and Parliamentarians most frequently express interest, and commits the organization to delivering meaningful results for Canadians.

Supporting information on lower-level programs

As a small organization, the PBC’s reporting at the program level is sufficient to communicate and monitor its core responsibilities.  Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to the PBC’s Program Inventory is available in the TBS InfoBase.

Supplementary information tables

There is no supplementary information requirement for the PBC.

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 annually in the Report of 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 A - 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 Core Responsibilities, 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.

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.