President Meeting with Philip Fawzi Rizcallah, Chief Executive Officer, Accessibility Standards Canada December 9, 2019

Introduction 

Deputy Head

Mr. Philip Fawzi Rizcallah was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer, Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC), on August 26, 2019.

As Mr. Philip Fawzi Rizcallah is exercising the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) authority for the first time as DH. A copy of the New Direction in Staffing (NDS) highlights for DHs is attached as annex A.

Organizational Context

Mandate

ASC was created on August 26, 2019.  It was established by the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) that was developed following widespread and inclusive consultations with disabled persons and communities.

The coming into force of the ACA establishes a framework to create a barrier-free Canada through the proactive identification, removal and prevention of accessibility barriers. It will also ensure that persons with disabilities are no longer required to fight barriers to accessibility on an individual basis. With this legislation in place, millions of Canadians with disabilities can rely on the Government of Canada to remove the barriers that hinder their full participation in society.

The ACA establishes new structures to enable its mandate including the creation of ASC, which will be led by a board of directors comprised of a majority of persons with disabilities and will develop accessibility standards in collaboration with industry and the disability community.

Population and Staffing Activities

Population

ASC is a very small organization that has a total population of 12 employees(most of whom are borrowed resources from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC))as of September 10, 2019. Above these numbers, a total of 10 members were appointed to the board of directors (Governor in Council Appointees) as council to the organization and its direction.

The organization plans to increase its workforce from 12 to 30 in 2020-2021, and then reach 50 employees in 2021-2022. ASC expects to meet this objective with the support of ESDC as their human resources service provider. The organization will eventually seek to have their own internal services for staffing.

Staffing Framework

New Direction in Staffing Implementation

ASC is named in Schedule IV to the Financial Administration Act and as such, appointments to and within the organization will be made in accordance with the Public Service Employment Act.  Consequently, as a new organization, ASC is required to abide by the PSC Appointment Framework and the Appointment Delegation and Accountability Instrument.

The PSC met with ASC on two occasions in September 2019 to discuss the requirements of establishing a sub-delegation instrument, developing a staffing framework including policies on area of selection, the use of advertised and non-advertised appointment processes and on the articulation of selection decision.

Recruitment Challenges

As a new organization, ASC’s organizational structure is under development by the new CEO.

In terms of recruitment efforts, the organization has experienced some success with the recruitment of a diverse workforce. However, time to staff considerations have been a noted challenge; taking on average three months to hire using short term staffing strategies such as pool appointments.

Appointment Delegation and Accountability Instrument Annex D Reporting

During a recent meeting, Annex D and Cyclical Assessment reporting requirements were discussed between the organization and the PSC.

Non-Partisanship in the Public Service

ASC’s Designated Political Activities Representative (DPAR) is Tania Magloire. The DPAR acts as a liaison with the PSC on matters related to political activities and non-partisanship.

Recruitment Programs

ASC has received the information related to the Federal Internship Program for Canadians with Disabilities, the Employment Opportunity for Students with Disabilities and Indigenous Student Employment Program and will explore the possibility to appoint from these programs.

Staffing Support

Public Service Commission Representatives and Organizational Contacts

The Staffing Support Advisor assigned to this organization is Gaétane Clément and the primary organizational contact is Tania Magloire, Head of HR for the organization.

Prepared by:

Gaétane Clément,
Staffing Support Advisor

Annexes:

• Annex A – The New Direction in Staffing (NDS) highlights for DHs

Annex A

A New direction in Staffing – A merit-based system that is effective, efficient and fair

Appointment Policy

New focus on core requirements to provide sub-delegated persons greater discretion in making an appointment

• One Appointment Policy, no duplication with legal requirements
• Broader focus on values-based system, away from rules-based system
• Appointments Policy supported by streamlined guidance:
• A roadmap to the requirements in legislation, regulations and policy
• Options and considerations for decision-making where there is discretion
• Clear expectations for priority entitlements
• No restrictions to assessment methods for EX appointments
• Exceptions to National Area of Selection approved by deputy head

Delegation

• New ability to customize organizational staffing system based on unique context and evolving business needs

• Deputy head establish a direction on the use of advertised and non-advertised appointment processes
• Deputy heads to establish requirement(s) for sub-delegated persons to articulate, in writing, their selection decision
• Clarity on requirements related to investigations
• Attestation form to reinforce the accountabilities of sub-delegated persons

All PSC monitoring and reporting requirements now found in the Appointment Delegation and Accountability Instrument

Monitoring and Reporting

Monitoring built by organizations, targeted to their needs

• Annual Departmental Staffing Accountability Report no longer required
• Annual reporting to the PSC limited to:

• Use of Public Service Official Language Exclusion Approval Order
• Exceptions to the National Area of Selection approved by the deputy head
• Results of any internal investigations
• Actions taken following any PSC investigations or audits.

• Deputy head responsible for ongoing monitoring of organizational staffing system based on the organization’s unique context

• Assessment of adherence to requirements, based on organization’s own risks, at the minimum every five years

PSC Oversight

System wide-focus

• Government-wide compliance audit every two years
• Renewed Survey of Staffing administered in alternating years with government-wide audit
• System-wide effectiveness and efficiency reviews to support continuous improvement
• Targeted PSC audits as a result of identified system-wide or organizational risks or at the deputy head request
• Investigations conducted when there is a reason to believe there was political influence, fraud or improper conduct in an appointment process

This document should be read in conjunction with the Public Service Employment Act, the Public Service Employment Regulations, the PSC Appointment Policyand the PSC Appointment Delegation and Accountability Instrument.