Public Services and Procurement Canada
Responses to parliamentary committees and external audits: 2019 to 2020 Departmental Results Report
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Government response to the 16th Report of the Standing Committee on official languages
Report
Respect for Language Rights in Ontario: An issue for all of Canada
Summary
Pursuant to its mandate under standing order 108(3)(f), the committee studied the state of Canada's francophonie.
The committee concluded that the provinces, the territories and the federal government have a duty to ensure that the constitutional rights of official language minority communities are respected, to remedy past wrongs and to promote a broad and generous interpretation of language rights in the interest of all Canadians.
The committee made 6 recommendations and, pursuant to standing order 109, and requested that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.
Specifically, the committee made the following recommendation to Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC): that the minister of Public Services and Procurement mandate the Canada Lands Company to work with the Board of Governors of the Université de l'Ontario français to find appropriate land and facilities for the university (recommendation number 4).
The 43rd Canadian general election held on October 21, 2019 precluded the tabling of a comprehensive response to the committee.
Government response to the 18th Report of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates
Report
An Even Greener Government: Improving the Greening Government Strategy to Maximize its Impact
Summary
In late fall of 2018, the committee undertook a study of the Greening Government Strategy—the federal government's then less than one-year-old plan for reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from its operations.
The committee concluded that not all parts of the Greening Government Strategy had objectives that were specific and measurable and, in some cases, federal officials were bypassing green procurement requirements.
The committee made 13 recommendations and, pursuant to standing order 109, requested that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.
Specifically, the committee made the following recommendation to PSPC: that Public Services and Procurement Canada release its analysis of the estimated Greenhouse Gas emissions reduction that will arise from the Energy Services Acquisition Program so as to enable its findings to be scrutinized, and report annually on the emissions that have been reduced through the program (recommendation number 2).
The 43rd Canadian general election held on October 21, 2019 precluded the tabling of a comprehensive government response to the committee.
Government response to the 96th Report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs
Report
Summary
Pursuant to standing order 108(3)(a)(iii), the committee considered matters relating to the mandate of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs and oversight of the Centre Block rehabilitation project and the Long Term Vision and Plan and made a recommendation to amend its standing order.
Specifically, the committee made the following recommendation: that, effective from the beginning of the 43rd Parliament, the standing orders of the House of Commons be amended by adding the following new subparagraph to standing order 108(3)(a): "(x) the review of and report on all matters relating to the Centre Block rehabilitation project and Long Term Vision and Plan for the Parliamentary Precinct; including the presentation of a biennial report on current and projected timelines, the current state of incurred and projected expenditures, and any changes therein since the previous report on these matters, provided that the committee may report on these matters at any time."; and, that the clerk of the house be authorized to make any required editorial and consequential alterations to the standing orders.
A government response to the committee was not requested.
Government response to the 58th Report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts
Report
Summary
Pursuant to its mandate understanding order 108(3)(g), the committee studied Report 2, Disposing of Government Surplus Goods and Equipment, of the 2018 Spring Reports of the Auditor General of Canada and agreed to report.
The committee concluded that the federal organizations selected by the Office of the Auditor General for this audit "did not always dispose of surplus goods and equipment in a manner that maximized benefits. The incentives to sell surplus assets outweighed other methods, such as reusing, refurbishing, and donating. There are more opportunities inside and outside the Government of Canada to reuse assets and maximize their use. The Canada Revenue Agency is one example of how to increase the reuse and refurbishment of assets within one federal organization."
The committee was concerned upon learning that the Office of the Auditor General was "unable to conclude on whether the selected federal organizations disposed of surplus goods and equipment at the appropriate time because organizations did not maintain sufficient documentation."
To address these concerns, the committee made 4 recommendations, as follows:
- that, by June 30, 2019, Public Services and Procurement Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Shared Services Canada provide the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts with a report outlining their revised asset life-cycle processes, including procurement, to facilitate and encourage the transfer and reuse of assets
- that, by September 30, 2019, the Canada Revenue Agency, Public Services and Procurement Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Shared Services Canada provide the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts with a report outlining their revised internal processes to facilitate the donation of surplus assets
- that, by June 30, 2019, Public Services and Procurement Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Shared Services Canada provide the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts with a report outlining their revised policies regarding keeping sufficient documentation to justify the disposal methods that they selected, standardizing their forms to ensure consistency, and considering all factors when making disposal decisions, such as disposal cost, asset value, and environmental impact
- that, by June 30, 2019, Public Services and Procurement Canada provide the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts with a report outlining its revised policies regarding the development and implementation of a new service for federal organizations to better encourage the donation and reuse of assets across government
Government response
Since the government response was submitted, PSPC has continued to work closely with the Treasury Board Secretariat and departmental partners on the policy suite reset to the guide and Directive on the Management of Materiel, expected to be implemented in fall 2020.
Key changes to the policy aim to encourage the reuse and transfer of surplus moveable assets within the government domain by directing departments to first consider the feasibility of the refit, repurpose and reuse of all materiel before divestiture through other options. A communications plan for GCTransfer highlighting communication efforts to increase the visibility and the use of the service has been developed and approved, meanwhile key outreach activities remain continuous.
In an effort to standardize and streamline the management of assets, PSPC undertook a review of asset life cycle processes and has developed internal guidelines to document the disposal processes. A standardized form has also been implemented to ensure consistency when selecting a divestment mechanisms while documenting each disposal decision to ensure a cost effective management of assets.
In addition to PSPC's work to enhance guidelines, GCSurplus is developing a training package for materiel managers that will be mandatory when registering on the GCSurplus client interface. The training guide will provide departmental materiel managers with a comprehensive outlook on how to divest of surplus moveable assets in accordance to applicable Treasury Board Secretariat policies. Its expected release date is December 2020.
GCDonate, a new government-wide, online platform designed for federal departments and agencies to advertise surplus moveable assets available for donation and making it possible for departments to connect with potential donation recipients was launched on June 22, 2020, following a proof of concept study and consultations with key stakeholders.
Government response to the 4th report of the Auditor General of Canada
Report
Report 4—Oversight of Government of Canada Advertising
Departmental response
Departmental response to Report 4—Oversight of Government of Canada Advertising
Summary
The objective of this audit was to determine whether the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) provided adequate oversight to ensure that the Government of Canada was meeting its commitment of non-partisan advertising. In this context, adequate oversight meant that the review processes were designed, implemented, operated, and monitored to meet the federal government's own requirements.
The audit focused on the advertising review processes put in place as part of the Government of Canada's commitment to ban partisanship in all government advertising, and examined whether the review processes were adequately designed, implemented, operated, and monitored to ensure non-partisan government advertising.
Actions taken to address the recommendations
To address this recommendation, PSPC has developed a process map of the non-partisan review process to support PSPC advisors in consistent review and documentation of advertising. In addition PSPC has developed a checklist to support the non-partisan review process that includes steps connected to the criteria.
Government response to the 5th report of the Auditor General of Canada
Report
Report 5—Equipping Officers of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
There were no recommendations for Public Services and Procurement Canada.