2015-16 Departmental Performance Report

Response to parliamentary committees and external audits

Response to parliamentary committees

Government responses to parliamentary committee reports

Government Responses (GRs) are requested by Parliamentary Committees under House of Commons Standing Order 109 or under Rules of the Senate 131(2). Such requests are included in the reports tabled by the respective Parliamentary Committee.

Over the course of fiscal year 2015-2016, the CRA neither led nor contributed to a GR to a Parliamentary Committee report.

Committee appearances and follow-up requests for information

Between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2016, Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) officials appeared 8 times before various parliamentary committees in the House and Senate. CRA officials were invited to appear before the following Standing Committees:

House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance (FINA)

May 12, 2015 – Main Estimates 2015-2016. Follow-up information was requested, and was provided on July 3, 2015.

House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA)

May 14, 2015 – Study on exploring the potential of social finance in Canada. No follow-up information was requested.
March 21, 2016 – Bill C-4, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code, the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act, the Public Service Labour Relations Act and the Income Tax Act. No follow-up information was requested.

House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts (PACP)

May 25, 2015 – Chapter 3, Tax-Based Expenditures of the Spring 2015 Report to the Auditor General of Canada. No follow-up information was requested.

House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development (ENVI)

February 23, 2016 – 2015 Fall Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development. No follow-up information was requested.

Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence (SECD)

May 25, 2015 - Bill C-51, An Act to enact the Security of Canada Information Sharing Act and the Secure Air Travel Act, to amend the Criminal Code, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts. No follow-up information was requested.
June 1, 2015 – Study and report on security threats facing Canada. Follow-up information was not sent as Parliament was dissolved.
March 7, 2016 – Canada's national security and defence policies, practices, circumstances and capabilities AND Study on security threats facing Canada. A package was given to the committee in response to the June 1, 2015 meeting. This response had not been sent forward due to the dissolution of Parliament.

Standing Committee on Public Accounts (PACP) requests for departmental action plans and progress reports arising from reports of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada

Over the course of fiscal year 2015-2016, the CRA did not provide an Agency action plan to PACP arising from reports of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada, as there were no OAG chapters pertaining to the CRA in this period.

Reference to the CRA in committee reports

In fiscal year 2015-2016, various parliamentary committees tabled reports wherein the CRA was mentioned. These include the following:

House of Commons Standing Committee on Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI)

Report 7: The Growing Problem of Identity Theft and Its Economic and Social Impact
(Adopted by the Committee on May 11, 2015; Presented to the House on May 11, 2015)

CRA officials appeared on this study on April 8, 2014.

House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts (PACP)

Report 21: Chapter 3, Tax-Based Expenditures, of the Spring 2015 Report of the Auditor General of Canada
(Adopted by the Committee on June 15, 2015; Presented to the House on June 17, 2015)

CRA officials appeared on this study on May 25, 2015.

House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA)

Report 12: Exploring the Potential of Social Finance in Canada
(Adopted by the Committee on June 16, 2015; Presented to the House on June 17, 2015)

CRA officials appeared on this study on May 14, 2015.

House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (TRAN)

Report 9: Updating Infrastructure in Canada: An examination of needs and investments
(Adopted by the Committee on June 11, 2015; Presented to the House on June 17, 2015)

CRA officials were not invited to appear in relation to this study.

House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance (FINA)

Report 13: Terrorist Financing in Canada and Abroad: Needed Federal Actions
(Adopted by the Committee on June 11, 2015; Presented to the House on June 18, 2015)

CRA officials appeared on this study on May 28, 2015.

Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce (BANC)

Twelfth Report: Digital Currency: You Can't Flip this Coin!
(Adopted by the Committee on June 11, 2015; Presented to the House on June 18, 2015)

CRA officials appeared in this study on June 5, 2014.

Response to the Auditor General (including to the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development)

2015 Spring Report of the Auditor General

Tabled in Parliament on April 28, 2015

Report 3 – Tax-Based Expenditures

The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Department of Finance Canada, with the support of the Canada Revenue Agency and consistent with their respective roles and responsibilities, properly manages tax-based expenditures. They also examined whether the Department of Finance Canada reported clear and useful information on tax-based expenditures to support proper scrutiny by Parliament and Canadians.

The OAG made three recommendations to the CRA. The OAG suggested that the Agency evaluate its risk ranking tool, identify potential gaps in auditor training, and improve performance measurement. CRA agreed with the recommendations and has been taking steps to address the issues.

www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_oag_201504_03_e_40349.html

2015 Fall Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development

Tabled in Parliament on January 26, 2016

Report 3 – Departmental Progress in Implementing Sustainable Development Strategies

The objective of the audit was to determine whether five departments (different from those audited in 2013) had systems in place to help ensure compliance with key aspects of the Cabinet directive and its related guidelines. The second focus was to determine whether those departments had met their 2011-2012 departmental commitments related to strengthening strategic environmental assessment practices.

The Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development made three recommendations to the CRA. The Commissioner recommends that the Agency consistently apply the requirements of the Cabinet Directive, inform the Minister of all environmental assessments, and publicly report on the results.

CRA agreed with the recommendations and has taken steps to address the issues.

www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_cesd_201601_03_e_41017.html

2015 Fall Report of the Auditor General

Tabled in Parliament on February 2, 2016

Report 4 – Information Technology Shared Services

This report is a performance audit on Information Technology Shared Services with Shared Service Canada (SSC) and the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada. CRA is not an auditee and was only referenced in the report as a partner of SSC.

There were no recommendations for CRA in the report.

www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_oag_201602_04_e_41061.html

Response to external audits conducted by the Public Service Commission of Canada or the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages

There were no external audits conducted by these entities for this period.

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