Analysis of Programs by Strategic Outcome - 2015–16 Report on Plans and Priorities - Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Description

Through the Cabinet Decision Support sub-program, the Secretariat supports decision making by providing advice regarding resource allocation, risks, compliance with rules and policies, and alignment with the Government of Canada's objectives and priorities. The sub-program objective is to provide the Treasury Board and other Cabinet committees with the best possible advice and analysis pertaining to departmental submissions to achieve results for Canadians.

This sub-program achieves its results by reviewing and providing advice and guidance on Treasury Board submissions and Memoranda to Cabinet. The Secretariat plays a challenge function role in reviewing any Cabinet proposal. It also supports the Treasury Board as a committee of ministers in considering Governor in Council regulations and Orders in Council.

Planning Highlights

In 2015–16, the Secretariat will:

• Review Cabinet documents, including transfer payment proposals, to ensure compliance with Government of Canada policies related to financial management (ongoing).
• Strengthen the challenge function, undertake due diligence, and improve the rigour of financial information on Treasury Board submissions and other Cabinet proposals (ongoing).
• Support the expenditure management system using the Costing Centre of Expertise to strengthen capacity, challenge costs and improve information available for decision making through enhanced due-diligence reviews of cost estimates in Cabinet documents (new).

Description

Through the Expenditure Analysis and Allocation Management sub-program, the Secretariat provides advice and analysis related to government expenditures, including compensation. It also supports decision making by providing reliable, detailed and timely information to Parliament and to the public, and by reporting on spending and resource allocation. The objective of this sub-program is to promote accountability and transparency in the management of government expenditures.

This program achieves its results by working with federal departments and agencies—as well as most Crown corporations—and by conducting research and analysis on expenditure trends to support expenditure planning, resource allocation and results-based decision making.

This sub-program also includes expenditures on whole-of-government reporting to Parliament and to Canadians.

The primary legislation underpinning this sub-program's activities is the Financial Administration Act, as well as the appropriation Acts associated with the Estimates.

Planning Highlights

In 2015–16, the Secretariat will:

• Take a government-wide perspective on cost savings, maximize the potential for operational efficiencies, and improve service to Canadians by providing advice and guidance on financial reporting, policy and Treasury Board accounting standards (new).
• Direct the form and content of the 2015–16 Public Accounts of Canada, including the consolidated financial statements (ongoing).
• Monitor federal organizations' financial performance reporting to the Receiver General (ongoing).
• Contribute to the development of public sector accounting standards, domestically and internationally (ongoing).

Description

Through the Financial Management Policy sub-program, the Secretariat provides direction to federal organizations on proper stewardship of taxpayers' dollars and government assets. The sub-program works to strengthen financial management, management of real property and materiel, investment planning and project management, and procurement across the federal public service. The sub-program objective is to promote sound stewardship and value for money and provide direction on standardizing the management of public resources including in the areas of financial management and assets and acquired services across the Government of Canada.

This sub-program provides policy direction and leadership to departments by developing and maintaining policies, guidance and practices; nurturing sustainable and professional communities (e.g., finance, procurement, materiel management, real property); monitoring departmental performance and compliance; and helping improve the overall efficiency of government operations. This includes community development, learning and outreach activities.

The primary legislation issuing program authority is the Financial Administration Act.

Planning Highlights

In 2015–16, the Secretariat will:

• Monitor organizational compliance with the Policy on Internal Control by supporting federal organizations in strengthening their internal control regime through ongoing monitoring and testing, and by helping them safeguard the integrity of the information underpinning their financial statements (ongoing).
• Improve the administration and delivery of transfer payment programs to Canadians in collaboration with other organizations (ongoing).
• Implement the Guideline on Chief Financial Officer Attestation for Cabinet Submissions to provide clarity on costing and ensure that organizations adopt a rigourous and consistent approach to funding proposals (i.e., advanced training on cost estimation) (ongoing).
• Complete the five-year reviews of the policy suites associated with the Policy on Investment Planning – Assets and Acquired Services, the Policy on the Management of Projects, the Policy on Management of Real Property, and the Policy on Management of Materiel(ongoing).

Description

Through the People Management Policy sub-program, the Secretariat supports activities of the Treasury Board in its role as the employer of the core public administration. This sub-program provides government-wide leadership through enabling policy frameworks, strategic engagements and human resources services delivery infrastructure for high performance and leadership excellence in people management. It enables prudent fiscal management of resources in the areas of classification, total compensation (collective bargaining, wages and salaries, terms and conditions of employment, pensions and benefits) and labour relations.

In support of deputy heads and to provide Parliament and Canadians with a view of people management, this sub-program develops and monitors the implementation of policy frameworks, including for executive management; classification; values and ethics and for official languages. It establishes people management performance indicators; assesses and reports on organizations' performance in people management; and collects and provides data on the public service. This includes community development, learning and outreach activities.

This sub-program is underpinned by legislation such as the Financial Administration Act, the Federal Accountability Act, the Public Service Labour Relations Act, the Public Service Employment Act and the Official Languages Act.

Planning Highlights

In 2015–16, the Secretariat will:

• Oversee modernization of the job classification program and review the occupational group structure in line with the government's priority to advance a productive, high-performing and affordable public service (new).
• Implement the key leadership competencies to meet the evolving needs of the public service (new).
• Work to advance the broader human resources agenda, including strategic management of compensation (ongoing).
• Work with stakeholders (e.g., organizations, bargaining agents, and the Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board) to help prepare for the implementation of changes to the recourse provisions of the Public Service Labour Relations Act and other related Acts (ongoing).
• Provide evidence-based analysis and recommendations to modernize the classification and compensation structure for senior leaders in order to attract and retain future leaders (ongoing).

Description

Through the Information Management and Information Technology Policy sub-program, the Secretariat provides strategic direction and leadership to federal institutions on record keeping, business intelligence, data management, web content management, access to information, and privacy protection and management of cyber-security and information technology. This sub-program enables information to be safeguarded as a public trust and managed as a strategic asset.

The Secretariat creates an environment that promotes open information and allows Canadians to exercise their right to access and use information, where personal information is protected against unauthorized collection, use and disclosure. The sub-program encourages the continual improvement of Information Management and Information Technology across the Government of Canada by promoting principles and standards that support the achievements of the Government of Canada's enterprise transformation objectives, and enable department priorities.

The sub-program develops and maintains policy instruments, encourages collaboration between government institutions, monitors and oversees departmental policy performances and provides leadership. This includes community development, learning and outreach activities.

Planning Highlights

In 2015–16, the Secretariat will:

• Engage Government of Canada information and technology leaders to ensure strategic use of information management (IM) and information technology (IT) in enabling more secure, efficient, and effective enterprise-wide transformation and delivery of government programs and services (ongoing).
• Increase the Government of Canada's capacity to respond to cyber-threats, recover from cyber-incidents, and address the outcomes of lessons learned exercises by establishing tools, templates and best practices as part of enterprise-wide IT infrastructure renewal and knowledge development and sharing activities (ongoing).
• Working with lead security agencies to assist in coordinating activities during an incident, which includes identifying the incident's impact on business (ongoing).
• Modernize the IM and IT portfolio and lead effective execution of strategies to enable efficient, interoperable, accountable, transparent and secure government operations and services in support of the transformation agenda (ongoing).
• Modernize the administration of the Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) program by developing a government-wide approach to increase efficiency and accessibility by implementing a request and pay online system available through Open.Canada.ca with searchable ATIP summaries (ongoing).

Description

Through the Externally Facing Policy sub-program, the Secretariat provides strategic direction and guidance to departments and agencies to effectively manage Government of Canada communications and services to Canadians. In addition, it provides management and oversight of the government's regulatory function to the benefit of citizens and stakeholders. The sub-program's objectives are to promote high-quality, beneficial, consistent and open relationships and interactions between the Government of Canada and citizens and other stakeholders, and to reduce regulatory compliance burdens on business that may inhibit growth, productivity and innovation.

The Secretariat provides strategic direction and guidance in the areas of Government of Canada services, communications and regulations, and monitors the policy compliance of departments. This includes community development, learning and outreach activities.

Planning Highlights

In 2015–16, the Secretariat will:

• Evaluate organizational compliance with the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada and the Federal Identity Program Policy through the Communications Policy and Federal Identity Program policy centre in the Secretariat (ongoing).
• Take a “bottom-up” and user-centric approach to identify key areas where red tape problems are found and where some concrete action can be taken (ongoing).
• Work with federal organizations to implement the Cabinet Directive on Regulatory Management (ongoing).
• Monitor and report on regulatory organizations' level of compliance with the One-for-One Rule (ongoing).
• Monitor implementation of the Red Tape Reduction Action Plan by federal organizations by continuing to establish service standards for high-volume regulatory authorizations to enhance predictability and to post Forward Regulatory Plans on the website to provide businesses with the opportunity to engage and plan for the future (ongoing).
• Have the Communications Policy and Federal Identity Program policy centre conduct a review of Treasury Board policy instruments to identify opportunities to streamline requirements and ensure sound management of communications and corporate identity activities (ongoing).
• Oversee implementation of the Policy on Service, and develop a government-wide service strategy and new policy instruments to support enhanced digital self-service delivery (ongoing).

Description

Through the Organizational Management Policy sub-program, the Secretariat provides leadership and direction in the areas of results-based management, risk management, internal audit, evaluation and non–information technology security. These policies support the ongoing improvement of the relevance, effectiveness and value for money of programs and operations across the Government of Canada. It also includes the strategic direction and coordination of the Management Accountability Framework to support and improve the practices and accountability of deputy heads across departments and agencies. The objective of this sub-program is to promote effective and standard corporate management practices across the Government of Canada.

The Secretariat develops and maintains policy instruments, and engages with functional communities, to build capacity and promote management excellence, and monitors policy compliance in the area of corporate management. This includes community development, learning and outreach activities.

Planning Highlights

In 2015–16, the Secretariat will:

• Conclude the first annual assessment under the renewed MAF (new).
• Review the Policy on Government Security and develop a phased implementation plan in collaboration with stakeholders to improve consistency of application and relevance, and support the effective delivery of programs by protecting information, assets, individuals, and services through measures commensurate with the security risk (ongoing).
• Lead an integrated approach, in partnership with lead security agencies, to strengthen the government's security posture by supporting enterprise-wide security management that protects information, assets, individuals and services against internal and external threats (ongoing).
• Provide leadership, actively engage partners, share best practices and encourage collaboration through multiple forums, to enable the security community to effectively manage departmental security and contribute to improving the overall management of enterprise security (ongoing).
• Strengthen results-based management through improved performance metrics and analytics to support effectiveness and efficiency in program delivery (ongoing).
• Build on the results of the evaluation of the Policy on Evaluation to continue to enhance the usefulness of evaluations for policy and program improvement and expenditure management, as well as to consult with organizations to support their needs for capacity building initiatives (ongoing).
• Provide guidance, direction and functional leadership to strengthen internal audit, including developing tools and activities to support organizations in enhancing their professional practices to meet the standards of the internal audit community (e.g., planning, conducting and reporting on engagements) (ongoing).
• Lead the Blueprint 2020 horizontal initiative to reduce internal red tape, engaging public service employees through social media and in-person workshops (new).

Description

Through the Pensions and Benefits sub-program, the Secretariat supports the Treasury Board as manager of the federal Public Service Pension Plan and as the pension plan and group benefit plan sponsor. The objective of this sub-program is to provide consistent pensions and benefits to employees across the core public service.

The Secretariat oversees administration of the Public Service Pension Plan, providing direction to Public Works and Government Services Canada, and undertakes management and oversight responsibilities for other federal pension and benefit programs. This includes program development and management of pensions, benefits, disability and sick leave management. The Secretariat also manages stakeholder relations and provides information to pension and benefit plan members on entitlements, and communicates changes to the Public Service Pension Plan. The Secretariat supports the Secretary and the Treasury Board in setting the terms and conditions relating to eligibility, premiums, contributions, and other arrangements.

The Secretariat is also responsible for insurance benefits plans, which include health care, dental and disability for public service employees, pensioners and their dependants. This includes oversight of the plan contracts, communication, and initiatives to manage costs.

The decreases in planned spending and FTEs from 2015–16 to 2016–17 are largely attributable to the sunsetting of authorities related to chargeable administrative costs for the Public Service Pension Plan. Authorities are approved on a three-year basis and will be sought as of 2016–17.

Planning Highlights

In 2015–16, the Secretariat will:

• Advance the development of a modern approach to public sector pensions and benefits, in consultation with stakeholders, to modernize the disability and sick leave management system and better support employee productivity, recovery and wellness (new).
• Pursue a modern approach to public sector compensation and pensions and benefits, ensuring that they are affordable and sustainable for the long term and work in areas such as governance, reporting, and plan sustainability for employee benefits (ongoing).
• Implement the action plan developed in response to the 2014 Spring Report of the Auditor General of Canada on public sector pension plans (new).

Description

Through the Labour Relations sub-program, the Secretariat supports the Treasury Board in its role as employer by overseeing labour management and compensation operations for the core public administration.

The Secretariat negotiates collective agreements with employee bargaining agents and oversees employer representation at recourse for labour relations, classification, pay equity, staffing and terms and conditions of employment. It also provides advice and guidance to departments and agencies on labour relations and compensation issues.

This sub-program is underpinned by legislation, such as the Financial Administration Act, the Federal Accountability Act, the Public Service Labour Relations Act, and the Public Service Employment Act.

Planning Highlights

In 2015–16, the Secretariat will:

• Implement an integrated compensation strategy for the core public administration, the excluded and unrepresented employees, the separate agencies, the Canadian Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The current round of collective bargaining will advance the government's priority to negotiate a new short-term disability plan and sick leave provisions, as part of the Workplace Wellness and Productivity Initiative (new).
• Ensure an integrated and coordinated employer's response to grievances and complaints (e.g., staffing, classification, human rights, labour relations) to protect the interests of the employer (ongoing).
• Provide litigation advice and guidance on court challenges, and support Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms claims and pay equity cases (ongoing).
• Advance the employer's position collaboratively through the National Joint Council, providing input from the respective policy centres and the Office of the Employer Side Secretary (ongoing).
• Provide ongoing advice and interpretation to deputy heads and federal organizations on policies for minister's offices and directives on relocation, commuting assistance, isolated posts and government housing, occupational health and safety, first aid to the general public, allowance for employees, uniforms, travel, foreign service and workforce adjustment (ongoing).

Description

Through the Government-Wide Operations sub-program, the Secretariat provides other departments and agencies with access to shared operations, services, and information technology systems. The Secretariat also provides support to small departments and agencies where specific expertise is required or capacity limitations exist, in order to generate cost-savings. The Secretariat develops and maintains IT tools that promote a more collaborative and efficient public service. Its objective is to improve the efficiency of government organizations.

Activities under this sub-program are performed with groups of government organizations to facilitate government business. These services and systems are developed and maintained by the Secretariat, sometimes in partnership with other organizations.

Planning Highlights

In 2015–16, the Secretariat will:

• Provide government-wide service leadership and guidance in line with the Policy on Service, and oversee an approach to improving the design and delivery of services (ongoing).
• Contribute to improved efficiency of policy development and program delivery through enhancements to GCpedia and GCconnex, enabling greater collaboration within and across federal organizations (ongoing).
• Continue to perform horizontal internal audits in large and small federal organizations and core control audits in small organizations to contribute to improving government-wide public sector management (ongoing).

Description

Through the Transformation Leadership sub-program, the Secretariat reviews existing administrative systems and processes, and provides the platform for transformational initiatives across the Government of Canada to promote improvements primarily, but not exclusively, in back office functions. The objective of this sub-program is to achieve long-term savings by redesigning operations of the Government of Canada where benefits outweigh the costs.

The Secretariat develops and pilots leading-edge enterprise tools, systems, and services to initiate change and help identify lessons learned in support of government-wide implementation.

Planning Highlights

In 2015–16, the Secretariat will:

• Design, deliver and facilitate the transformation of people management business processes, systems (including myGCHR) and services (new).
• Lead Open Government activities by implementing Canada's second Action Plan on Open Government. This includes providing an Open Government secretariat; working inter-jurisdictionally with provinces and territories; and identifying new initiatives to foster openness, innovation and greater citizen engagement (ongoing).
• Provide increased access to government data, services and citizen engagement online through a single point of entry, Canada.ca. This web portal has been optimized for mobile use and designed to enhance the user experience. It is also supported by more efficient web publishing (ongoing).
• Continue rollout of the three-year project to implement a performance management regime across the core public administration, as per the Directive on Performance Management. The project includes the design, configuration and maintenance of an online application to automate performance management and reporting (ongoing).
• Advance transformation of the financial and results-based management functions across government by modernizing, standardizing and streamlining business processes that support efficient enterprise-level decisions (ongoing).
• Advance work on pilot programs for business (e.g., Business Number Hub) and for Canadians (e.g., Federated Identity Management) to facilitate the “tell us once” approach (ongoing).

1. Government-Wide Funds (Central Votes)

2. Public Service Employer Payments