2011-2012 Part III - Departmental Performance Reports (DPR) - Public Appointments Commission Secretariat

Table of Contents

1. Section I: Organizational Overview
   1. Raison d’être
   2. Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture
   3. Organizational Priorities
   4. Summary of Performance
   5. Expenditure Profile
   6. Estimates by Vote
2. Section II: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome
   1. Strategic Outcome
   2. Program Activity 1: Oversight of Governor-in-Council Appointments
      1. Performance Summary and Analysis of Program Activity
      2. Lessons Learned
   3. Program Activity 2: Internal Services
      1. Performance Summary and Analysis of Program Activity
3. Section III: Supplementary Information
   1. Financial Highlights
   2. Financial Highlights—Charts and Graphs
   3. Financial Statements
   4. List of Supplementary Information Tables

Section I: Organizational Overview

Raison d’être

The 2006 Federal Accountability Act provided for the creation of the Public Appointments Commission. The Public Appointments Commission Secretariat was created by Order in Council on April 21, 2006, in order to:

• Lay the groundwork for a commission, including the elaboration of a Code of Practice and associated guidance regarding selection processes for Governor-in-Council appointments;
• Provide advice and support in assessing compliance with the Code of Practice, including compliance audits;
• Support the Commission, if constituted, with the preparation of an annual report to the Prime Minister and to Parliament, on compliance with the Code of Practice; and
• Support Privy Council Office officials, in advance of a commission being established, in their efforts to continuously improve the efficiency, fairness and transparency of the existing framework governing the public appointments system.

On March 29, 2012, as part of Budget 2012, the Government announced that the Public Appointments Commission Secretariat, which had been unstaffed and non-operational since June 2011, would not be continuing operations beyond fiscal year 2011–12.

Section 468 of Bill C-38, the Jobs, Growth and Long-Term Prosperity Act, which received Royal Assent on June 29, 2012, repealed the legislative authority in section 1.1 of the Salaries Act for the establishment, composition, appointment and role of the Commission.

Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture

The Commission had one strategic outcome, as described below, which was supported by two program activities.

Strategic Outcome

Program Activity 1:  Oversight of Governor-in-Council appointments

Oversight of Governor-in-Council appointments covered activities relating to: the development of options for a principle-based and proportional Code of Practice, including minimum standards covering selection criteria, recruitment strategies and assessment processes; the development of procedures and guidance to assist auditors to assess compliance with the Code of Practice, once implemented; continued research into domestic and international agencies responsible for public appointments to identify best practices; the development of frameworks for reporting to the Prime Minister and Parliament; and internal evaluation frameworks to measure success in achieving the mandate. Additionally, advice and best practices were shared with Privy Council Office officials to support ongoing improvements to existing appointment frameworks.

Program Activity 2: Internal Services

The Public Appointments Commission Secretariat was limited in size and the Secretariat needed to function as a department within the meaning of Schedule 1.1 of the Financial Administration Act. For this reason, the Privy Council Office’s Corporate Services Branch provided most administrative and financial services under a Memorandum of Understanding.

Organizational Priorities

Summary of Performance

2011–12 Financial Resources (thousands of dollars )

2011–12 Human Resources (full-time equivalents [FTEs])

Summary of Performance Tables

Progress Toward Strategic Outcome

Expenditure Profile

Text Version of Expenditure Profile Chart

The Secretariat was not operational from spring 2007 to late fall 2007. From 2007–08 onward, the Secretariat focussed on laying the groundwork for a commission. This work included leading the development of policy options, conducting research into domestic and international organizations that focus on public appointment processes in order to identify best practices, designing systems for ongoing monitoring and reporting on selection processes and assisting in ongoing efforts to improve Governor-in-Council selection processes.

Actual spending for the Secretariat was $135 thousand at the end of fiscal year 2011‑12 compared to $294 thousand in fiscal year 2010–11, which represents a decrease of $159 thousand over the last fiscal year. The decrease was mainly due to the retirement in June 2011 of the sole remaining staff member of the organization. The position was never re-staffed and the Secretariat ceased its operations in June 2011.

Estimates by Vote

For information on the Public Appointments Commission Secretariat’s organizational Votes and/or statutory expenditures, please see the Public Accounts of Canada 2012 (Volume II). An electronic version of the Public Accounts 2012 is available on the Public Works and Government Services Canada website.²

Section II: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Strategic Outcome

To ensure fair and competency-based processes are in place for the recruitment and selection of qualified individuals for Governor-in-Council appointments across agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations.

Program Activity 1: Oversight of Governor-in-Council Appointments

Program Activity Description

The Program Activity for Oversight of Governor-in-Council Appointments helps to ensure that selection processes for Governor-in-Council appointments are fair and competency based.

2011–12 Financial Resources (thousands of dollars)

2011–12 Human Resources (FTEs)

Performance Summary and Analysis of Program Activity

The Commission was not constituted in 2011–12 and the Secretariat was unstaffed and non-operational from June 2011 until the end of the 2011–12 fiscal year.

Lessons Learned

Since 2006, the Government has significantly strengthened the rigour and transparency of the Governor-in-Council appointment system, particularly for full-time and leadership positions, despite the Commission not being operational. In consideration of the Government’s fiscal restraint measures and the improvements that have been made to the Governor-in-Council appointment system, the Government announced its decision to eliminate the Commission and its Secretariat on March 29, 2012, as part of Budget 2012.

Program Activity 2: Internal Services

Program Activity Description

The Internal Services Program Activity supports the effective and efficient delivery of activities under Program Activity 1.

2011–12 Financial Resources (thousands of dollars)

2011–12 Human Resources (FTEs)

Performance Summary and Analysis of Program Activity

For the period April to June 2011, during which the Secretariat was operational, the Privy Council Office’s Corporate Services Branch provided most administrative and financial services under a Memorandum of Understanding.

Section III: Supplementary Information

Financial Highlights

Financial Highlights—Charts and Graphs

The total net cost of operations before government funding and transfers was $238 thousand at the end of fiscal year 2011–12 compared to $359 thousand in fiscal year 2010–11, which represents a decrease of $121 thousand over the last fiscal year. The decrease was mainly due to the retirement in June 2011 of the sole remaining staff member of the organization. The position was never re-staffed during fiscal year 2011‑12.

Text Version of Assets by type Chart

Total assets at the end of fiscal year 2011–12 were $19 thousand, compared to $93 thousand in fiscal year 2010–11, representing a decrease of $74 thousand from fiscal year 2010–11. The Secretariat’s assets represent 100% of the Due from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

Text Version of Liabilities by type Chart

Total liabilities were $19 thousand at the end of fiscal year 2011–12, compared to $94 thousand in fiscal year 2010–11, representing a decrease of $75 thousand over the last fiscal year. The decrease was mainly due to the retirement in June 2011 of the sole remaining staff member of the organization. The position was never re-staffed during fiscal year 2011–12.

Text Version of Expenses per Program Activity Chart

The Public Appointments Commission Secretariat had two program activities related to its strategic outcome. The program activities were “Oversight of Governor-in-Council Appointments” and “Internal Services.”

In fiscal year 2011–12, $120 thousand (50%) was spent under the program activity “Oversight of Governor-in-Council Appointments” and $118 thousand (50%) was spent under the program activity “Internal Services.” These percentages are similar to those presented for fiscal year 2010–11. However, total expenses in 2011–12 are much lower overall due to the retirement in June 2011 of the sole remaining staff member of the organization. The position was not re-staffed and the Secretariat ceased its operations in June 2011.

Financial Statements

The Secretariat’s financial statements can be found in the Reports and Publications section of this website.

List of Supplementary Information Tables

There are no supplementary information tables for the Secretariat for fiscal year 2011‑12.

Endnotes

1. Type is defined as follows: Ongoing—committed to at least three fiscal years prior to the subject year of the report; Previously committed to—committed to in the first or second fiscal year prior to the subject year of the report; and New—newly committed to in the reporting year of the Departmental Performance Report.
2. See Public Accounts of Canada 2012.