Strategic outcome and program activity descriptions

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Department

Strategic Outcome—The Government's agenda and decision making are supported and implemented and the institutions of government are supported and maintained.

  • Program Activity—Prime Minister and portfolio ministers support and advice

    The Privy Council Office (PCO) supports the Prime Minister in carrying out his unique responsibilities as Head of Government. PCO provides professional and non-partisan advice to the Prime Minister on policies, democratic reform, legislation and parliamentary issues facing the Government; appointments; and machinery of government issues. PCO, as appropriate, consults with stakeholders, conducts research, and performs a challenge function. PCO also supports Ministers in the Prime Minister's portfolio. PMO and the offices of the Portfolio Ministers have budgets to carry out their operations.

  • Program Activity—Cabinet and Cabinet committees' advice and support

    To ensure the smooth functioning of Cabinet decision making, PCO provides policy advice and secretariat support to the Cabinet and Cabinet committees by preparing briefing material and distributing agendas and cabinet document. It facilitates integration across the federal community in support of the implementation of the Government's agenda by departments and agencies. PCO engages in consultation with departments and agencies, provides a challenge function during the policy development process and researches issues. PCO also ensures that proposals take into account issues related to implementation, communications, parliamentary affairs and federal-provincial-territorial relations.

  • Program Activity—Public Service leadership and direction

    PCO sets strategic direction for the Public Service to foster a high-performing and accountable Public Service that has the talent, leadership capacity, and management frameworks to provide advice on and implement the Government's agenda, it also plays a key role in the management development and succession planning for senior leaders in the Public Service.

  • Program Activity—Commissions of inquiry

    The Commissions of inquiry have budgets to carry out their operations. Additionally, PCO provides financial and administrative support as well as a broad range of expertise to assist commissions of inquiry in fulfilling their mandates.

Strategic Outcome—The following program activity supports all strategic outcomes within this organization.

  • Department-Program Activity—Internal services

    The Internal services program activity supports all strategic outcomes and is common across government. Internal services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and oversight services; Communications services; Legal services; Human resources management services; Financial management services; Information management services; Information technology services; Real property services; Materiel services; Acquisition services; and Travel and Other administrative services. Internal services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat

Strategic Outcome—Multilateral meetings of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers are planned and conducted flawlessly.

  • Program Activity—Conference services

    Provision of expert, impartial support services for the planning and conduct of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers level of federal-provincial-territorial and provincial-territorial conferences.

Strategic Outcome—The following program activity supports all strategic outcomes within this organization.

  • Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat-Program Activity—Internal services

    The Internal services program activity supports all strategic outcomes and is common across government. Internal services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and oversight services; Communications services; Legal services; Human resources management services; Financial management services; Information management services; Information technology services; Real property services; Materiel services; Acquisition services; and Travel and Other administrative services. Internal services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board

Strategic Outcome—The mitigation of risks to the safety of the transportation system through independent accident investigations.

  • Program Activity—Air investigations

    Conduct independent investigations into occurrences in the federally regulated elements of the air transportation system to identify causes and contributing factors, publish investigation reports, formulate recommendations to improve safety, communicate safety information to stakeholders, undertake outreach activities with key change agents, as well as assess and follow-up on responses to recommendations. This includes the execution of specialized work in the fields of: engineering, macro analysis, human performance, legal services, communications, quality assurance, as well as publishing and linguistic services.

  • Program Activity—Marine investigations

    Conduct independent investigations into occurrences in the federally regulated elements of the marine transportation system to identify causes and contributing factors, publish investigation reports, formulate recommendations to improve safety, communicate safety information to stakeholders, undertake outreach activities with key change agents, as well as assess and follow-up on responses to recommendations. This includes the execution of specialized work in the fields of: engineering, macro analysis, human performance, legal services, communications, quality assurance, as well as publishing and linguistic services.

  • Program Activity—Rail investigations

    Conduct independent investigations into occurrences in the federally regulated elements of the rail transportation system to identify causes and contributing factors, publish investigation reports, formulate recommendations to improve safety, communicate safety information to stakeholders, undertake outreach activities with key change agents, as well as assess and follow-up on responses to recommendations. This includes the execution of specialized work in the fields of: engineering, macro analysis, human performance, legal services, communications, quality assurance, as well as publishing and linguistic services.

  • Program Activity—Pipeline investigations

    Conduct independent investigations into occurrences in the federally regulated elements of the pipeline transportation system to identify causes and contributing factors, publish investigation reports, formulate recommendations to improve safety, communicate safety information to stakeholders, undertake outreach activities with key change agents, as well as assess and follow-up on responses to recommendations. This includes the execution of specialized work in the fields of: engineering, macro analysis, human performance, legal services, communications, quality assurance, as well as publishing and linguistic services.

Strategic Outcome—The following program activity supports all strategic outcomes within this organization.

  • Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board-Program Activity—Internal services

    The Internal services program activity supports all strategic outcomes and is common across government. Internal services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and oversight services; Communications services; Legal services; Human resources management services; Financial management services; Information management services; Information technology services; Real property services; Materiel services; Acquisition services; and Travel and Other administrative services. Internal services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

Chief Electoral Officer

Strategic Outcome—An accessible electoral framework that Canadians trust and use.

  • Program Activity—Regulation of electoral activities

    This program activity provides Canadians with an electoral process that is fair, transparent and in compliance with the Canada Elections Act. Within this program activity, Elections Canada is responsible for administering the political financing provisions of the Act. This includes monitoring compliance, disclosure and reporting of financial activities, and enforcing electoral legislation.

  • Program Activity—Electoral operations

    This program activity allows Elections Canada to deliver fair and efficient electoral events whenever they may be required so that Canadians are able to exercise their democratic right to vote during a federal general election, by-election or referendum by providing an accessible and constantly improved electoral process responsive to the needs of electors.

  • Program Activity—Electoral engagement

    This program activity promotes and sustains the Canadian electoral process. It provides Canadians with electoral education and information programs so that they can make informed decisions about their engagement in the electoral process. It also aims to improve the electoral framework by consulting and sharing electoral practices with other stakeholders.

Strategic Outcome—The following program activity supports all strategic outcomes within this organization.

  • Chief Electoral Officer-Program Activity—Internal services

    The Internal services program activity supports all strategic outcomes and is common across government. Internal services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and oversight services; Communications services; Legal services; Human resources management services; Financial management services; Information management services; Information technology services; Real property services; Materiel services; Acquisition services; and Travel and Other administrative services. Internal services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages

Strategic Outcome—Canadians' right under the Official Languages Act are protected and are respected by federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act; and linguistic duality is promoted in Canadian society.

  • Program Activity—Promotion of linguistic duality

    Through this program activity, the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (OCOL) works with Parliamentarians, federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Official Languages Act, official language communities and the Canadian public in promoting linguistic duality. OCOL builds links between federal institutions, official language communities and the different levels of government to help them better understand the needs of official language communities, the importance of bilingualism and the value of respecting Canada's linguistic duality. To fulfill its promotion role, OCOL conducts research, studies and public awareness activities as well as intervenes with senior federal officials so that they instill a change in culture to fully integrate linguistic duality in their organizations.

  • Program Activity—Protection of linguistic rights

    Through this program activity, the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages (OCOL) investigates complaints filed by citizens who believe their language rights have not been respected, evaluates compliance with the Official Languages Act by federal institutions and other organizations subject to the Act through performance measurements and audits, and intervenes proactively to prevent non-compliance with the Act. As well, the Office may intervene before the courts in cases that deal with non-compliance to the Official Languages Act.

Strategic Outcome—The following program activity supports all strategic outcomes within this organization.

  • Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages-Program Activity—Internal services

    The Internal services program activity supports all strategic outcomes and is common across government. Internal services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and oversight services; Communications services; Legal services; Human resources management services; Financial management services; Information management services; Information technology services; Real property services; Materiel services; Acquisition services; and Travel and Other administrative services. Internal services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

Public Appointments Commission Secretariat

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—Oversight of the Governor-in-Council appointments

    This covers the activities relating to and including support to develop and establish a code of practice for appointments by the Governor in Council and ministers to agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations; oversee, review and report on the selection process for appointments and reappointments by the Governor in Council to agencies, boards, commissions and Crown corporations, and to ensure that every such process is widely made public and conducted in a fair, open and transparent manner and that the appointments are based on merit; evaluate and approve the selection processes proposed by ministers to fill vacancies and determine reappointments within their portfolios, monitor and review those processes and ensure that they are implemented as approved; audit appointment policies and practices in order to determine whether the code of practice is being observed; report publicly on compliance with the code of practice; and provide public education and training of public servants involved in appointments and reappointments processes regarding the code of practice.

Strategic Outcome—The following program activity supports all strategic outcomes within this organization.

  • Public Appointments Commission Secretariat-Program Activity—Internal services

    The Internal services program activity supports all strategic outcomes and is common across government. Internal services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and oversight services; Communications services; Legal services; Human resources management services; Financial management services; Information management services; Information technology services; Real property services; Materiel services; Acquisition services; and Travel and Other administrative services. Internal services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

Security Intelligence Review Committee

Strategic Outcome—The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) carries out its mandate to investigate and report on threats to national security in a manner that respects the rule of law and the rights of Canadians.

  • Program Activity—Reviews

    Conduct reviews of CSIS's duties and functions to examine questions of appropriateness, adequacy and effectiveness and ensure that CSIS is acting lawfully. Develop research plans to identify reviews to be conducted throughout the year. Through a comprehensive and multifaceted program of research, examine various aspects of CSIS's operations and activities to prepare a retrospective analysis for the Committee's approval. Each review assesses CSIS's performance and may include findings and non-binding recommendations. These reviews are submitted to the Director of CSIS, the Inspector General, CSIS and in special circumstances, the Minister of Public Safety. A declassified summary is included in the Security Intelligence Review Committee's Annual Report. The objective is to provide Parliament and Canadians with “snapshots” of past CSIS operations which over time, provide a comprehensive picture of CSIS's performance.

  • Program Activity—Complaints

    Receive and inquire into complaints about CSIS brought by individuals or groups, as an independent, quasi-judicial administrative tribunal. Complaints may concern an “act or thing” done by CSIS; denials of security clearances; referrals from the Canadian Human Rights Commission; Minister's reports with the respect to the Citizenship Act; and complaints concerning an act or thing done by CSIS in relation to Transport Canada's Passenger protect program and Marine transportation security clearance program. After accepting jurisdiction, the Committee conducts pre-hearing conferences, presides over complaints hearings and prepares complaints reports which include findings and non-binding recommendations. These reports are submitted to the Minister of Public Safety, the Director of CSIS and a vetted version is provided to the complainant. A declassified summary is included in the Security Intelligence Review Committee's Annual Report. The Committee's decisions are intended to provide a fair and timely resolution of complaints and are subject to judicial review by the Federal Court of Canada.

Strategic Outcome—The following program activity supports all strategic outcomes within this organization.

  • Security Intelligence Review Committee-Program Activity—Internal services

    The Internal services program activity supports all strategic outcomes and is common across government. Internal services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management and oversight services; Communications services; Legal services; Human resources management services; Financial management services; Information management services; Information technology services; Real property services; Materiel services; Acquisition services; and Travel and Other administrative services. Internal services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

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