Introduction
This document will assist deputy ministers and executives in
preparing their individual performance agreements. Specifically, it is designed
to help define key commitments to address issues that require a concerted effort
in the coming year. Key commitments are drawn from the Public Service-wide
priorities set out in this document as well as departmental business plans.
The Public Service-wide priorities outlined here are derived
from the direction that the Government of Canada articulates for the Public
Service in the Speech from the Throne, as well as from the direction set by
the Head of the Public Service in the annual report to the Prime Minister on the
Public Service of Canada.
Individual performance agreements for deputy ministers should
include at least one key commitment related to these corporate, Public
Service-wide priorities.
Priorities for 2001–2002
In the January 30, 2001 Speech from the Throne, the Government
clearly defined its objective for the Public Service:
To assist the Government in fulfilling its
responsibilities, Canada must have a public service distinguished by
excellence and equipped with the skills for a knowledge economy and society.
The Government will seek bright, motivated young women and men to accept the
challenge of serving their country in the federal public service. The
Government is committed to the reforms needed for the Public Service of
Canada to continue evolving and adapting. These reforms will ensure that the
Public Service is innovative, dynamic and reflective of the diversity of the
country — able to attract and develop the talent needed to serve Canadians
in the 21st century.
The focus is on people because they are at the heart of our
ability to deliver in today’s increasingly complex and competitive knowledge
economy and society. The services we deliver to Canadians and the advice we
prepare for ministers hinge on the contributions of public servants — at every
level, in every department and agency, in local offices, in regions and
headquarters, and abroad. Ensuring that the right conditions are in place to
support people undertaking these efforts is the overarching priority for deputy
ministers and executives.
To succeed in today’s increasingly competitive environment
and achieve the strategic directions set out in the Throne Speech and in the
Clerk’s Annual Report, leaders of the Public Service are expected to liberate
the potential of every employee and encourage the development of leaders at all
levels. To create teams which get results and to encourage networks and
partnerships. To support innovation, creativity and the sharing of ideas. To
foster inclusive workplaces. And to focus on continuous learning and career and
professional development.
Above all, Public Service leaders are expected to have an
unwavering commitment to core values
and to serving Canadians with
professionalism, integrity and excellence in a non-partisan, bilingual and
national institution.
To assist leaders at all levels focus these efforts, four
broad areas requiring corporate attention were identified for last year’s
performance review period: recruitment, retention and learning; E-Government;
policy capacity; and financial management. This year, a fifth area has been
added. It highlights the Government’s commitment to create a more bilingual
workplace to better serve a bilingual country.
In October 1999, the Government outlined its commitment to the
Public Service in the Speech from the Throne:
To ensure that the Public Service of Canada remains a
strong, representative, professional and non-partisan national institution
that provides Canadians the highest quality service into the 21st century,
the Government will also focus on the recruitment, retention and continuous
learning of a skilled workforce.
The Speech from the Throne in 2001 builds on this commitment,
reinforcing that recruitment, retention and learning continue to be the backbone
of the "people" part of the Public Service management agenda. A highly
skilled, diverse and talented workforce is essential for assisting the
Government in fulfilling its responsibilities.
To this end, over the coming year, priority will be placed
on hiring Canada’s best graduates and on improving the representation of
visible minorities and youth at all levels of the Public Service. Deputy
ministers and executives are expected to take targeted action to recruit Canada’s
best graduates, to establish a presence at universities and colleges, to adopt
inclusive recruitment strategies, and to actively market the Public Service of
Canada.
Deputy ministers and executives are also expected to continue
to take action in their organizations to address the issues raised in the 1999
Public Service Employee Survey. They are expected to take steps to retain
corporate knowledge and expertise and ensure a smooth transition as the
workforce ages.
As well, Public Service leaders are expected to continue
focussing on learning — for themselves and their employees. They need to
ensure that their employees have the knowledge, competencies and tools they need
to continue developing sound policies and to deliver programs and services with
excellence.
Many examples of actions which deputy ministers and executives
can take to make progress in these areas can be found in:
n the report of the Perinbam Task Force on the
Participation of Visible Minorities in the Federal Public Service; and
Performance measures could include:
- the Perinbam benchmarks (1 in 5) are met or exceeded;
- managers have taken concrete, visible action to attract
bright, motivated young women and men;
- managers offer jobs to spring 2002 graduates no later
than December 2001;
- students get meaningful and challenging assignments, and
managers receive the coaching and mentoring they need to make this happen;
- succession plans are in place for specialist positions at
risk;
- in response to the findings of the 1999 Public Service
Employee Survey, more employees, particularly visible minorities and
disabled people, feel their workplace is more accepting of diversity;
- workload pressures are systematically assessed and
resources are reallocated as required; and
- departmental learning policies and individual learning
plans are in place and there is including is a commitment to provide the
time and resources required to implement them.
SERVICE: TOWARD E-GOVERNMENT
Modernizing service delivery to Canadians is an important
undertaking for all deputy ministers and executives. Leadership and action is
required to provide Canadians with faster, easier, more convenient and more
seamless access to government services in both official languages, as well as to
improve the level of satisfaction with these services. (For information on
service and innovation, see www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/si-si/about_e.htm.)
In the last two throne speeches, the Government has committed
to putting its services on-line by 2004 in order to better connect with
citizens. Over the coming year, deputy ministers and executives should ensure
progress is made to the Government-on-Line Initiative. They should also
work to strengthen the linkages between multiple channels of service delivery.
Deputy ministers and executives can also make a contribution
by exploring, in more depth, the potential of E-Government for transforming the
role and work of the Public Service. Beyond digitizing existing services and
approaches, E-Government could lead to fundamentally different approaches to
service delivery, as well as to new ways of engaging citizens, advising
ministers and managing employees. It could mean fewer artificial barriers and
structures, more empowered individuals, more team work, improved horizontal
collaboration and a better exchange of ideas in this diverse society.
E-Government is about becoming an "E-nabled"
government, a modern institution capable of meeting the challenges of the 21st
century. It is as much about the smart use of information and communications
technologies to help achieve goals, as it is about new ways of doing business
and having a public service equipped with the skills, mind sets, and leadership
approaches for a knowledge economy and society.
Performance measures could include:
- meeting this year’s commitments towards the
Government-on-Line target of on-line service delivery by 2004;
- integration of service delivery across all channels to
improve quality of service, efficiency, and citizen satisfaction;
- learning plans are developed to equip public servants
with the tools and training to foster the innovation needed to manage
and deliver client-centred programs and services in an electronic
environment;
- policy and procedural proposals are developed to
address the opportunities and challenges afforded by E-Government (e.g.,
privacy, security, legislation, accountability, citizen engagement,
official languages, human resources, procurement, etc.); and,
- effective linkages and partnerships are established
with other levels of government, and the private and voluntary sectors,
both nationally and internationally.
STRENGTHENING POLICY ADVICE
As the environment in which governments operate becomes more
complex, there are increasing demands on policy research, analysis, development,
implementation, and monitoring. Economic, social and management policy are
becoming integrated; domestic and international issues are also becoming
increasingly interdependent.
Collaboration and co-ordination are essential for making
progress on the Government’s policy agenda. This means working within and
across departments and regions; with other levels of government, the private
sector, and non-profit organizations; and with individuals, both in Canada and
abroad.
Over the coming year, the focus will continue to be on
developing the capacity to manage policy issues horizontally and on finding ways
to advance policy options and programs that support all elements of the
integrated agenda (e.g., fostering innovation, building a strong social fabric,
and modernizing governance) in ways that bring a variety of perspectives and
knowledge to bear in the process. Policy proposals should be developed with a
whole-of-government perspective to ensure efforts to advance in one area also
support progress in other areas, to the benefit of all Canadians.
Performance measures could include:
- increased policy co-ordination through collaboration
within departments, with other departments, and between policies and
programs;
- integration of regional and operational perspectives in
policy research, analysis, development, and implementation;
- contribution to the development of overarching policy
frameworks in priority areas;
- establishment of linkages and partnerships with the
private and voluntary sectors and other organizations that are key to
good policy advice; and
- expanding the role of citizens, other stakeholders, and
academics in the policy process.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Canadians and their elected representatives want to know their
tax dollars are managed well and that programs and services are delivered
efficiently, effectively and reliably. They want to see results and value for
money.
Initiatives that promote modern comptrollership,
particularly at the level of individual managers, are essential. This means
that ensuring expenditures are accounted for, audits and evaluations are carried
out, areas of greatest risk are actively monitored and managed, and the lessons
learned are actively applied in the development of new proposals. It also means
managing risk without stifling innovation and creativity and rewarding those who
succeed in bringing the principles of modern comptrollership alive in their
daily work. It means integrating financial and non-financial performance
information related to results.
Over the coming year, reallocation will continue to be a key
source of funding for both cost pressures and new initiatives. This will deepen
the need for performance evaluation and effective management information systems
that allow resource allocation to be tested against established priorities.
Performance measures could include:
- the audit and evaluation function is strengthened with
greater emphasis on continuous learning, improving programs and
services, and active monitoring;
- a departmental framework for assessing and managing
risk is in place that does not stifle innovation and creativity;
- operational, financial, and human resource data are
linked in such a way that program and other costs can be determined and
results measured;
- the Financial Information Strategy is successfully
implemented;
- procurement and asset management practices are renewed,
and initiatives are employed to modernize business practices and improve
the management of assets; and
- performance review and assessment systems are put in
place to create an effective capacity to test resource allocation
against established priorities.
OFFICIAL LANGUAGES
Canada is an inclusive society which embraces its bilingual
heritage as a cultural and competitive asset. As the January 30, 2001 Speech
from the Throne said: "Canada’s linguistic duality is fundamental to
our Canadian identity and is a key element of our vibrant society." In
this speech, the Government committed to
"...mobilize its efforts to ensure that all Canadians can interact with the
Government of Canada in either official language."
Ensuring federal services are actively offered in both
official languages where they are required to be is a priority for the coming
year. Equally important will be to ensure that the Public Service of Canada
becomes a truly bilingual workplace, which reflects the two
official-language communities and in which employees are at ease speaking,
writing and working in French or English.
Performance measures could include:
- fewer recurring departmental complaints;
- more employees take continuous language training,
especially managers and front-line officers who must deliver services in
both languages;
- meeting "C-B-C" commitments for executives,
and/or seeing a significant increase in the proportion of employees
meeting the language requirements of their job;
- significantly increased use of both official languages
in exchanges between colleagues, administrative meetings, training
sessions, work tools (Internet, directives, software, etc.); and
- on-line information and services of equal quality are
provided in both official languages.
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