Evidence of meeting #38 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was advertising.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:05 p.m.
Secretary of the Treasury Board, Treasury Board Secretariat
Measures have been taken to that end. We've followed a number of the recommendations that the Auditor General has made to us in her numerous audits. As a result, all contracts are posted. They are all linked to a call for tenders. These standing offers are identified. Competitions are transparent, open, and the control, cross-checking and monitoring mechanisms are very rigorous.
4:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Merci.
We'll now go to Monsieur Gourde, pour huit minutes, s'il vous plaît.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Can you explain to me in greater detail the purpose of the Federal Identity Program? You, the Treasury Board Secretary provided a few examples in your presentation. However, I would like to have more examples of the way that program operates and the circumstances in which Canadians can see it at work.
4:05 p.m.
Secretary of the Treasury Board, Treasury Board Secretariat
Thank you.
Madam Chair, the mechanisms and components lead us to say more specifically how Canada's three major symbols can be used and in what circumstances. For example, only certain institutions are entitled to use the Arms of Canada. The Speaker of the House of Commons and the Speaker of the Senate are entitled to use the arms within their precincts.
As for the signature of the Government of Canada, it is very clearly prescribed that the flag, with the official title of the department, must always be posted so that the source of information or material communicated can be determined. The same principle applies in the case of Canada's wordmark, that is the word “Canada” with a small flag on the a at the end. This symbol must appear in all communications.
This principle applies whether it concerns letterhead, a sign or an advertisement. The signature must even be verbal as well. That's why you hear on the radio: “This is an advertisement of the Government of Canada.” These guidelines ensure that every official communication of the Government of Canada is identified, trackable and traceable. It enables Canadians to be sure that this is indeed an official communication of the Government of Canada.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
Contrary to what my colleague said, we hear the words “Government of Canada” and not “Conservative Government of Canada”. So these are non-partisan advertisements.
4:10 p.m.
Secretary of the Treasury Board, Treasury Board Secretariat
As I explained, we have examined all communications activities, whether it be television advertising, visual signage or the website. And communication materials are in compliance with both policies.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
What is the role of the deputy ministers with regard to the communication policy and the Federal Identity Program policy, and what are they doing to ensure that their departments comply with all those policies?
4:10 p.m.
Secretary of the Treasury Board, Treasury Board Secretariat
The communications policy, like the Accountability Act, clearly states that deputy ministers are responsible for putting in place all the necessary control and monitoring measures to ensure that the government's policies are complied with and that the initiatives and activities of their departments and agencies are consistent with those policies. So they have control measures for following up on financial controls, for human resources controls. In communications, a good part of those controls are the responsibility of the communication function, that is a communications branch in their department or agency, and the terms and conditions of operation are very clearly prescribed in the communications policy. As I mentioned earlier, we're going to provide the clerk of the committee with the hyperlink. You'll see that there are indeed 31 clearly established directives that provide for the use and control and monitoring mechanisms that a department must put in place within its organization.
So the deputy ministers have at least a fairly precise guideline. We also define the role of a communications director or director general within a department, what the follow-up audit mechanisms are for the exchanges necessary for approvals, and so on. So it's quite clearly established so that the deputy ministers can perform their duties and their responsibilities.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
With regard to the advertisements of the Government of Canada, do the cheques used to pay for the advertisements bear the government identification? Do the cheques look a lot like the signs that also appear around the edges of the places where infrastructure projects are underway, or other projects?
4:10 p.m.
Secretary of the Treasury Board, Treasury Board Secretariat
As I said, the guidelines must apply to what are called the “ceremonial” cheques used for official advertisements, that is to say the cheques that a minister uses, or that a member of Parliament uses on behalf of a minister during an official event. When a member or senator takes an initiative, the guidelines do not apply to the member as an individual. They will apply only in an event for which a parliamentarian—if I may use that expression—acts on behalf of the minister and is designated as such.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
Those cheques are produced by the departments?
4:10 p.m.
Secretary of the Treasury Board, Treasury Board Secretariat
In this case, Public Works and Government Services Canada offers a production service for this kind of event and initiative. The departments wishing to use it may do so.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
Thank you. Do I have any time left?
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
There seem to be some direct, natural links between the communications policy and the Federal Identity Program policy. Can you explain how those two policies fit together and supplement each other?
4:10 p.m.
Secretary of the Treasury Board, Treasury Board Secretariat
I would say that the communications policy enables us to say or to explain what's called the voice of government, whereas the Federal Identity Program policy is really the image or face of government. That's what we call the complementary or interactive nature of the two policies. So the identity policy enables us to ensure the integrity of the government's visual image to the same extent as the communications policy allows us to ensure consistency and the orientation of the communication is done in accordance with the orientation of the priorities and policies of the Government of Canada.
4:15 p.m.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
4:15 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
You've finished? Thank you.
We'll now go to Mr. Martin for eight minutes.
4:15 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Thank you, Madam Chair.
It seems to me, witnesses, that government communications has always been a bit of a cesspool of partisan monkey business over the years--really, since anybody can remember. The flag of Canada itself bears a striking resemblance to the colours and logos of the Liberal Party, which was the ruling party at the time. How we ever wound up with a flag that had no blue representing La Belle Province is beyond me.
It seems to me that it's almost like the victor gets to write the history books, and control of this big government communications machine is one of the spoils of war that the victor gets to exploit. This is the way it looks to me. But after a certain point, I mean, some limitations have to be put on that or the room for abuse is just staggering. The Government of Ontario has cleansed this process.
Now, I don't envy you; you're here trying to defend the indefensible, which Canadians have been crying out about in these recent months. As a specific, can anybody tell me who actually created the action plan website and maintains it?
4:15 p.m.
Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet, Plans and Consultation, Privy Council Office
The website was originally created by, I believe, the Department of Finance. It's now managed by the Privy Council Office.
November 3rd, 2009 / 4:15 p.m.
Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet, Plans and Consultation, Privy Council Office
Well, it's part and parcel of our role in coordinating government communications. In fact, we had agreed to take on the management of the website because the material on the site does not come from PCO; it actually comes from the departments who are participating in the action plan.
4:15 p.m.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
So who would have put the link onto the Prime Minister playing the piano and all the multiple pictures of him in friendly poses that you connect to through that website? Who would have done that?
