Information & Ethics committee  It's done in the context of the Management Accountability Framework, which sets out the 19 operational areas of the departments for management excellence. One of those areas, area 12, is information management. We ensure that there is good governance, a strategy and a plan. Now that this new directive is in place, we're going to start checking to see that the practices are also in place.

Information & Ethics committee  There's even a specific policy on consequences: now there's a policy that describes the consequences that may be considered in the context of the Financial Administration Act, which is essentially the act that enables the Treasury Board to put these mandatory policies and directives in place.

Information & Ethics committee  One of the important provisions of the directive is that the IM senior official identify information resources of business value based on analysis of departmental functions and activities carried out by the department and to enable it to support its legislated mandate, the protection of information resources of business value.

Information & Ethics committee  We've seen what's in the newspapers and we've read some of the testimony. I think we don't have enough information to answer that question, I'm sorry.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes, but that person is normally supported by others. Depending on the size of the institution, there is a team of functional experts that works in this field. If it's the deputy minister of corporate services who is appointed senior official, a head of the file management service can handle the day-to-day aspects of this program.

Information & Ethics committee  That depends. It's up to them to decide, but normally it's a senior manager. It's often the assistant deputy minister responsible for corporate services or the senior information manager of the department. The decision as to who is the best candidate to carry out this important information management role is left to the deputy minister.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes, precisely, and that person is normally responsible for the information and file management team in the institution.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes. I agree with you that these officers must bear a fairly heavy and significant burden in relation to this policy. They must see to the implementation of policy elements and take corrective measures. The consequences are significant. The first is management within the institution, but if there are ever any obvious problems outside that institution, corrective measures must be taken by the Treasury Board Secretariat.

Information & Ethics committee  There are audit procedures within the department for implementing directives. This official will implement these information management programs in the context of all departmental programs. The idea is to ensure that an institution's operational programs include the functional aspect of information management, service delivery, programs and policies.

Information & Ethics committee  It's the deputy minister or the head of the institution who appoints the senior official responsible for information management in each department.

Information & Ethics committee  It's the deputy minister or the head of the institution.

Information & Ethics committee  I'll add two quick comments on the communication and then get to the second part of your question. The recordkeeping directive actually flows from the policy on information management, which includes a role for the Canada School of Public Service in terms of disseminating information, and they embed information about the provisions in these policies into their courses for orientation for new government employees as well as for development for senior executives and functional specialists.

Information & Ethics committee  He appoints a person who—

Information & Ethics committee  The rules under the recordkeeping directive would require that they be properly managed, and all aspects of the recordkeeping directive apply to those documents. I think there are questions of how exceptions get handled in the access to information policy and legislation for those documents, but for recordkeeping purposes, this directive applies.

Information & Ethics committee  That would relate most closely to the provisions in the Library and Archives of Canada Act, so I'll have Doug answer.