Evidence of meeting #30 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was employees.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
So the actual is 122 minus the 77, divided by 77 gives you 58%. Well, 0.58 times 150%, so there you go. But is it driven by workload? In four years you've gone up 60% in workload?
Privacy Commissioner, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Yes. We presented a business case to the first parliamentary panel. There is a long and special history behind this. The office was only funded when PIPEDA came into force for three years, as I remember, and then it underwent an unusual situation, you will remember. So for two years our funding levels stayed the same and we didn't even have the catch-ups.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
So the addition of the PIPEDA work made a big chunk of the difference there.
Privacy Commissioner, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Yes, we had an initial increase in PIPEDA work in 1999 for 2000, but then because of the events at the office it was hard to assess this every year. It was granted based on what people thought the PIPEDA workload would be. And when we went back to it in 2005, in front of the parliamentary panel, that then was the rise you see from 2005-06.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
So I'm with Mr. Tilson, in that once you've done your survey.... Do other departments do an exit survey, or are you starting something new?
Director, Human Resources Services, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
It's not mandatory, but many more organizations are doing it.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
I know the private sector does that. I don't know if the public sector is doing it.
I'd be interested, in a year or two, getting a response when you do your annual report as to the reasons people are leaving.
In 2007-08 you have 61 new hires and 122 people. Half your workforce looks like its new hires. What's your definition of new hires--hired within that calendar year? Is that what you're telling me?
And then how long does it take for an employee, on average, to become what you would call productive, after training and so on? What kind of time lag is that?
Privacy Commissioner, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
It depends on what they're doing and the level at which they're supposed to be functioning and how much experience was factored into their initial hiring. So for a manager you're supposed to be functional right away, for example, but at the professional level--for example, at the investigator level--I would think that after about a year we expect people then to be fully functional.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Okay.
I appreciate the work you've put into this. It's excellent.
On your projected retirements for 2011-12, is that telling me that it spikes that high in that one particular year, or is that a future view after...? Is that an actual?
Privacy Commissioner, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Is that the very last one?
Director, Human Resources Services, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
It spikes because it's based on a static population. We're using the base of where we are now, but we're not factoring in new hires or turnover. So if we stayed the same as now, that would be the projected retirement--
Conservative
Director, Human Resources Services, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Yes.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
My final question is one I think you've spurred me on to ask, actually. Mr. Hubbard talked about competitions across Canada, which I think is actually very important, and I appreciate his questioning. I have questioned the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. As you know, we're potentially making some changes there. Is that skill set we're looking for available in new immigrants who we haven't been able to attract to this area?
The changes would allow the minister to identify skill sets that are not readily available in Canada or are going in high demand. Is it almost impossible for a new immigrant to get a job in your commission just because they don't have the skill set, or is it something that does exist around the world and something we may be able to attract?
Privacy Commissioner, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
There's a range of jobs at our office. We have many people—I don't know if they're recent immigrants—but perhaps their families haven't been in Canada as long as those from some of the more traditional groups.
Maureen.
Director, Human Resources Services, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
There is still some discussion under way with the Public Service Commission surrounding who a competition or a process may be open to. Priority is given to Canadian residents first. That's a discussion that has been ongoing with the Public Service Commission. We have to keep in tune with this. We provide input if we encounter problems within the recruitment area.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
What you're telling me is that it's not a likely short-term solution for you.
NDP
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
I was wondering how much longer we're going to spend on human resources.
