Government Operations Committee on Nov. 27th, 2012

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I understand, but I don't understand why the report shows no transfer. But perhaps you can explain that in a bit.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Mike Wallace]

Thirty seconds.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

We're now planning to be shipping bitumen through rail lines that are intended for gasoline products. I would have thought that there would be some interest in gearing up and hiring more Transportation Safety Board people to give assurance and direction, to be building on inspection. Are you not making any request along that line?

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Mike Wallace]

Can you answer that in 10 seconds or so?

[Wendy Tadros]

We are an investigative body. The inspections are done by Transport Canada, which is the regulator for transportation, including rail. If there are derailments of those shipments, then we are fully capable of investigating and reporting to the Canadian public on what happened and why, and what needs to be done to improve the system. So I'm confident in that area.

I will go back to your point on pipelines. We've had very few pipeline accidents in this country, thankfully.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Mike Wallace]

Okay. Thank you.

The next questioner is Jacques Gourde from the Conservatives.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I wish to thank the witnesses for joining us this morning. This is really very interesting.

In the 2012-13 supplementary estimates (B), the Privy Council is requesting $1.25 million to support government-wide coordination of the implementation of the Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness Action Plan.

What is the total amount sought to date with respect to the security action plan and what is the role of the Privy Council with respect to this plan?

[Michelle Doucet]

The role of the Privy Council Office in implementing the perimeter security and economic competitiveness action plan is to act as the house for the whole-of-government initiative on behalf of the Canadian government. As I stated in my opening remarks, it has two parts. There is, of course, the implementation of the border action plan, and that's being done by a small group of folks who are working out of the Privy Council Office, led by David Moloney. They are responsible for overseeing a coordinated and timely implementation of the action plan commitments across the Government of Canada among the responsible departments and agencies, and then also coordinating that with the United States, and obviously reporting on the progress that's being made on those commitments.

PCO is requesting for this year, for that portion of the exercise, $1.4 million. That funding will be used mainly for salaries, professional services, travel, and other administrative costs.

The other portion of the work that's being done by this group is, of course, the work of the RCC, which is also being led under the leadership of David Moloney. And the two groups are housed in the same secretariat as the Privy Council Office. I'd be pleased to speak to that work if so asked.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Are there any concerns regarding this plan and, if so, what are they?

[Michelle Doucet]

Obviously, Mr. Moloney would be better placed to speak to the details of the work, but it's my understanding that this work is going well and is on track and on plan. Today, Mr. Moloney is in Washington, meeting with his American counterparts, as he does on a regular basis.

To give you a sense of how that work is going, I'll speak a bit to the other side of the house, the RCC work. They're finalizing the action plan, with corresponding detailed work plans, and the implementation is now under way through 12 binational working groups. Those work plans were just finalized through the course of the summer, and they'll extend out over the next 18 months and beyond. The focus is on ongoing systemic changes, and that work will be critical to securing a new regulatory relationship with the United States and establishing new cooperative arrangements between regulatory departments in key areas of regulatory business, such as standard setting, product review and approvals, reliance on each other's regulatory systems, and in managing third-country import risk.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Thank you.

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Mike Wallace]

Thank you very much.

Our next questioner is Denis Blanchette from the NDP.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to our guests for being here. It is always a pleasure to see you again. Welcome.

My question is for Ms. Vreeswijk.

You are asking for $1.4 million for your activities, in addition to transfers of funds. It is said that your objective is to seize government-wide opportunities with a view to improving services. Talk to me a little more about your mandate. It is rather vague. Considering that it is a horizontal function and that the public administration is more or less in a period of cuts, I would like you to give me more details about your role.

[Wilma Vreeswijk, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet, Business Transformation and Renewal Secretariat, Privy Council Office]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The role of the secretariat that I lead is to provide advice to the clerk and to the Prime Minister in terms of whole-of-government transformation. Since Budget 2010, Budget 2011, and Budget 2012, the government has placed a great deal of emphasis on whole-of-government initiatives to standardize, consolidate, and re-engineer government operations.

This work builds on that effort. In this regard, the government announced in September that it was going to create the planning and priorities subcommittee of cabinet with a view to improve effectiveness and efficiency of government operations. The role my team plays is to support this.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

In this case, is it strictly a matter of efficiency or do you also take into account the reductions that might be applied within the public administration?

[Wilma Vreeswijk]

Our focus is on effectiveness and efficiency, but with a view to improve services and reduce costs. It is a focus on transformation at the whole-of-government level. It's also with a view to improving outcomes and service.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

You are asking for $1.4 million. What are you going to do with this money? What is your game plan for developing your organization?

[Wilma Vreeswijk]

The role the secretariat plays is very similar to other secretariats within the Privy Council Office. It is to provide secretariat support to the cabinet subcommittee on planning and priorities.

In addition, my team supports the clerk in terms of public service renewable. This means looking at the trends and challenges facing the public service and supporting the public service in terms of continued excellence into the future.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

What does this involve exactly: analyses, studies, joint action?

[Wilma Vreeswijk]

When I say secretariat support, it can be everything from providing advice to working with departments to ensure that the proposals they bring forward are well-founded and well-supported. It goes right through to agenda development, minutes, and things like that.

We also support the clerk as he does his annual report to the Prime Minister each year. We also support the Prime Minister's advisory committee in their deliberations.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Will it go so far as to suggest a transformation of the public administration?

[Wilma Vreeswijk]

As I said, the focus is on improved effectiveness and efficiency. Within the context of a cabinet committee, there are proposals that would be brought forward, and we would provide advice on these.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

I see.

How much time do I have left?

[The Vice-Chair, Conservative, Mike Wallace]

One minute.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

In connection with this joint action, I would like to know how you see your work with the other central agencies, especially Treasury Board and Public Works Canada, with a view to achieving the efficiency you are aiming for.