Evidence of meeting #85 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was support.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Okay. This is different from any other polling that we do throughout the government for other departments, then?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Corporate Services, Privy Council Office
This is specifically within PCO.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Okay. Great.
Mr. Friday, I have a very quick question, because I don't think I have much time.
On page 18 of your department plan, you note that there are “reduced project spending” and “delays in projects”. What projects are those? Also, does the reduction or the delay affect your ability to investigate wrongdoing and to support whistle-blowers?
Commissioner, Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada
Those project delays are not interfering with our ability to do our operational work.
I'll turn to my colleague to supply details.
Chief Financial Officer, Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada
An example of a project is the LEAN project. We started with phase one last year.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Okay. Great.
Mr. Friday, again very quickly, on page 1 of your plan, you talk about “reaching out to public servants” about whistle-blowing—
Commissioner, Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada
Yes.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
—but then section 4 of the act says that the president of the Treasury Board is responsible for that duty. We heard in a previous committee from the head of HR who made it very clear that she really doesn't do that. Are you doing this because Treasury Board is not doing their part? It's an important question—
Commissioner, Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada
Yes—
Conservative
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
Mr. McCauley, your time is up, but I'll allow Mr. Friday to answer the question.
Commissioner, Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner of Canada
I'll preface my remarks by saying that I don't think there is such a thing as too much outreach, engagement, and sensitization to the work we do. Section 4 of the act does identify a specific responsibility for the Treasury Board to promote the act.
I have a staff of 30 people. Three of those people are devoted to communications and parliamentary relations. As the external option for whistle-blowing, I can speak certainly with authority about my own views and my own work. In some cases, Treasury Board and I disagree on certain things, such as anonymous complaints, which we spoke about at an earlier committee hearing. There's an entire internal regime that I can speak about, but I can't speak on behalf of Treasury Board, which is responsible for that internal regime. Certainly, in my position, I would like to have all the support that is humanly possible from Treasury Board, or any other component of the federal government, to help me in my work.
Conservative
Liberal
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Thank you, Madam Vice-Chair.
Before I go on to my line of questioning, I get the sense that the committee is asking questions about the Prime Minister's website. I just have to recall for the committee and remind them of where we were in terms of the prime minister's communications before 2015. I know that not all of us were here, but I was on O'Connor and Queen Street, close by in Ottawa, and I was paying attention. I remember a reality TV show. It was the prime minister's 24 Seven.
I know that Mr. McCauley is concerned about the costs, but to produce those videos we had four staffers. Do you know how many people we reached with those videos? We reached 21 people.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
It was also used to communicate very important government policy. Let me quote what those videos showed on one occasion: “On Thursday, the Prime Minister was in Calgary, where he celebrated Christmas with his family.”
I understand the concerns, but on the Prime Minister's current website, I think they're unfounded.
Madam Vreeswijk, I am concerned about millennials and what your organization is doing to attract millennials. We heard a few meetings back that the average age for new public servants is 37, which leads me to believe that we're going to have a gap at some point in the public service. What are you doing to attract and train millennials within the public service?
Deputy Minister and President, Canada School of Public Service
Last year and this year, we undertook a large student orientation process, which extends to all regions of the country, because 60% of public servants are outside of Ottawa. We do the student orientation. Part of that is explaining what we do, but it's also about making sure students understand the opportunities within the public service, so we profile the range of different employment opportunities.
As my colleague indicated earlier, I can tell you that we take recruitment very seriously. It is a priority of the clerk. As well, every deputy, as part of their responsibilities for HR, is focused on recruitment and also, this year, on student orientation.
We also support managers in understanding how millennials are different from others. They are the generation who have spent their entire life with technology and the Internet. We ensure that they know how to attract and engage with millennials.
Liberal
Francis Drouin Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Great. Thanks.
I have another question. You also mentioned that you help support government priorities. One of them is mental health. Can you talk to me about that? I do have a lot of public servants in my riding, and mental health questions are raised once in a while. I'm just wondering what's changed over the past six months or year or so with regard to mental health.
Deputy Minister and President, Canada School of Public Service
Last year, in his annual report to the Prime Minister, the clerk underscored his commitment to having public servants and deputies make mental health a priority. We at the school support that.
We work with the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety to develop and provide training and support to public servants. We also work with the Mental Health Commission of Canada in ensuring that it has an opportunity to support departments as they develop their own mental health and wellness strategies.
The school provides a place for dialogue in and around mental health issues. We focus on reducing stigma. Our events are opportunities for public servants to have a dialogue in and around mental health, as well as creating respectful workplaces, as I indicated earlier.
Liberal
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Yasmin Ratansi
I'd thank the witnesses for being here. If you have any further information—sometimes we cut you off because we have to maintain time—do send it on a timely basis to the clerk, as well as responses to any of the questions you have been asked that you have not been able to provide the answers for.
With that, the meeting is adjourned.