Government Operations Committee on May 4th, 2017

[Ramez Ayoub, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

So this audit will be done internally, correct?

[Joe Friday]

Yes. The same criteria and the same process will be used to determine if each file is complete, as I said before.

[Ramez Ayoub, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

I see. Why did you not, in this case as well, call on a firm such as Deloitte & Touche, or another one? Why did you decide to do an internal audit?

[Joe Friday]

The 2010 audit was done following an audit by the Auditor General. It was quite a long and costly process. We think we are in a position to conduct a complete and fair internal audit.

[Ramez Ayoub, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

Fine. So it is a self-evaluation.

[Joe Friday]

Precisely. The results will be made public, of course.

[Ramez Ayoub, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

Fine. Thank you.

In the course of this self-assessment, are you going to consult disclosers to find out about their evaluation of the quality of services?

[Joe Friday]

The quality assurance project is a sort of paper exercise. In my opinion, it differs from a satisfaction survey. We are, however, considering the possibility of conducting such a survey. I discussed it with my American counterparts, and I asked them to share their experiences with us and the lessons learned.

[Ramez Ayoub, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

So you will not be questioning any disclosers during your internal audit process. Is that correct?

[Joe Friday]

No. That is not a part of quality assurance. It's more an audit of processes and steps.

[Ramez Ayoub, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

I understand quite well. Thank you.

I would now like to discuss your awareness-raising activities aimed at letting employees know about your services. You asked for an additional amount of $40,000 which is $20,000 more than last year, although the same amount was requested for four or five years.

If you make employees aware of your services, is there not a risk that this will increase the needs, and your financial needs, in consequence? In other words, could the fact of receiving more disclosures have an effect on your budget, eventually?

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Erin Weir]

Unfortunately, we won't have time for an answer to that question, but perhaps we'll have an opportunity to return to that point.

We'll now go to Mr. Clarke for five minutes.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Thank you.

I had promised to ask the most important question on the Youth Secretariat. I read the young people's biographies, and they were very interesting.

Ms. Maheu, can you tell us the exact amount of the expenses related to the very diverse activities of this council, up till now?

[Chantal Maheu]

We obtained $1.5 million for these activities in the 2016-17 main estimates. As I said previously, we are now in the process of closing last year's accounts. Consequently, I cannot really tell you how much money was spent. In the 2017-18 main estimates, we ask for $1.2 million.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

So the job of these young people is to advise the Prime Minister and to share their vision with him.

The information is probably on the Internet and perhaps I didn't do my homework, but are the specific objectives established by the Prime Minister? Can he, as the leader of the government, ask for advice on specific issues and demand results?

[Chantal Maheu]

Several government priorities are touched on in discussions at the council. Employment and growth are among them, of course, but the young people also suggest other topics. As I mentioned earlier, mental health, poverty, the environment and climate change are among the topics that are discussed.

In addition to youth programs, this initiative allows the Prime Minister to be aware of young people's concerns.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

I understand.

The Results and Delivery Unit is a new mechanism, correct?

[Chantal Maheu]

This unit was set up about a year ago.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

There has never been anything like it since 1867. I think that Canada's performance compares well to that of other countries. All of the governments, both Liberal and Conservative—never New Democrat, unfortunately—managed to keep most of their promises.

According to the Polimètre program, a tool created by the former director of the Department of Political Science at Laval University—whose name I have unfortunately forgotten—governments meet 90% of their promises, even if the public does not always agree with that assessment.

Could you explain why it would be useful to have a Results and Delivery Unit, which is quite costly, although Canada is an extremely rich and well-functioning country? All of the governments managed to implement their programs. Why do we need that?

[Chantal Maheu]

You are correct. We already have performance assessment policies that are managed by Treasury Board. The government really wanted to focus on the performance of programs, and results in the short and medium term, especially as concerns data and measurements.

In this regard, this unit completes what was already being done concerning the presentation of reports to Parliament or to Canadians. This will exert some pressure to develop the way in which we measure programs and present their results.

Among other positive elements, this will facilitate work within government, harmonize the work done by departments regarding common indicators, and encourage the collection of accurate data so that we can measure results in a much more concrete way. This work will be ongoing, and will demonstrate that the data is necessary to improve communication and the way results are measured.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Okay. I have one last very quick question, because I think my colleague also has some questions.

I would like Ms. Ramcharan to clarify something.

It says that you are the assistant deputy minister, Ms. Ramcharan, but you report to Clerk of the Privy Council, who reports to the prime minister. Why is your title deputy minister? Is there a minister of the Privy Council?

[Kami Ramcharan]

I'm an assistant deputy minister. The Prime Minister is the minister responsible for this.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

I understand. That's fine.

Over to you, Mr. McCauley.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Erin Weir]

You have a whole 30 seconds.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!