Madam Chair, thank you for the opportunity to speak to your committee.
My name is Daphne Meredith. I am the Chief Human Resources Officer, and my organization supports Treasury Board in its role as the largest employer in the federal public service. I am here with Daniel Lavoie, Assistant Deputy Minister from Public Safety Canada, and Hélène Laurendeau, Assistant Deputy Minister of Labour Relations and Compensation from the Office of the Human Resources Officer.
The Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada appeared here last month, I believe, to discuss their role in leading the pandemic response for all Canadians. You heard about the work they are doing to capitalize on their strong networks with provincial and territorial governments, as well as with other countries and bodies like the World Health Organization, to ensure a united response to the outbreak. Today we are here to talk to you about actions we are taking to ensure the federal public service is prepared for the H1N1 situation.
Let me say that ensuring the health, safety and well-being of federal public service employees across the country is one of our primary responsibilities as the employer. My office has three main roles. We provide guidance on human resources management; we liaise with our unions; and we coordinate internal communications within the federal public sector. This boils down to one main task: to assist deputy ministers in fulfilling their responsibilities to employees with respect to the pandemic.
Every deputy minister in the federal public sector is accountable for human resources management, for providing a healthy and safe workplace, and for informing their employees of issues affecting them. As you know, the federal public sector is a sizeable organization of about 500,000 employees who work in many different fields for dozens of organizations with varying mandates in every province and territory and around the world.
The complexity of the federal public sector demands a flexible approach. Deputy ministers need the latitude to manage their organizations in a way that meets the needs and circumstances of their workforce, workplace, and mandate. At the same time, we need to ensure coherence across the government. A one-size-fits-all approach will not work in this environment, which includes evolving scientific medical advice. It would reduce responsiveness.
We are therefore following a principles-based approach to preparedness, as I believe that prevention and readiness go hand in hand. This approach includes four key points: health and safety of employees, a focus on prevention through rigorous hygiene practices, and encouraging employees to stay home when they are sick.
Decision-making is science based. That means aligning our support with the public and occupational health advice provided to all Canadians by the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada.
Respecting the terms and conditions of employment, and engaging our bargaining agents, which includes maintaining an ongoing and open dialogue on issues related to H1N1.
Before I close, I would like to highlight specific actions my office has taken over the past weeks and months to support deputy ministers.
We have been providing guidance on human resources management issues that may arise as a result of H1N1 to departments and agencies for which Treasury Board is the employer. We have shared this guidance broadly with separate employees and crown corporations to encourage a consistent approach across the federal family.
We have supported deputy ministers in communicating with their employees by disseminating health advice issued by the Public Health Agency of Canada and Health Canada through our many communication channels as well as through the Treasury Board website. These efforts are overseen by the governance structure we have in place to prepare for the H1N1 pandemic. I have been meeting regularly with deputy ministers of large and small organizations to ensure we are on track and to identify actions required to address issues as they arise.
We have learned valuable lessons from previous experiences, and I think we are doing the right things to react appropriately as the situation evolves, based on the best scientific advice available.
Madam Chair, I hope this has given you and your committee a good overview of what we are doing to prepare the federal public service.
I now turn to my colleague from Public Safety Canada, Daniel Lavoie, who will talk to you about business continuity planning.