Thank you, Mr. Chair.
We are very pleased to present our 2009 fall report, which was tabled yesterday in the House of Commons.
As you mentioned, I'm accompanied by Scott Vaughan, the commissioner of the environment and sustainable development, and Wendy Loschiuk and Richard Flageole, assistant auditors general.
The issues covered in this report are typical of the challenges facing government today. Our findings underscore the importance of thinking through the implementation challenges when policies and programs are developed or changed. Having a complete picture of what needs to be done and by whom, of how other programs will be affected and what risks are involved, can make the difference between a program that delivers results for Canadians and one that does not.
Program evaluations can be a valuable source of information for decisions to change, improve, or replace programs. The departments we audited said they are concerned about whether they can meet expanded requirements under the 2009 policy. In the departments we examined, evaluations covered only a relatively low proportion of total program spending. In addition, inadequate data limited the assessment of program effectiveness. Despite four decades of efforts, evaluations are still not providing enough reliable evidence about whether program objectives are being met.
Chapter 2 of our report looks at how foreign workers are selected for admission into Canada. Citizenship and Immigration Canada has to design and deliver foreign worker programs that meet the needs of the labour market.
We found that the department has made a number of key decisions in recent years without properly assessing their costs and benefits, potential risks, and likely impact on other programs. Some of these decisions have caused a significant shift in the types of foreign workers being admitted permanently to Canada. There is little evidence that this shift is part of any well-defined strategy to best meet the needs of the Canadian labour market.
We also found that when work permits are issued for temporary foreign workers, there is no systematic review to ensure that job offers are genuine and that employers have complied with previous permit terms and conditions such as wages and accommodations. The problems we noted could leave temporary foreign workers in a vulnerable position and pose significant risks to the integrity of the immigration program as a whole. Citizenship and Immigration Canada needs to develop a clear vision of what each program is expected to contribute to Canada's overall objectives for immigration.
Let us now turn to the chapter on tax legislation. The Income Tax Act is one of the longest and most complex pieces of federal legislation. Taxpayers have the right to expect clear guidance on how to interpret the act so they can determine how much income tax they owe. Problems arise when the wording of the act is unclear or does not adequately reflect government policy. There is now a backlog of more than four hundred technical amendments that are needed. It has been eight years since Parliament passed a technical bill to amend the Income Tax Act.
When there are delays before proposed technical changes become law, taxpayers do not know the exact form the change will take, when it will apply, and how it will affect the tax transactions they have already completed. The Department of Finance needs to do more to bring the urgency of the problem to the attention of the government and Parliament, and it ought to review the way it manages this process.
We also have a chapter on electronic health records. Canada Health Infoway Inc. was created in 2001 as a not-for-profit corporation to lead the development and implementation of electronic health records across Canada.
Infoway has accomplished a great deal in eight years. It identified the key requirements and components of electronic health record systems and developed a blueprint for their design. It also ensured that projects put forth by the provinces and territories were designed to comply with its blueprint and standards for compatibility.
Infoway has made a considerable effort to report on progress, but the meaning of some figures it reports is not clear. For instance, it reports that 17% of Canadians live in provinces or territories where a complete electronic health record system is available. However, having a system available does not necessarily mean that health care professionals are actually using it.
This is a highly complex initiative. Meeting the significant challenges that lie ahead will take the collaboration of Infoway, all provinces and territories, and other stakeholders.
My report today also looks at how National Defence purchased vehicles that were urgently needed to protect Canadian Forces in Afghanistan. National Defence and Public Works and Government Services Canada worked together to fast-track the purchase of these vehicles. In three of the four projects we looked at, National Defence has determined that the vehicles have met operational needs. The fourth project is nearly two years behind schedule and is projected to cost at least double the amount originally approved by the government. National Defence needs to develop a process geared to managing urgent acquisitions. It should also examine whether there are lessons from these projects that can be applied to its regular acquisitions.
We also examined how Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Environment Canada have carried out the federal government's responsibilities for land management and environmental protection on reserve lands. There are few federal regulations that apply to environmental protection on reserves, and the federal government has taken little action to change this. As a result, people living on reserves have significantly less protection from environmental threats than other communities.
We found that most landfills on reserves operate without permits, monitoring, or enforcement by Indian and Northern Affairs, as do sewage treatment and disposal. We also found that despite the department's commitment to transfer more control to first nations over the management of their lands and resources, access to land management programs and training is limited.
A healthy environment and control over the management of lands and resources are critical to sustainable economic development. Without them, opportunities for first nations to improve their quality of life and approach the standard of health and well-being enjoyed in other communities are severely restricted.
Turning to emergency management, the government must be ready to respond quickly and effectively when emergencies arise. Canada needs to have a planned and coordinated approach in place so that federal, provincial, and municipal agencies know what part they will play in managing a crisis.
Public Safety Canada was created to coordinate the federal government's response to large-scale emergencies. It has developed an interim federal emergency response plan to coordinate activities in an emergency. But we found that the plan has not been formally endorsed by government. Until it is adopted, it will be difficult for Public Safety Canada to fulfill its assigned role.
Until it is clearly established how Public Safety Canada will work with other departments, it will be difficult for it to truly coordinate the federal response to emergency situations.
The last chapter of the report examines how the Canadian International Development Agency is implementing its commitments to key principles of aid effectiveness.
Donor partners and recipient countries told us that CIDA staff in the field are highly regarded and their efforts are appreciated. However, the complex and lengthy processes required to obtain approval for project funding have long been criticized within and outside the agency. We also found that the agency has failed to concentrate on fewer priorities, despite a commitment to narrow its focus.
Donor partners, recipient governments, and program staff are unclear about the agency's direction and long-term commitment. The nature of international development calls for stable, long-term programming, and CIDA needs a comprehensive plan for going forward.
Mr. Chair, I would be pleased to answer any questions the committee may have, but I would first propose that the commissioner present his findings to the committee.
