Public Accounts Committee on Feb. 24th, 2014

[Ted Falk, Conservative, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Ferguson, I have a direct question for you initially.

First of all, I want to thank you for your report. I'm new on the committee, but I have had some time to read and study the report.

I notice there's a recurring theme in it regarding increased collaboration between departments to provide online services. I think there's room for improvement there. Your report also suggests that we still have room to improve our online service delivery. I'm encouraged about that.

I also think there's an opportunity for the government to provide single-source portal entry to all Government of Canada departments through a single-source number, possibly social insurance number for an individual and business number for a corporation.

You do cite some efficiencies in your report. One of them is that through Industry Canada the enrolment process for a Canadian federally incorporated business can be completed on the same day. That's an efficiency you address.

That's also a credit to you, Mr. Dagenais. I also wanted to note the paragraph in your presentation today that said 98% of business incorporations federally are filed online. That's tremendous. You've achieved good market penetration there. The last sentence in that paragraph I'm particularly pleased with. It says, “This is one less step that a business has to do separately”, and that refers to the assignment of a business number during that registration process. I think it's very important that you've reduced the number of steps required for businesses to get going and to create jobs. That's very important, and I congratulate you on that.

Mr. Ferguson, I'm wondering if you could provide us with any other examples in your report of efficiencies in the provision of our online services that you may have discovered.

[Michael Ferguson]

It would take me a while to go in and find the specific examples, but again, I think in general we did indicate that CRA in particular over the last number of years had made improvements. We talked about those 40 improvements and that sort of thing. There are some examples of those improvements throughout the chapter, but in the interest of time I won't try to find them all.

[Ted Falk, Conservative, Provencher, MB]

Okay, I can appreciate that. I do thank you for identifying some efficiencies we have achieved there.

I have one other question for Ms. Bastien.

In your report today you said that your department services almost 208,000 individuals, and further to my colleague Mr. Allen's comments, less than 5% of the individuals you service are using your online services. I would suggest to you there's an untapped market there for you to provide improved service to our veterans. I'm wondering if the department has a plan for that.

[Charlotte Bastien]

We do.

We have a communication plan to promote My VAC Account by adding a message regarding My VAC Account to all reservists' pay stubs. The Royal Canadian Legion has been trained on My VAC Account and their service officers encourage members to sign up. Our website has recently been redesigned and there is a My VAC Account button on every page. There have been several tweets specifically regarding My VAC Account. When we do presentations and SCAN seminars to reservists and Canadian Armed Forces members, we do talk about My VAC Account and what's available through My VAC Account.

Regarding functionality, we'll also be looking to expand applications to more programs that would also assist. Also, we'll be providing information so that users of My VAC Account will be able to track where their application is, when it was received, whether it has been processed, whether there was a positive decision, and when the benefits will be given.

Also, veterans will be able to communicate in a secure fashion electronically with the department and with their case manager, if they have been assigned a case manager. They will also be able to provide information to support certain applications and manage the information they have and the documentation they have submitted to the department.

[The Chair, NDP, David Christopherson]

I'm sorry, Madam, I have to interrupt. Thank you.

Mr. Simms, you have the floor, sir.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

I'm going to the departments right now. I'm going to start with Service Canada. In paragraph 2.45, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada's response to this report says that the department, through Service Canada, will work to enhance the coherence of its existing service delivery vision, which is called vision 2018.

Let me ask you specifically about Vision 2018. Is one of the primary goals here to see the cohesion of different departments, specifically Veterans Affairs? Even the in-house visits now are channelled through your direction into your existing building.

Sorry, go ahead.

[Carolina Giliberti]

Yes. We have embarked on what we're calling vision 2020, which is a strategy....

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

What's vision 2018?

[Carolina Giliberti]

I don't know what vision 2018 is.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

It refers to vision 2018.

[Carolina Giliberti]

The report is called “Vision 2020”, and that was in the Auditor General's report. Our report says “Vision 2020”. It's a document that helps set out where we are going in terms of an automation agenda.

We are looking at all of the programs we deliver, and looking at ways in which we can automate them, and ways in which we can bring them all online.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Sorry to interrupt, but I don't have a lot of time.

How do you integrate how people go from EI to CPP, the example I brought up earlier?

[Carolina Giliberti]

That's through an enhancement in our My Service Canada Account which will allow us to have someone log into the My Service Canada Account and get all the services Employment and Social Development Canada offers online. It will allow them in a secure way to go in and have access to their transactions with the programs we have to offer.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Regardless of whichever program they're applying for?

[Carolina Giliberti]

Right. In Service Canada, right now it would be EI, CPP, OAS. Over time we are going to be looking at other programs that can be brought online and available through the My Service Canada Account, so part of vision 2020 would allow us to do that.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

What about in a situation where it's someone's My VAC Account?

[Carolina Giliberti]

That would not allow us to have access. That secure account would not allow us to access services that are available and programs that are offered by other departments at this point in time.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

But vision 2020 would take care of that, would it not?

[Carolina Giliberti]

No, because vision 2020 is the vision set out for Service Canada. As we take on more programs within Service Canada and within Employment and Social Development Canada, we would put them into our My Service Canada Account. That does not allow us to access programs that might be from Industry—

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Sorry, are you aware of what's happening in vision 2020?

[Charlotte Bastien]

Besides what was in the report, no. But I want to specify with the partnership we have right now with Service Canada they can receive and provide assistance on two programs, the disability award program and the veterans independence program. They can assist with the form and with the application.

They don't process the form. The application is processed by Veterans Affairs, not by Service Canada. They can assist at one of their locations if a veteran walks into Service Canada and wants assistance regarding an application for the veterans independence program, for example.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

But that's the extent of the integration of the two departments.

Now on CRA, what do you know about their vision 2020 program?

[Dave Bennett]

We work very closely with our colleagues in Service Canada ensuring alignment in the directions we're going. In fact, our vision is quite similar.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Do you have any input on vision 2020?

[Dave Bennett]

Yes. We collaborate continually with Service Canada, and in fact, the secretariat.