Public Accounts Committee on May 31st, 2017

[Michael Ferguson]

Thank you for your question.

When we plan an audit, it's important to establish which elements we can examine. It's not possible to examine every aspect of a program, so we have to decide how much work can be accomplished within the scope of an audit. The process simply involved evaluating the risks associated with the various aspects of the program, and we focused on the two strategy areas in question.

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC]

Thank you.

That's what I thought, but I wanted to make sure it was clear and on the record.

My next question is for Mr. Paulson. It has to do with the lack of measures to ensure the strategy's effectiveness, which Mr. Ferguson flagged in the report. Specifically, I am referring to measures that would allow you to determine whether all of the steps taken under the strategy produced the desired results, particularly when it comes to promotion.

Promotion doesn't refer to job promotions but, rather, to efforts to promote the strategy so that members are aware of it. Is that correct?

[Commr Bob Paulson]

That's correct.

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC]

I just wanted to make sure we were clear on what promotion meant.

Did you meet your objectives for strategy promotion?

In terms of strategy education, do you run programs or information sessions for members?

What do you do to ensure prevention, and how do you measure results?

I think those aspects of the audit involve the last two areas of the strategy—well, ultimately, the entire strategy. It's uncertain whether appropriate measures are in place to evaluate performance in those areas.

[Commr Bob Paulson]

Thank you for your questions.

The challenge of implementing mental health strategy performance measures is something all organizations face, not just in the government, but also countrywide. It's easy to identify how many members of the RCMP are affected and have submitted claims, but even then, it's not always clear. What isn't easy is figuring out how we are going to show critics that we have been successful or, even, that challenges still exist. We have—

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC]

Let's begin with promotion.

[Commr Bob Paulson]

My apologies.

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC]

I imagine promoting the program among your membership was one of the first steps?

[Commr Bob Paulson]

Yes.

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC]

You introduced the strategy to them, then. Is that correct?

[Commr Bob Paulson]

Yes.

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC]

What did you do and how did you measure the effectiveness of those efforts?

[Commr Bob Paulson]

I'm going to ask Mr. Dubeau to give me a hand, but I can say that every commanding officer around the country took steps to inform their employees and management teams. Employee awareness campaigns were conducted in every detachment. Emails on the program were also sent out. A number of methods were used to communicate the program's existence and importance.

Do you have anything to add, Mr. Dubeau?

[D/Commr Daniel Dubeau]

That about covers it.

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC]

Very good.

How did you measure how successful your efforts were?

[D/Commr Daniel Dubeau]

We received reports. The divisional champions would meet with the national champion to report on initiatives managers had put in place.

Training was also provided. This included the road to mental readiness, or R2MR, training program, which was given to all members, and our goal was to have 100% participation.

We relied on these reports to measure the success of initiatives.

[Commr Bob Paulson]

When a member takes the R2MR training program, it's recorded in our computer system—

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC]

—for human resources management, basically.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Thank you, Ms. Mendès. That's appreciated. Our time is up.

Before I go back to Mr. Jeneroux, I want to mention that we've been very fortunate to have the Bangladesh public accounts committee with us over the last few days. We met with them as a committee, dined with them, and compared notes. Unfortunately, they have to leave right now.

We want to thank you for joining us again here today and wish you all the best as you go back and continue to do a good job in Bangladesh. Thank you, sir.

We'll now go back to Mr. Jeneroux, please, for five minutes.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

While we are recognizing our members in the audience today, I would like to take a moment to recognize a former member of Parliament, as well as a constituent of mine, the Honourable Laurie Hawn, who has also joined us here today.

Perhaps you could give me some leverage with that.

[The Chair, Conservative, Kevin Sorenson]

Very little.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

I am not going to take the full five minutes here, Mr. Chair. I just have one quick follow-up on the line of questioning that was happening earlier, and also with regard to the RCMP's opening remarks here today. On page 4, the third paragraph from the bottom says:

...we are currently conducting a thorough analysis of our resource requirements to identify an adequate level of funding to properly fund all initiatives stemming from the OAG's recommendations, as well as those initiatives not covered by the Audit.

I have a simple question. When do you plan to have that analysis completed?

[D/Commr Daniel Dubeau]

We're shooting for the end of June to have the full analysis done. We've been working with our health offices, and that's what we're shooting for, to give us an idea of the type of resourcing or the gaps so we can then reach to our commissioner and our minister and have that discussion.

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

Excellent.

Will that be public, or do you send it to the minister?

[Commr Bob Paulson]

It can be.