Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  I actually don't have an opinion on it. With respect, my expertise is really in learning and transfer of knowledge. I don't feel either equipped or positioned to respond to that question.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Values and ethics is discussed in the syllabus, as is the policy on rewards and recognition. They're both discussed. What is promoted in the values and ethics section is to have a discussion about what the intent is and what is going on. That is encouraged, and there's free time and actually lively debate on all aspects of values and ethics in any of the courses I've attended.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  The process that has been described is actually very accurate. We basically have a scanning function that looks at lobbyist registration, for example, whistle-blowers, new legislation that public servants actually have to be aware of to do their jobs, and changes in terms of the Lobbyists Registration Act.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  On the two questions, first with respect to the individual learning plan, a major change with respect to the school in terms of the learning policy is that individual learning plans will now be guided by government priorities. In the past, individuals could choose whatever learning plans they wanted, and it often had a perverse effect.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  There are two things I would like to add. First, as far as respecting official languages is concerned, whenever we hire a new public servant, we address that very issue and the act for two days of every training session. That is a big step. Secondly, and I am no expert in the area, but in most cases the choice is left up to the deputy minister when it comes to non-imperative staffing.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  There is no doubt that the Canada School of Public Service has the important responsibility to create an environment that is respectful of the official languages. Increasingly, the fact that this environment is limited to learning the official languages changes the dynamic somewhat, but I have not noticed that we were placing less importance on respect for the official languages.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  We did, it rather, for the Public Service Modernization Act, the PSMA, the Public Service Modernization Act. I do not know whether it was for Bill C-11 or for a part that was added subsequently. But it's absolutely clear. We spent the last year talking about various parts of the PSMA, and in fact got an audit report saying that we were well on our way.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  I would just offer to your first point that you're absolutely right, values and ethics, while they don't show up per se, absolutely are through the whole spectrum of the learning we do. It starts with orientation, but it is woven into all the courses you will see on your charts in terms of the purple, which is the authority delegation.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  I did not understand your last question.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  No. First of all, the orientation program begins this week. It will be held on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, two days a week, I believe, and it will be given to 150 individuals. As for the act itself, clearly it is quite difficult to provide training on a bill that has not yet been passed.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  I can't comment in terms of those two particular instances. I am not the technical expert on the act. I can say that the school has been active in terms of meeting with departments and deputy heads. Deputy ministers are now responsible for all the learning in their departments. We have been making a big effort to get out to talk to public servants and professional groups, and nowhere have we felt or heard of that demoralizing effect.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  That's about half a minute per page, and I'll try to make sure I do that. The second page of the document that I distributed outlines my objective today. I want to talk about the school's role in supporting the Federal Accountability Act. We're absolutely putting the accent on a culture change for the public service, and emphasis, really, on individual as well as organizational learning.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Thank you for inviting me. I have actually distributed a four-page deck. This is somewhat of a change of pace in terms of the discussion that has been going on this morning, but from my perspective, I've been asked to come here to talk about the school's role in implementing the Accountability Act, and where public servants fit into that.