2016–17 Departmental Results Report

Table of Contents

• Correctional Investigator’s message 
• Results at a glance 
• Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do 
  • Raison d’être 
  • Mandate and role 
• Operating context and key risks 
  • Operating context 
  • Key risks 
• Results: what we achieved 
  • Programs 
    • Ombudsman for federal offenders 
  • Internal Services 
    • Description 
    • Results 
• Analysis of trends in spending and human resources 
  • Actual expenditures 
  • Actual human resources 
  • Expenditures by vote 
  • Alignment of spending with the whole-of-government framework 
  • Financial statements and financial statements highlights 
    • Financial statements 
    • Financial statements highlights 
• Supplementary information 
  • Corporate information 
    • Organizational profile 
    • Reporting framework 
  • Supporting information on lower-level programs 
  • Supplementary information tables 
  • Federal tax expenditures 
  • Organizational contact information 
• Appendix: definitions 

Correctional Investigator’s message

The Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI) was established in 1973 to function as an ombudsman for federally sentenced offenders. From the beginning, our independent and external oversight of the correctional system has enhanced accountability and transparency for parliamentarians and Canadians. Moreover, we have played an important role in ensuring that Canada’s correctional system is managed fairly and is consistent with the expectations and values of Canadians.

It is important to underscore that the oversight of corrections encompasses more than the investigation of complaints and the filing of reports. Our effectiveness centres on the ability to be responsive and accessible by maintaining a regular schedule of institutional visits. We believe our recommendations to the Correctional Service of Canada make a difference in the lives of Canadians, and contribute to the protection of human rights and the maintenance of a just, peaceful and safe society.

During the reporting period, the Office’s small team of investigators spent over 360 cumulative days in federal institutions and interviewed more than 2,200 offenders. We received over 6,700 complaints from federal offenders, over 22,000 contacts were made via our toll-free number and over 10 million visitor hits were recorded on our website. In addition, the Office’s Use of Force team conducted more than 1,400 file reviews. We also reviewed 119 cases stemming from section 19 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act involving serious bodily injury and deaths in custody. These are significant achievements for an agency of 36 full-time equivalents.

On the internal services front, my Office’s ongoing participation in the Government’s Shared Case Management System Initiative has lead to the development of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM; a case management solution which will replace the OCI’s current and obsolete case management tool. Work on the project plan continued throughout the reporting period and the target implementation date (production environment) is scheduled for April 1, 2018 . The new case management tool will assist in the investigative process and reporting to both parliamentarians and Canadians.

An important aspect of our work includes the identification of systemic themes and investigations in an effort to bring attention to issues that affect a large segment of the offender population. In this regard, two major investigations and systemic reviews were completed during the reporting period. In the Dark: An Investigation of Death in Custody Information Sharing and Disclosure Practices in Federal Corrections was released as a public interest report on August 2, 2016, and Fatal Response : An Investigation into the Preventable Death of Matthew Ryan Hines was tabled as a Special Report to Parliament on May 2, 2017.

This reporting period marks a major milestone for the Office and me personally. After an eight-year period as Executive Director and General Counsel for the organization, I accepted the appointment as the Correctional Investigator of Canada effective January 1, 2017. For the remainder of the fiscal year, I and my senior management cadre reaffirmed our corporate priorities, continued the work on two key systemic investigations detailed above, maintained our operational focus on resolving individual offender complaints and ensured a level transition for staff as well as stakeholders.

Finally, looking ahead to next year, my Office will continue to pursue the resolution of key areas of concern that restrict the Correctional Service’s ability to maximize its positive impact on public safety. The OCI and I will continue our commitment to fostering a collaborative, respectful and productive relationship with the Correctional Service of Canada.

Ivan Zinger, J.D., Ph.D. 
Correctional Investigator

Results at a glance

For more information on the department’s plans, priorities and results achieved, see the “Results: what we achieved” section of this report.

What funds were used? 

$ 4,692,771 
Actual Spending

Who was involved? 

36 Actual FTEs

Results Highlights 

• Received 6,736 Offender Complaints
• Interviewed 2,209 Offenders
• Responded to 22,282 contacts
• Completed review of 1,436 Use of Force files
• Completed review of 119 cases involving serious bodily injury and deaths

Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do

Operating context and key risks

Results: what we achieved

Analysis of trends in spending and human resources

Actual expenditures

Departmental spending trend graph

 

Over the six fiscal years depicted here, the Office of the Correctional Investigator’s actual and planned spending is consistent, averaging $4.1 million of voted appropriations.

 

Budgetary performance summary for Programs and Internal Services (dollars)

Programs and Internal Services	2016–17  Main Estimates	2016–17  Planned spending	2017–18  Planned spending	2018–19  Planned spending	2016–17  Total authorities available for use	2016–17  Actual spending (authorities used)	2015–16  Actual spending (authorities used)	2014–15  Actual spending (authorities used)
Ombudsman for federal offenders	3,629,089	3,629,089	3,629,089	3,629,089	3,720,457	3,541,609	3,773,324	3,687,215
Internal Services	1,035,447	1,035,447	1,035,447	1,035,447	1,152,702	1,151,162	796,824	1,080,785
Total	4,664,536	4,664,536	4,664,536	4,664,536	4,873,159	4,692,771	4,570,148	4,768,000

Supplementary information

Appendix: definitions

appropriation (crédit) 

Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires) 

Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.

Core Responsibility (responsabilité essentielle) 

An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a Core Responsibility are reflected in one or more related Departmental Results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.

Departmental Plan (Plan ministériel) 

Provides information on the plans and expected performance of appropriated departments over a three-year period. Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.

Departmental Result (résultat ministériel) 

A Departmental Result represents the change or changes that the department seeks to influence. A Departmental Result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.

Departmental Result Indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel) 

A factor or variable that provides a valid and reliable means to measure or describe progress on a Departmental Result.

Departmental Results Framework (cadre ministériel des résultats) 

Consists of the department’s Core Responsibilities, Departmental Results and Departmental Result Indicators.

Departmental Results Report (Rapport sur les résultats ministériels) 

Provides information on the actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.

Evaluation (évaluation) 

In the Government of Canada, the systematic and neutral collection and analysis of evidence to judge merit, worth or value. Evaluation informs decision making, improvements, innovation and accountability. Evaluations typically focus on programs, policies and priorities and examine

questions related to relevance, effectiveness and efficiency. Depending on user needs, however, evaluations can also examine other units, themes and issues, including alternatives to existing interventions. Evaluations generally employ social science research methods.

full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein) 

A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person-year charge against a departmental budget. Full-time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.

government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales) 

For the purpose of the 2016–17 Departmental Results Report, government-wide priorities refers to those high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2015 Speech from the Throne, namely: Growth for the Middle Class; Open and Transparent Government; A Clean Environment and a Strong Economy; Diversity is Canada’s Strength; and Security and Opportunity.

horizontal initiatives (initiative horizontale) 

An initiative where two or more federal organizations, through an approved funding agreement, work toward achieving clearly defined shared outcomes, and which has been designated (for example, by Cabinet or a central agency) as a horizontal initiative for managing and reporting purposes.

Management, Resources and Results Structure (Structure de la gestion, des ressources et des résultats) 

A comprehensive framework that consists of an organization’s inventory of programs, resources, results, performance indicators and governance information. Programs and results are depicted in their hierarchical relationship to each other and to the Strategic Outcome(s) to which they contribute. The Management, Resources and Results Structure is developed from the Program Alignment Architecture.

non-budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires) 

Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.

performance (rendement) 

What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.

performance indicator (indicateur de rendement) 

A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an organization, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.

performance reporting (production de rapports sur le rendement) 

The process of communicating evidence-based performance information. Performance reporting supports decision making, accountability and transparency.

planned spending (dépenses prévues) 

For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts that receive Treasury Board approval by February 1. Therefore, planned spending may include amounts incremental to planned expenditures presented in the Main Estimates.

A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.

plans (plans) 

The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead up to the expected result.

priorities (priorité) 

Plans or projects that an organization has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired Strategic Outcome(s).

program (programme) 

A group of related resource inputs and activities that are managed to meet specific needs and to achieve intended results and that are treated as a budgetary unit.

Program Alignment Architecture (architecture d’alignement des programmes) 

A structured inventory of an organization’s programs depicting the hierarchical relationship between programs and the Strategic Outcome(s) to which they contribute.

results (résultat) 

An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the organization’s influence.

statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives) 

Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.

Strategic Outcome (résultat stratégique) 

A long-term and enduring benefit to Canadians that is linked to the organization’s mandate, vision and core functions.

sunset program (programme temporisé) 

A time-limited program that does not have an ongoing funding and policy authority. When the program is set to expire, a decision must be made whether to continue the program. In the case of a renewal, the decision specifies the scope, funding level and duration.

target (cible) 

A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.

voted expenditures (dépenses votées) 

Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an Appropriation Act. The Vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.