The Honourable Ralph Goodale, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Table of Contents
Correctional Investigator's message
The Office of the Correctional Investigator (OCI) was established in 1973 as the 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.
Corrections is an area of public policy shaped and influenced by government direction and the priorities of the day. The history of corrections in Canada tends to move between cycles of reform, retrenchment and regression. Until recently, a “tough on crime” agenda dominated criminal justice policy in Canada. The intent behind this framework stressed longer and harsher mandatory penalties, more austere and punitive prison living conditions, fewer opportunities for criminal justice diversion and restricted access to parole. Policy direction was given for correctional and paroling authorities to administer a federal sentence based on “ the nature and gravity of the offence ” and “ the degree of responsibility of the offender .” The least restrictive principle was replaced by a more elastic concept – “ necessary and proportionate ” measures. Though the “ get tough ” approach played to political advantage, it led to policy choices grounded more in ideology than evidence. Consequently, the number of federal inmates climbed to historically high levels, time spent behind bars before release increased, parole grant rates declined and prison living conditions deteriorated. These are some of the challenges faced by my Office and its small team of investigators.
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, responding to offender concerns via a toll-free number, investigating their complaints and conducting national systemic investigations focussed on correctional issues that concern the offender population writ large. In this regard, we identified two important systemic reviews and investigations in an effort to bring attention to issues that affect a large segment of the offender population. A Fatal Response : An Investigation into the Preventable Death of Matthew Ryan Hines tabled as a Special Report to Parliament on May 2, 2017; and Missed Opportunities: The Experience of Young Adults Incarcerated in Federal Penitentiaries , released October 3, 2017. We believe our recommendations to the Correctional Service of Canada in systemic reports, as well as our Annual Report 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 352 cumulative days in federal institutions and interviewed over 1,800 offenders. We received and responded to over 5,800 complaints from federal offenders, over 24,000 contacts were made via our toll-free number and over 25 million visitor hits were recorded on our website. In addition, the Office's Use of Force team conducted over 1,400 file reviews. We also reviewed over 130 cases stemming from section 19 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (i.e., where an inmate dies or suffers serious bodily injury). 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 led to the rollout in production mode of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Version 1.0, and a case management solution, which replaced the OCI's obsolete case management tool. The new case management solution will assist with the oversight of the investigative process and reporting to both Parliamentarians and Canadians. Secondly, my organization was successful in securing incremental program integrity funding via Budget 2018. This funding will enhance our investigative capacity by staffing five additional positions in 2018-19.
Finally, looking ahead, 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. My organization will also continue our commitment to fostering a collaborative, respectful and productive relationship with the Correctional Service of Canada with a view to securing positive and fair correctional outcomes for federal offenders.
Ivan Zinger, J.D., Ph.D.
Correctional Investigator
Results at a glance
For more information on the Office of the Correctional Investigator's plans, priorities and results achieved, see the “Results: what we achieved” section of this report.
What funds were used?
$ 4,850,447
Actual Spending
Who was involved?
36 Actual FTEs
Results Highlights
- Received 5,846 offender complaints
- Interviewed 1,828 offenders
- Responded to 24,578 contacts (including via the toll free number)
- Completed the review of 1,487 use of force files
- Completed the review of 137 cases involving serious bodily injury and death
- Spent 352 cumulative days in penitentiaries
All this in an effort to ensure better correctional outcomes for federal inmates.
Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do
Raison d’être
As the ombudsman for federally sentenced offenders, the Office of the Correctional Investigator serves Canadians and contributes to safe, lawful and humane corrections through independent oversight of the Correctional Service of Canada by providing accessible, impartial and timely investigations of individual and systemic concerns. While an independent organization, the Office of the Correctional Investigator is part of the Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Portfolio.
Mandate and role
The mandate of the Office of the Correctional Investigator, as defined by the Corrections and Conditional Release Act , is to function as an ombudsman for federal offenders. The organization is independent of the Correctional Service of Canada and may initiate an investigation on receipt of a complaint by or on behalf of an offender, at the request of the Minister or on its own initiative. As provided for in the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, the Correctional Investigator reports annually through the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness to both Houses of Parliament.
For more general information about the Office of the Correctional Investigator, see the “Supplementary information” section of this report. For more information on the Office's organizational mandate letter commitments, see the Minister’s mandate letter .
Operating context and key risks
Operating context
The Office of the Correctional Investigator is a micro agency with one program; its current resources are dedicated to meeting its operational/legislative requirements. Although the Office has realized great efficiencies in the past by temporarily realigning how systemic investigations are conducted and internal services delivered, these efficiencies can only be achieved on an ongoing basis with permanent incremental funding which was secured in Budget 2018. This increase to the OCI's reference levels will allow the staffing of five investigative positions in the next reporting period.
The Office of the Correctional Investigator's salary budget is non-discretionary. Its operating and maintenance (O&M) budget reflected in the 2017-18 Main Estimates is $833K. Of that amount, $531K or 64% is earmarked annually for the following non-discretionary operational obligations: ATIP consultant, memoranda of understanding for internal services with Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness; and, investigative travel. Once these fixed costs are accounted for, the organization is left with a practical operating and maintenance budget of $303K. This “discretionary” amount is required to, amongst other things; support the Office with equipment, contracting, training, supplies, and printing as well as translation services. There was very little budgetary flexibility as demonstrated by a year-end lapse of $ 86 698 in the reporting period which represents 10% of the O&M. Budget 2018 will allocate an additional $65K in fiscal year 2018-19 (and ongoing) in operating and maintenance program integrity funding.
Key risks
Risks | Mitigating strategy and effectiveness | Link to the department’s Programs | Link to mandate letter commitments or to government-wide and departmental priorities |
|---|---|---|---|
The Office's mandate is national in scope and the sheer number and complexity of issues require flexibility and constant re-evaluation of priorities. The client base and network of stakeholders are dispersed in a large number of often geographically remote locations throughout Canada. | Throughout the reporting period, staff and management demonstrated flexibility and adaptability in order to ensure the effective delivery of the organization's mandate. Moreover, employees involved in the investigative process traveled to their institutions in a timely manner, spent a cumulative 352 days there and interviewed 1828 offenders. | Ombudsman for federal offenders | Departmental priority: Investigate and resolve individual offender issues |
The resolution of complaints in an environment traditionally closed to public scrutiny requires that the Office not only be, but be seen to be independent of the Correctional Service of Canada, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and the Minister. | Ongoing positive dialogue with key stakeholders, including Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and the CSC continued throughout the reporting period. | Ombudsman for federal offenders | Departmental priority: Investigate and resolve individual offender issues |
Given that the authority of the Office rests with its power of persuasion and quality of reporting since its recommendations are non-binding, it is imperative that appropriate administrative and public mechanisms be available to ensure that reasonable, fair and timely action is taken on the findings and recommendations made by the Office. Delays in responding to these matters will result in delays in addressing the systemic areas of concern. | A large number of Canadians are aware of the issues and recommendations raised by the OCI in its Annual Report and other special reports are key to ensuring a positive outcome for offenders and corrections generally. This was exemplified by the millions of visitor hits to the OCI's website and media coverage throughout the reporting period. | Ombudsman for federal offenders | Departmental priority: Investigate, resolve and provide leadership on specifically identified systemic issues stemming from the corporate priorities |
Funding pressures regarding mental health, indigenous offenders, and administrative segregation, issues/complaints and reporting requirements stemming from the Ontario Coroner's 104 recommendations on the death of Ashley Smith will have an impact on the organization's ability to be responsive | The organization engaged with Central Agencies and Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness with a view to securing incremental funding to take on this incremental work. The OCI was successful in securing permanent incremental funding in Budget 2018. | Ombudsman for federal offenders | Departmental priority: Investigate, resolve and provide leadership on specifically identified systemic issues stemming from the corporate priorities |
Funding of current Government Horizontal Initiatives such as the Consolidation of Pay Services, Canada School of Public Service, Shared Case Management System and Web Renewal are eroding the Office's small operating and maintenance appropriation. Moreover, the Shared Services Canada's expanded mandate to include the delivery of services for email, data centres, networks, and end-user information technologies may result in additional costs to the organization. | The OCI realigned internal resources and/or delayed operational priorities and projects where warranted. To mitigate this situation, the engagement with Central Agencies Officials took place to convey the operational affects that funding pressures have on a micro agency and the delivery of the organization's mandate. Ultimately, incremental funding, although not for internal services, was secured in Budget 2018. | Ombudsman for federal offenders | Departmental priority: Investigate and resolve individual offender issues |
Maintaining an independent and objective review process within a correctional environment where the Office has no control over the number, (the Office responds to an average of 6000 complaints annually) and complexity of complaints requiring investigations presents a number of unique challenges. The decline in either the overall demand for services or in the complexity of the issues addressed is not expected.
Results: what we achieved
Programs
Program title: Ombudsman for federal offenders
Description
Through this program, the Office of the Correctional Investigator conducts investigations of individual offender complaints regarding acts, omissions, decisions and recommendations of the CSC. It also has a responsibility to review and make recommendations on CSC's policies and procedures associated with the areas of individual complaints, to ensure that systemic areas of complaint are identified and appropriately addressed, and to review all s.19 investigations performed by CSC (i.e. where an inmate dies or suffers serious bodily injury).
Results
Expected results from the collective work completed by staff are centered on the organization's mandate and positive correctional outcomes for Canadians who are federal inmates. With every reporting period, the organization strives to attain performance targets that provide Canadians and Parliamentarians with a sense of the value stemming from the protection of basic human rights for those who clearly need it most.
The authority of the Office rests with its power of persuasion, quality and integrity of its investigations and reporting since its recommendations are non-binding. In this light, every OCI recommendation that is responded to by the CSC may result in a change in policy and/or enhancement to correctional practice and contribute to the expected result of achieving better correctional outcomes for federal inmates. Moreover, recommendations made by the organization to the Correctional Service of Canada via its Annual Report and other important reports (e.g. reports on systemic investigations) and how they are responded to can be an important indicator of progress made in updating correctional policy and practice for the betterment of inmates' institutional life. The CSC responded to and considered OCI's recommendations 59% of the time during the reporting period.
The ongoing challenge in managing and responding to offender complaints is attributed to several factors. The impact of extended staff absences (parental leave, long term disability): the sheer number of cases assigned to a team of 10 Senior Investigators who manage an average of 6,000 offender complaints every year; and, pressures for staff to work on other operational priorities (systemic investigations) while maintaining their caseload. This challenge has resulted in the OCI not meeting its 90% completion rate target in responding to offender complaints within standards during the reporting period. This was the case in the two previous reporting periods as well. New funding identified in Budget 2018 should reverse this trend, as the OCI will secure additional investigative resources in 2018-19. Particular attention will be given to staffing an Indigenous senior investigator with a view to building capacity in responding to Indigenous concerns in corrections.
Accessibility of OCI services by federal offenders is a vital element of the organization's mandate, which is entrenched in its enabling legislation. Accessibility to these services is measured by the number of offender interviews and the level of contact made to the Office via its toll free number. In the reporting period, as with previous fiscal years, the organization surpassed its target for both offender interviews and contacts with the Office. This data demonstrates that knowledge and reliance of the OCI's services exists by inmates but also by those who represent them – family, friends, counsel etc. Moreover, interviews give inmates a much-needed voice in their effort to resolve their complaints and address their concerns.
Innovative practices and experimentation, including partnerships with provincial and other federal agencies inform and enhance evidence-based recommendations to the Correctional Service of Canada. The OCI engaged in several new endeavours during the reporting period that are worth noting:
- Use of Force coding project resulted in the codification of activities and results which enables the organization to develop trend analyses and meaningful data;
- Saskatchewan Penitentiary investigation served a dual purpose: establish the root cause of the riot and determine the gaps in the CSC's own investigation of the event; and
- Systemic investigations often identify best or proven correctional practices, for example Missed Opportunities (young incarcerated adults) identified innovative practices from other jurisdictions.
The OCI's gender-based analysis and the impact of investigative activities targets three specific groups: federal offenders who are Indigenous, federal offenders who are women and federal offenders who have mental health issues. The OCI must and has applied a gender-based analysis on all systemic investigations including self-harm, ageing offenders, young offenders and black offenders.
For many years, one of the OCI's corporate priorities and areas of concern has been Indigenous corrections and the overrepresentation of this segment of the population in the criminal justice system. From 2007 to 2016, while the overall federal prison population increased by less than 5%, the Indigenous prison population increased by 39%. In addition, there appears to be a significant gap that distinguishes Indigenous from non-Indigenous offenders: Indigenous offenders in federal custody are released later in their sentence; they are disproportionately over-represented in segregation, in use of force interventions, in maximum-security institutions; and in self-injurious incidents. They are also more likely to be gang-affiliated. In addition, Indigenous offenders are more likely to be returned to prison due to suspension and revocation of parole. This is an alarming reality, one the Government recognizes as a criminal justice priority identified in the Prime Minister's mandate letters to both the Public Safety and Department of Justice Ministers and one that the OCI continued to investigate during the reporting period.
Finally, over the ten-year period from 2008 to 2018, the number of federally sentenced women inmates has increased by nearly 30%, growing from 534 in 2008 to 684 in 2018. This growth is in contrast to the decrease in the male in-custody population over the same period (decline of 4%). Reflecting Indigenous over-incarceration, the majority of federally sentenced women (35%) are incarcerated in the Prairie region, followed by the Ontario Region (28%), Quebec (13%), Pacific (12.3%) and Atlantic (11.4%). The Indigenous women population has increased by 53% since 2008, growing from 177 to 271 in 2018. Today, women of Indigenous descent account for 40% of all incarcerated women. In the Prairie region, Indigenous women comprise 66% of the total women inmate population. Indigenous women continue to be systematically under-represented in community supervision (27%).
Results achieved
Results achieved Expected results | Performance indicators | Target | Date to achieve target | 2017-18 | 2016–17 | 2015–16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Response to recommendations results in better outcomes for federal offenders. | Percentage of recommendations from the Annual Report, other significant reports issued by the OCI that are responded to by the CSC. | 100% | March 31, 2018 | *27(59%) of the 46 recommendations produced by the Office in the reporting period were responded to by the CSC. | 100% | 100% |
Prioritizing and processing of offender complaints to ensure compliance with policy, law and fair decision-making. | Following the prioritization of workload, percentage of responses to individual offender complaints (closed cases) by timeframe. | 90% completion rate as per OCI policy and service delivery standards. | March 31, 2018 | 69% | 77% | 78% |
Accessible OCI services by federal offenders to support the organization's Ombudsman mandate. | Comparative percentage of usage by inmate population of OCI services as indicated in the number of interviews and contacts as per entries in the case management system. | 1500 offender interviews and 15,000 contacts with the Office | March 31, 2018 | 1,828 offender interviews were completed and 24,578 contacts with the Office were recorded. | 2,209 offender interviews were completed and 22,282 contacts with the Office were recorded. | 2,200 offender interviews were conducted; and, 25,600 contacts with the Office were made |
*The CSC provided a blanket response to the Missed Opportunities: The Experience of Young Adults Incarcerated in Federal Penitentiaries investigation report and did not respond to the nineteen recommendations individually. For this reason, this response did not meet the expected result.
2017-18 | 2017-18 | 2017-18 | 2017-18 | 2017-18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
3,585,451 | 3,585,451 | 3,848,255 | 3,631,480 | 46,029 |
2017-18 | 2017-18 | 2017–18 |
|---|---|---|
32 | 32 | 0 |
Internal Services
Description
Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct service categories that support Program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. The 10 service categories are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Materiel Services; and Acquisition Services.
Results
Beyond the provision of basic internal services such as financial administration services; pay and compensation; contracting; staffing; and other human resources services to the organization, the small group of internal services staff (4 FTEs) provided oversight of the MOUs that govern the delivery of core business services (payment processing, employee remuneration, and IT services). Moreover, the internal services group achieved two significant deliverables in the reporting period. The first was the deployment of the Shared Case Management System which supports all business lines more effectively. The second was the development of a business case for incremental and permanent funding, approved by the Central Agencies, for the Investigative stream to address current gaps in order to increase investigative capacity to respond to the volume and complexity of mandated reviews and individual offender complaints, as well as to increase its focus on Indigenous corrections.
2017-18 | 2017-18 | 2017-18 | 2017-18 | 2017-18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1,030,053 | 1,030,053 | 1,088,890 | 1,218,967 | 188,014 |
2017-18 | 2017-18 | 2017–18 |
|---|---|---|
4 | 4 | 0 |
Analysis of trends in spending and human resources
Actual expenditures
Departmental spending trend graph
Over the first three fiscal years depicted here, the Office of the Correctional Investigator's actual spending is consistent, averaging $4.7 million of voted appropriations. In 2018-19 and beyond, spending will increase as per new incremental program integrity funding secured in Budget 2018.
Programs and Internal Services | 2017-18 | 2017-18 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | 2017-18 | 2017-18 | 2016–17 | 2015–16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ombudsman for federal offenders | 3,585,451 | 3,585,451 | 4,205,549 | 4,205,549 | 3,848,255 | 3,631,480 | 3,541,609 | 3,773,324 |
Internal Services | 1,030,053 | 1,030,053 | 1,030,053 | 1,030,053 | 1,088,890 | 1,218,967 | 1,151,162 | 796,824 |
Total | 4,615,504 | 4,615,504 | 5,235,602 | 5,235,602 | 4,937,145 | 4,850,447 | 4,692,771 | 4,570,148 |
Over the last three years, the Office of the Correctional Investigator's actual spending has remained steady with less than a 3% increase per year. Beginning with 2018-19, overall spending will increase because of permanent incremental program integrity funding secured via Budget 2018. This funding will be used to hire new investigative resources.
Actual human resources
Programs and Internal Services | 2015–16 | 2016–17 | 2017-18 | 2017-18 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ombudsman for federal offenders | 31 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 37 | 37 |
Internal Services | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Total | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 41 | 41 |
The Office of the Correctional Investigator's full-time equivalents (FTEs) utilization has remained static in the last three years. However, the number of FTES in the Program Ombudsman for federal offenders will increase by five because of incremental program integrity funding secured in Budget 2018.
Expenditures by vote
For information on the Office of the Correctional Investigator's organizational voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada 2017–2018.
Government of Canada spending and activities
Information on the alignment of the Office of the Correctional Investigator's spending with the Government of Canada's spending and activities is available in the GC InfoBase .
Financial statements and financial statements highlights
Financial statements
The Office of the Correctional Investigator's financial statements (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2018, are available on the Office of the Correctional Investigator's website.
Financial statements highlights
Financial information | 2017-18 | 2017-18 | 2016–17 | Difference | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total expenses | 5,246,986 | 5,356,331 | 5,232,715 | 109,345 | 14,271 |
Total revenues | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | 5,246,986 | 5,356,331 | 5,232,715 | 109,345 | 14,271 |
Financial information | 2017-18 | 2016–17 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
Total net liabilities | 392,252 | 769,167 | -376,915 |
Total net financial assets | 114,201 | 468,454 | -354,253 |
Departmental net debt | 278,051 | 300,713 | -22,662 |
Total non-financial assets | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Departmental net financial position | -278,051 | -300,713 | 22,662 |
The Condensed Statement of Operations, as it has in the past, highlights the Office of the Correctional Investigator's consistency in establishing planned results and linking these to the financial resources required to achieve them. In this reporting period, the difference between actuals and planned results is 109,345 or 2%. Moreover, in the Condensed Statement of Financial Position, the difference between the organization's net financial position over the last two fiscal years is 22,662 or 7.5%.
Supplementary information
Corporate information
Organizational profile
Appropriate minister: The Honourable Ralph Goodale, P.C., M.P.
Institutional head: Ivan Zinger, J.D., Ph.D
Ministerial portfolio: Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Enabling instrument: Corrections and Conditional Release Act
Year of incorporation / commencement: 1992
Other:
Reporting framework
The Office of the Correctional Investigator's Strategic Outcome and Program Alignment Architecture of record for 2017–18 are shown below.
Strategic Outcome(s) and Program Alignment Architecture
- Strategic Outcome: The problems of offenders in the federal correctional system are identified and responded to in a timely fashion.
- 1.1 Program: Ombudsman for federal offenders
Internal Services
Supporting information on lower-level programs
The Office of the Correctional Investigator only has one program entitled Ombudsman for federal offenders .
Supplementary information tables
The 2017-18 Departmental Results Report does not contain supplementary information tables.
Federal tax expenditures
The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures . This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs. The tax measures presented in this report are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance.
Organizational contact information
Office of the Correctional Investigator Canada
PO Box 3421, Station D
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6L4
Canada
Telephone: 613-990-2695
Fax: 613-990-0563
E-mail: org@oci-bec.gc.ca
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.
Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)
A report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a three-year period. Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.
Departmental Results Report ( rapport sur les résultats ministériels )
A report on an appropriated department's 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.
experimentation (expérimentation)
Activities that seek to explore, test and compare the effects and impacts of policies, interventions and approaches, to inform evidence-based decision-making, by learning what works and what does not.
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.
gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS+])
An analytical approach used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people may experience policies, programs and initiatives. The “plus” in GBA+ acknowledges that the gender-based analysis goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences. We all have multiple identity factors that intersect to make us who we are; GBA+ considers many other identity factors, such as race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability. Examples of GBA+ processes include using data disaggregated by sex, gender and other intersecting identity factors in performance analysis, and identifying any impacts of the program on diverse groups of people, with a view to adjusting these initiatives to make them more inclusive.
government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
For the purpose of the 2017–18 Departmental Results Report, 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 initiative (initiative horizontale)
An initiative where two or more departments are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.
Management, Resources and Results Structure ( structure de 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.
plan (plan)
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.
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.
priority (priorité)
A plan or project 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) or Departmental Results.
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.
result (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.
Date modified
2018-11-20
