HUMA Committee Report

Throughout the Committee’s hearings, many witnesses reminded us that the delivery of grants and contributions entails risks and that problems will undoubtedly surface from time to time. We were told that HRDC needs to better balance these risks by continuing to provide quality services within a framework that guarantees adequate accountability and transparency. Canadians need to be assured that public funds are being directed to the purposes for which they were intended.

In the opinion of this Committee, there is no need to enlarge the bureaucratic processes underlying the delivery of HRDC grants and contributions. This only serves to bog down the system. Moreover, this approach would not guarantee results nor would it eliminate the risks associated with delivering these funds. What is needed is better management, enough well-trained project officers aided by modern-day tools capable of working within a flexible delivery system, and an overall structure that ensures that the policies and guidelines in place to administer these funds minimize risks and provide the level of accountability that Canadians have come to expect. We hope that our recommendations further the pursuit of these goals and help achieve the appropriate balance that we all seek.

The Committee thanks all of the witnesses who shared their time, experience and thoughts with us during our hearings. Without this support, the Committee would not have been able to prepare this report.