PACP Committee Report

GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO THE REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ACCOUNTS: CHAPTER 7, “EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT – PUBLIC SAFETY CANADA,” OF THE FALL 2009 REPORT OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL OF CANADA

A safe and resilient Canada is the strategic outcome of the mandate of Public Safety Canada.  In helping to keep Canadians safe from a variety of threats, from natural and man-made disasters, such as terrorism, the federal Government’s emergency management efforts have an impact on all Canadians.  In her Fall 2009 Report, the Auditor General (AG) examined how Public Safety Canada carries out its responsibilities to lead federal emergency management.

The Government welcomes the opportunity to respond to the report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Chapter 7, “Emergency Management – Public Safety Canada,” of the Fall 2009 Report of the Auditor General of Canada.  The Government has carefully reviewed and considered the Committee’s report and is pleased to inform the Committee that it has already taken steps with respect to a number of its recommendations. 

RECOMMENDATION 1

That Public Safety Canada provide a status report to the Public Accounts Committee by December 30, 2010 on its progress in addressing the recommendations made by the Office of the Auditor General in Chapter 7 of the Fall 2009 Report; and that Public Safety continue to provide annual status reports until all of the OAG’s recommendations have been addressed.

The first recommendation of the AG has been fully implemented, with the remaining four recommendations being implemented to a significant degree.  The Government is committed to implementing each of the Auditor General’s recommendations fully and will provide a status report by December 30, 2010, as requested, and will continue to provide annual status reports to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts until all of the AG’s recommendations have been addressed.

In 2007, the Emergency Management Act came into force, replacing the Emergency Preparedness Act, and gave the Minister of Public Safety enhanced responsibilities for the coordination of various emergency management activities amongst federal government institutions and for coordinating federal efforts with the provinces and territories. 

Chapter 7 of the Fall 2009 AG Report examined how Public Safety Canada has carried out these responsibilities.  The Government took immediate action to accept and implement the five recommendations contained in the AG Report, and has achieved significant progress. 

A Management Action Plan (MAP) was developed that identifies critical steps and timelines for implementing the five recommendations made by the AG. This plan was presented to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts at its meeting on December 2, 2009.  Progress of the MAP is monitored regularly, and an update is forwarded to the Deputy Minister of Public Safety quarterly.

RECOMMENDATION 2

That Public Safety Canada inform the Public Accounts Committee when the Critical Infrastructure Strategy and Action Plan has been signed by federal, provincial, and territorial ministers; and if this is not achieved by September 30, 2010, that Public Safety provide the Committee with an explanation for the delay and the federal government’s strategy for moving forward.

The Government is pleased to report that, on May 28, 2010, the Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety Canada, and Shelly Glover, MP for Saint Boniface and Parliamentary Secretary for Official Languages, accompanied by the Honourable Rick Bartolucci, Ontario’s Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services and the Honourable Hector Goudreau, Alberta’s Minister of Municipal Affairs, announced the National Strategy and Action Plan for Critical Infrastructure.   The Strategy and Action Plan were endorsed by all provinces and territories.

RECOMMENDATION 3

That Public Safety provide in its status report to the Public Accounts Committee information about the annual budget and actual spending for emergency management, as well as the level of staff turnover and employee vacancy rate.

The Government recognizes the importance of having the appropriate financial and human resources in place as well as the requirement to manage those resources in a manner that attracts, develops and retains a high quality workforce to deliver emergency management policy and program activities that benefit all Canadians. 

Public Safety has recently identified Champions for Public Service Renewal, as well as for the Public Service Employee Survey.  These Champions are focusing on issues that have an impact on attracting, developing and retaining human resources.

The Government will be pleased to include in its annual status report to the Committee information regarding Public Safety Canada expenditures and staff turnover and employee vacancy rates in emergency management.

RECOMMENDATION 4

That Public Safety Canada provide information in its status report on progress made in the development of national standards to ensure equipment compatibility and communications interoperability.

The Government notes the importance of developing national standards to ensure equipment compatibility and communications interoperability to enhance its ability to keep Canadians safe in an emergency event. 

The Government would also like to note that, although this was not an explicit recommendation of the AG Report, it recognizes the importance of this observation and has included it in its Management Action Plan.  In 2009, an Interoperability Sub-Working Group was established under the Senior Officials Responsible for Emergency Management (SOREM), a federal/provincial-territorial committee, to discuss issues with respect to interoperability, with the initial focus of data/voice communications.  The Canadian Communications Interoperability Plan (CCIP), as well as the Canadian Communications Interoperability Strategy, have been distributed to this group. The Government is pleased to report that it is making some progress with its provincial and territorial, and international partners on national standards for interoperability.  Earlier in September, the Canada-US Interoperable Communications Workshop was organised in Windsor, Ontario. 

The Government will be pleased to include in its status report to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, an update on progress made in the development of national standards to support chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive equipment compatibility and communications interoperability.