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I am pleased to take this opportunity to provide Parliament with my first Report on Plans and Priorities as Minister of Public Safety.
The Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada is part of the Portfolio of Public Safety, which includes the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canada Border Services Agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the Correctional Service of Canada, the National Parole Board, and three review bodies.
Canadians are rightfully proud of a tradition of community safety and security. Working collectively in an integrated fashion, the Department and the Portfolio Agencies are dedicated to protecting Canadian families and their communities, to secure our borders and to increase our preparedness to address public health threats.
To help meet these safety and security needs, the recent Budget 2006 provides $1.4 billion over two years to protect Canadian families and communities, to secure our borders and to increase our preparedness to address public health threats. Funding is being provided to the Portfolio for such initiatives as increasing the number of police officers on the street; preventing youth crime with a focus on guns, gangs and drugs; arming border officers and eliminating "work-alone" posts; and, enhancing our capacity to deal with catastrophes and other emergencies.
An additional focus will be on Canada's trading relationship with the United States, the largest and most comprehensive in the world. A safe, reliable and secure border is critical to Canada's continued economic and social prosperity. I will continue to work closely with my United States colleagues on facilitating the cross-border travel of people and low risk goods and ensuring that Canadians receive fair and equal treatment at border crossings.
I am confident that the Public Safety Portfolio will fulfill its mandate of ensuring a just and safe society which both protects Canadians from threats to personal safety, and maintains the rights and freedoms on which our open society depends.
The Honourable Stockwell Day, PC, MP
Minister of Public Safety
Over the past several years, we have continued to evolve into a truly strategically-focused organization. Last year, we set out to build on the strength of our partnerships, improve the responsiveness of our organization and find creative ways to drive integration and intelligence-led policing.
I am proud of the work done to meet the many operational challenges at the international, national, provincial and local levels that we have faced.
Looking Ahead to 2006-2007
In 2006-2007 we will be striving to advance the objectives of strengthened partnerships, improved responsiveness and creative integration with greater intensity.
The face of crime is continually changing, becoming increasingly complex and global. Crime is being facilitated by the Internet and counterfeit goods are threatening the health and safety of Canadians. In addition, terrorism and organized crime continue to menace our communities. In this environment, we need to be prepared and we cannot work in isolation. Our approach to integration builds on our Community Policing philosophy. We will work with our partners and our communities to develop strategic plans to address issues of common concern.
On May 17, 2006 the responsibility for the Firearms Act and its regulations were transferred to the RCMP. To ensure the RCMP maintains the strong commitment of the former Canada Firearms Centre (CAFC) of transparent reporting to Parliamentarians and Canadians, we have included a special chapter at the end of this report dedicated specifically to the transition of CAFC and the day-to-day operations of the Canadian Firearms Program (CFP) into the RCMP.
Our Strategic Priorities for 2006-2007
We have a new strategic priority for this fiscal year – Economic Integrity. Our strategy will be to contribute to the confidence in Canada's economic integrity through crime reduction.
This new priority impacts Canada's international relations, its institutions and the health, safety and well-being of Canadians. The concerns of the priority go beyond financial crime, addressing a range of issues from counterfeiting, to pirating of goods, to frauds and scams, to identity theft.
We will continue to address our other priorities of Youth, Aboriginal Communities, Organized Crime and Terrorism. We will remain a leading-edge organization committed to the safety and security of citizens at home and abroad.
Our commitment to international policing has been very successful on a global scale and, as such, international cooperation has evolved and become a core part of our operations and a key management strategy for our organization. We remain committed to moving the bar in the global fight against terrorism and organized crime and will work with our Canadian partners on the international effort and with our international partners on the global effort, to reduce the threat and impact of these activities in Canada and around the world.
Our Strategic Objectives, Our Core Values
Our strategic objectives of prevention, education, intelligence, investigation, enforcement and protection remain the cornerstone of the work we do in our communities. Our core values of accountability, respect, professionalism, honesty, compassion and integrity will continue to guide us.
I am pleased with our progress over the last year in delivering quality programs, services and policies that Canadians require and deserve. And, I am confident that in 2006-2007 we will continue to put the interests of Canadians first, to build on our legacy and continue to deliver excellence in all that we do to protect the safety and security of our citizens and our country.
G. Zaccardelli
Commissioner
Report on Plans and Priorities 2006-2007
I submit, for tabling in Parliament, the 2006-2007 Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP) for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in the Guide for the Preparation of Part III of the 2006-2007 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports:
2006-2007 |
2007-2008 |
2008-2009 |
$3,317.7 |
$3,248.1 |
$3,231.5 |
2006-2007 |
2007-2008 |
2008-2009 |
26,079 | 26,311 |
26,448 |
*The Planned Spending figures are taken directly from the Main Estimates and include Respendable Revenue (see Section III – Table 1).
The RCMP Strategic Framework guides the work of all employees to achieve our goal of safe homes and safe communities. We strive to achieve this goal by contributing to an increase in public safety. Ultimately, all of our organizational activities should enhance the safety, security and well-being of Canadians. The components of the Framework illustrate philosophies and activities that enable us to be successful in meeting this goal.
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Increasingly, we are being asked to re-evaluate our role as Canada's national police service. We must explore new options, embrace new partners, and encourage creative approaches as we strive to ensure safe homes and safe communities for Canadians.
The future belongs to those who think and act creatively, who anticipate change and position themselves to lead it. We are committed to:
In the face of these challenging, uncertain times, the vision for the RCMP is to be recognized throughout the world as an "organization of excellence".
The RCMP is committed to, respects and reinforces Canadian institutions of democracy. In a changing world, values form the foundation for management excellence. We are guided by the following core values:
The RCMP – as an organization committed to the above mandate, vision and core values – is inherently practising the principles of sustainable development. Enabling and supporting community safety and security, demonstrating efficient decision making and accountability in managing resources, strengthening the organization through capacity building, and integrating sustainable business decisions and planning processes demonstrates the organization's contribution to a future of social stability, economic prosperity and environmental integrity.
For more information on our mission, vision and values, visit: www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/about/mission-eng.htm
Our Four Pillars – A Foundation for Excellence
Everything that we do to be a strategically-focused organization of excellence rests on our four pillars.
A Commitment to Excellence in Service
We are committed to providing excellence in service to members of communities across Canada and to our partners in Canada and around the world. Everything that we do – our operational activities, our management strategies and our priorities – assists us in delivering on our commitments.
Our Philosophies – Integrated Policing and Community Policing
Our philosophies of Integrated Policing and Community Policing are critical in ensuring excellence in service and safe homes and safe communities. Our ability to integrate with other organizations with common priorities and goals enables us to maximize our resources, have a greater understanding of our local and international environments and increases our capacity to respond. Simply put, integration makes us more efficient and effective.
The RCMP vision of integration builds upon the Community Policing philosophy, which has been the cornerstone of our operations for many years. Through this philosophy, we proactively work with communities to identify, prioritize and solve problems. Community Policing reflects the philosophy of a partnership between the police and the community where we work together to prevent or resolve problems that affect safe homes and safe communities. Emphasis is placed on crime prevention and enforcement through increased community participation, coordinated problem solving, improved planning and public consultation.
Our priorities are carefully selected after rigorous scanning and analysis of the external environment. The selection of priorities allows us to strategically focus on enhancing public safety. Each priority has its own strategy and Balanced Scorecard which articulates the desired outcome and the objectives we must achieve in order to reach our desired outcome. Each priority is championed by a Deputy Commissioner who leads a group, representing the programs responsible for each strategic objective, focused on ensuring the success of the strategy. This group is referred to as the Strategic Priority Working Group.
In the 2006-2007 fiscal year we will continue to address our strategic priorities of Youth, Aboriginal Communities, Organized Crime and Terrorism. The International Policing strategic priority has been replaced with a new strategic priority, Economic Integrity.
Our commitment to international policing has been very successful on a global scale and the time has come for it to evolve from a strategic priority to a key management strategy. Like Integrated Policing, International Policing has become entrenched in our daily operations. Therefore, it makes sense that it would evolve to a key driver for all of our priorities and our goal of safe homes and safe communities.
Economic crime is a growing trend, impacting both the Canadian and global economies. Adopting many forms – fraud, counterfeiting, pirating of goods, identity theft, money laundering, etc – it ultimately threatens global economic stability.
Exploiting globalization and new technologies, criminals resort to increasingly elaborate and transnational methods, challenging more conventional forms of law enforcement investigation and prosecution.
The potential impacts of economic crime are serious and multiple – significant loss to investors, citizen pensions, corporate image and government revenues – and ultimately challenge the integrity of both private and public institutions.
Our newly introduced strategic priority of Economic Integrity impacts Canada's international relations, its institutions and the health, safety and well being of Canadians. Our strategy will be to contribute to the confidence in Canada's economic integrity through crime reduction.
Economic integrity refers to confidence in the national marketplace, through a safe and secure economy. Confidence is maintained when the marketplace is a sound place to buy, sell, invest and trade. The RCMP will contribute to the confidence in Canada's economic integrity through crime reduction, with an aim of supporting the economic and social well-being of all Canadians.
Concerns extend beyond financial crime, touching many areas – counterfeit goods and currency; corporate fraud; identity theft; and assorted scams.
As stated previously, each of our strategies has a strategic "outcome" – a desired end state:
The following operational activities form the essence of the way we do police work.
RCMP management strategies are adopted to ensure we are successful in meeting our priorities. They also ensure that we are effectively managing our resources and that our efforts are integrated.
Our Management Priorities 2006-2007
In 2006-2007, we will strive to advance the objectives of strengthened partnerships, improved responsiveness and creative integration with greater intensity.
The Strategic Framework highlights our focus on excellence in service. Accountability and responsiveness are two areas of particular importance that help us achieve this. Canadians expect that we effectively and efficiently manage resources and we must be able to demonstrate this. At the same time, being responsive helps us to meet the demands of a dynamic environment.
It is through effective planning and management in support of operations that we will see positive results. The following key initiatives will allow us to seek opportunities to advance our objectives and support our ability to be both accountable and responsive.
The RCMP is organized under the authority of the RCMP Act. In accordance with the Act, it is headed by the Commissioner, who, under the general direction of the Minister of Public Safety (Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness), has the control and management of the Force and all matters connected therewith.
Key components of our management structure include:
In addition to the Deputy Commissioners, the Chief Human Resources Officer, the Ethics and Integrity Advisor, the Director of Legal Services and the Chief Audit Executive (Observer Status) complete the Senior Executive Team.
To deliver on our responsibilities, we have over 25,000 employees including Regular and Civilian Members and Public Service employees. We are also fortunate to have over 75,000 volunteers to assist us in our efforts to deliver quality services to the communities we serve across Canada.
The RCMP is unique in the world since we are a national, federal, provincial and municipal policing body, and as a result, the men and women of the RCMP can be found all across Canada.
Operating from more than 750 detachments, we provide: daily policing services in over 200 municipalities; provincial or territorial policing services everywhere but Ontario and Quebec; and services to over 600 Aboriginal communities, three international airports, plus numerous smaller ones.
We are organized into four regions, 14 divisions, National Headquarters in Ottawa and the RCMP's training facility – or "Depot" – in Regina. Each division is managed by a Commanding Officer and is alphabetically designated. Divisions roughly approximate provincial boundaries with their headquarters located in respective provincial or territorial capitals (except "A", Ottawa; "C", Montreal; "E", Vancouver; and "O", London).
RCMP plans and priorities are not developed in isolation; several key factors are considered. Through our rigorous scanning and analysis of the external environment and our own organization, the following elements have been identified as key influences on our strategic planning cycle for the 2006-2007 fiscal year.
c) RCMP Business Planning Process
By taking these elements into consideration throughout our planning cycle, we are able to identify strategic and management priorities that will allow us to focus on enhancing public safety, sustainable development and the effective and efficient operations of our organization.
Integrated Policing continues as the defining philosophy for everything we do as part of our Strategic Framework. It means collaborating with our partners at all levels towards common purposes, shared values and priorities. This globalization of public safety and security is characterized by:
Last year we reported on five key challenges to achieving increased integration. While we continue to make progress on overcoming these challenges, there is still a lot to be done before we reach our goal of total integration/interoperability. These challenges include:
Integrated Policing
The following graphic captures the various elements of our Integrated Policing philosophy, including our partners and stakeholders, our program activities and our strategic priorities.
The RCMP conducts robust environmental scanning to identify emerging issues and trends at local, national and global levels. This careful monitoring supports our senior managers in identifying key risks, challenges and opportunities, as part of our priority setting and business planning, to ensure we are appropriately positioned to operate effectively in a continually-evolving environment. In the last Report on Plans and Priorities we outlined the key elements affecting policing, the potential impacts on our organization and areas where we could make a difference. The key elements continue to be:
We have moved to preparing Environmental Scans every three years, and to conducting a focused review on a particular area of interest and importance to the RCMP on an annual basis. This year, we looked at the trends affecting economic crime and as a result of the potential risks to the Canadian marketplace and Canadians identified in the scan, a new strategic priority was added – Economic Integrity.
c) RCMP Business Planning Process
The RCMP has a structured planning cycle. Using the latest environmental scan as a starting point, priorities are chosen and strategies are developed for those priorities. Using the Balanced Scorecard methodology, strategies are developed and aligned across the organization. Business plans are prepared at the division level and aggregated into program activity plans. Starting in 2006-2007, Detachment Performance Plans that incorporate best practices in performance management will be implemented to reinforce excellence in service in our communities and will support the business planning process.
All business plans capture: an environmental scan; an identification of risks and mitigation strategies; an identification of unfunded pressures; initiatives aligned with critical objectives emanating from the strategic priorities; an articulation of initiatives in support of a division or program activity strategy; and also a breakdown of all activities according to the Program Activity Architecture.
The Strategic Policy and Planning Directorate reviews the divisional and program activity plans in order to ensure corporate planning is aligned to operational priorities. Plans presented, which do not support the organizational strategy, are challenged and refined as necessary.
All identified unfunded pressures are supported by a comprehensive business case, approved at the Deputy Commissioner level. The collective pressures are then analyzed and prioritized using an RCMP developed prioritization tool. This tool weighs the pressure against factors such as: public safety; alignment with government priorities; alignment with RCMP priorities; and value for investment etc. This close examination results in a prioritized list of unfunded pressures for budgetary consideration.
In the April 4, 2006, Speech from the Throne, the Government committed to tackling crime as one of its priorities, specifically the threat of gun, gang and drug violence.
The commitment to tackling crime will greatly impact the RCMP. To this end, the government has committed to propose changes to the Criminal Code to provide tougher sentences for violent and repeat offenders, particularly those involved in weapons-related crimes. It will help prevent crime by putting more police on the street and improving the security of our borders.
In addition, the Government committed to work with the provinces and territories to help communities provide hope and opportunity for our youth, and end the cycle of violence that can lead to broken communities and broken lives.
In keeping with the commitments made in the Speech from the Throne, the Government earmarked significant funding specifically for the purpose of tackling crime.
A summary of the key funding announcements impacting on the RCMP are:
* These additional resource announcements from Budget 2006 are incremental to all planned spending as reflected in Table 1: Departmental Planned Spending and Full Time Equivalents.
f) External Factors Affecting our Operating Environment
Challenges to Law Enforcement
Alignment of RCMP Outcomes to Government of Canada Outcomes
The RCMP contributes directly to the Government of Canada's social agenda, specifically, the Safe and Secure Communities outcome. The following graphic depicts the alignment of RCMP Strategic Outcomes to the Government of Canada's Safe and Secure Communities outcome.
Government of Canada Policy Area |
Canada's Social Foundations |
Government of Canada Outcome | Safe and Secure Communities |
RCMP Strategic Outcomes | Quality Federal Policing Quality Contract policing Quality Policing Support |
More information on RCMP Strategic Outcomes can be found in Section II.