ARCHIVED - RPP 2007-2008
Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP

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SECTION I - OVERVIEW

Chair’s Message

My first full fiscal year as Chair of the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP (CPC) has been the most productive in the nineteen year history of the CPC, and has marked a new and exciting beginning for the CPC.

The CPC has been taking aggressive action within its current mandate to define and implement new and improved ways of doing business long in advance of the recommendations regarding strengthened civilian review of RCMP activities which have now come from the Policy Review of the Commission of Inquiry into the Actions of Canadian Officials in Relation to Maher Arar (the O’Connor Inquiry).

We have eliminated a longstanding backlog of hundreds of review cases and put procedures in place to expedite the review process and to preclude the build-up of future backlogs.  We are introducing efficiencies into our processes to improve timeliness, for example, through the adoption of secure electronic transmission of complaints to the RCMP and of requests by the CPC to the RCMP for relevant materials relating to requests for review. By April 1, 2007, we will have completed almost 140 interviews of complainants, civilians, members of the RCMP and current and former New Brunswick Crown Counsel in support of the investigation into allegations of the inadequacy of and cover-up in the RCMP investigation of sexual abuse at the Kingsclear Youth Training Centre in New Brunswick.

We have had rigorous assessment and redirection of our management practices via audits and reviews of classification, staffing, security, travel, hospitality, executive performance, leave and compensation.  We have instituted regular planning meetings with employees, ongoing union-management meetings at the national and local levels and a program to build a respectful workplace of choice.

We have ensured that we as an institution are prepared to assume new responsibilities. We have also done a great deal to share knowledge, experience, expertise and insights with government officials and Justice O’Connor to help craft meaningful and practical proposals to enhance civilian oversight of RCMP activities.  Specifically, on November 17, 2005, I presented at the O’Connor Inquiry my vision for enhancements to the accountability framework for RCMP activities generally, not just for those related to national security.  To address the possibility that the government may wish to initiate legislative change, I have proposed a legislative model which would not only address longstanding weaknesses in the current mandate, but also respond fully to the recommendations of Justice O’Connor.

Insufficiency in the CPC's financial resource base as it relates to oversight of the RCMP's national security activities has been commented upon by the Auditor General in 2003. Unfortunately, such insufficiencies are found throughout the CPC's resource base and impede the CPC's ability to fulfill current public expectations of a civilian oversight agency. In recognition of this reality, I have developed a business case, in consultation with Treasury Board Secretariat and Public Safety Canada, for the strengthening of the CPC to better fulfil even its current mandate.

Recognizing the time it takes to define and pass new legislation, we are not waiting for possible action to strengthen civilian oversight. Although we have a modest resource base, we are moving ahead on a number of new initiatives by redirecting the resources freed up from the efficiencies we have introduced. 

We are exploring the possibility of developing an independent observer program whereby our staff could assure the public as to the impartiality of any sensitive RCMP investigations (e.g. of in-custody deaths).

The geographic dispersion of the RCMP across Canada poses a unique challenge for the CPC. Not only do we need to make our role and services known far and wide, but we need to work with our counterparts in the provinces to ensure greater collaboration and consistency in accountability practices (e.g., no wrong door, easy access).  As we are the only review organization which interfaces with all of the provincial regimes, it is incumbent upon us to take a leadership role in ensuring a uniform level of service for all Canadians. 

At present, we are resourced to conduct limited pilot projects only, such as our efforts to foster greater access for Aboriginal communities in Manitoba, and our enhanced collaboration with the British Columbia Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner on complaints intake and forms, brochures and posters, as well as services and published materials in a wide variety of languages.

We are creating an exciting place to work, where ideas and the ability to implement them are valued.  Our advice is being sought.  We are blessed with calls from people who want to work with us. 

I appreciate the support that is being afforded to me by the RCMP, by our provincial counterparts, by the Aboriginal and ethnic communities withwhom we are consulting, and especially by the employees of the CPC who are key to these successes.

Paul E. Kennedy

Management Representation Statement

I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2007–2008 Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP) for
the Commission for Public Complaints Against the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (CPC).

This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in the Guide for the Preparation of Part III of the 2007–2008 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports:

• It adheres to the specific reporting requirements outlined in the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) guidance;
• It is based on the department’s strategic outcome and Program Activity Architecture that were approved by the TBS;
• It presents consistent, comprehensive, balanced and reliable information;
• It provides a basis of accountability for the results achieved with the resources and authorities entrusted to it; and
• It reports finances based on approved planned spending numbers from the TBS.

                                                                                         

Paul E. Kennedy
Chair

Summary Information

Raison d’être: Vision, Mission and Mandate

The CPC is an independent agency.  It is not part of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).  The CPC deals with complaints made by any member of the public concerning the conduct of RCMP members in the performance of their policing duties. 

The CPC has the authority to make findings and recommendations, but cannot impose discipline or make monetary awards to complainants.

The CPC’s vision and Mission Statements set out why it exits, what it does to support the Government of Canada outcome of safe and secure communities and how it achieves its objectives.

Vision

Excellence in policing through accountability.

Mission

To provide civilian oversight of RCMP members’ conduct in performing their policing duties, so as to hold the RCMP accountable to the public.

Mandate

The CPC’s mandate is set out in Part VII of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act (RCMP Act)and can be summarized as follows:

• To receive complaints from the public about the conduct of RCMP members;
• To conduct reviews when complainants are not satisfied with the RCMP’s disposition of their complaints;
• To hold hearings and investigations; and
• To report findings and recommendations.

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

2007–2008	2008–2009	2009–2010
5,622	5,128	5,128

NOTE: As there is only one program activity for the CPC these numbers represent the planned spending by program activity including corporate services.  The table will not be duplicated in the following sections.  The decrease in financial resources from 2007-2008 to the following years is attributable to the end of the funding period for the Kingsclear Investigation.

Human Resources

2007–2008	2008–2009	2009–2010
44	44	44

CPC Priorities

Name	Type
1. Improve the complaints and review processes	Ongoing
2. Collaborate with provinces and client communities	Ongoing
3. Improved human resources management	Ongoing
4. Improved corporate management	Ongoing
5. Kingsclear investigation	Ongoing
6. Building for the future	New

Each of these priorities is supported by the single Program Activity of “Civilian review of RCMP members’ conduct in the performance of their duties.”

Commission Plans and Priorities

Strategic Outcome

Upholding safe communities through the promotion of Canadian values of respect for human and civil rights, multiculturalism and diversity, equality and fairness, and respect for the rule of law.

Planning Environment

The planned spending by program activity is represented in the financial table in the summary section.

The Commission is an impartial and independent government institution. It receives complaints from the public and refers them to the RCMP for investigation as required by the RCMP Act. It can also review the RCMP’s handling of a complaint if the complainant is not satisfied.

The CPC may conduct investigations, hold public hearings, initiate complaints and make findings and recommendations to the Commissioner of the RCMP and the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

The CPC is a small department with a core of 44 full-time equivalents that receives its funding from Treasury Board through an appropriation from Parliament. Funding is drawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund and its expenditures are reported in the Public Accounts.

Over the past year, the CPC has made significant strides in improving its management of reviews and increasing the organization’s profile and accessibility to the public.

With regards to the recent report by the O’Connor Inquiry concerning how Canada should provide oversight of national security activities, Justice O’Connor has recommended that the CPC include in its mandate the oversight of the RCMP’s national security activities.  The details of the government’s response to the recommendations of the O’Connor Inquiry are not yet known.  The implications for the CPC arising from the government’s response will be addressed once the government has stated its position.

Other challenges the CPC faces include:

• having the necessary information to assess the ultimate impact of its recommendations and how they are changing policing; 
• ensuring, as a small organization with staff in two distant locations, the right people with the relevant skills are in the right places and that the workforce is balanced with respect to diversity and language; and
• dealing with clients who are increasingly diverse in terms of their cultures, beliefs, values, attitudes and language. 

In relation to the last point, there is also an urban-rural divide characterized by distinctly different beliefs, values and attitudes.  It would also appear that ethnic groups are fragmented and it can be difficult to identify community leaders and spokespeople. 

One of the CPC’s ongoing priorities will be to enhance the transparency and accessibility of the complaints and review processes.  As the Commission reaches out to a broader client base, it is unknown what impact there will be on call for its services. 

The CPC has developed a formal strategic plan that lays out the strategic objectives for the Commission.  Improving access to and openness of the public complaints process, creating and maintaining a workplace of choice, and strengthening the complaints and review processes are of serious importance to the Commission and therefore set the stage as the objectives for the next three to five years.

The priorities identified in this year’s RPP are designed to place the CPC in a position to take on new challenges, to be able to more efficiently deliver on its core activities and to broaden its scope as and when required.  

CPC Priorities

1.     Improving the Complaints and Review Processes

Key Initiative 1.1 – Review of the Public Complaint Record

Performance Measures

1. 80% adherence to the 120-day performance standard for completion of review files.  
2. 80% of Finals After Commissioner's Notice completed within 30 days of receipt of the Commissioner's Notice 
3. 80% of review reports meet established quality standards.
4. 80% of review  and complaints information exchanges and associated relevant material s  transmitted electronically
5. Successfully complete a pilot project by mid-year to digitize complaints documents and transmit them electronically to the RCMP
6. Establish baseline data for the use of electronic complaint forms and set an appropriate performance target based on the data and the results of the client survey.

Project Goals and Objectives

With the ability to review the full record of an investigation, the CPC will have effective stewardship over the complete complaints and review processes and be in a position to assess and improve the quality of the RCMP’s public complaints process and outcomes.

Action Items

1. Reach agreement with the RCMP concerning the proposed CPC strategy to access the RCMP complaints record.
2. Implementation of the strategy.

Key Initiative 1.2 – Continued Improvement of Complaints and Review Processes

Performance Measure

Adherence to the 120-day performance standard for processing complaints.

Project Goals and Objectives

Improved complaints and review processes will improve the timeliness of reviews; result in more focused reviews and in reviews that are more responsive to clients’ concerns.

Action Items

1. Redefine roles and responsibilities for the review process.
2. Use electronic means to transmit files within the CPC.
3. Use electronic means to securely transmit files between the CPC and the RCMP.
4. Encourage complainants to use electronic means to submit complaints.

Key Initiative 1.3 – Increased use of Technology

Performance Measures

1. Establish benchmarks and increase usage of the data fields.
2. Measure data reliability and plan to improve quality.
3. Implement governance structure.

Project Goals and Objectives

Improve management decision-making information by enhancing the quality and integrity of data in the Case Tracking System (CTS), implementing a milestone tracking system and establishing a correspondence tracking capability.

Action Items

1. Enhance CTS data quality and integrity.
2. Establish a milestone tracking system to enable the active management of review files within the 120-day performance standard.
3. Establish a correspondence tracking capability.

Performance Measure

Improved public confidence in policing and the complaints process.

Project Goals and Objectives

By observing the RCMP’s investigations, the CPC would be able to independently verify the impartiality of these investigations.  A formal observer program would help address the public perception of the appropriateness of the police investigating police.

Action Items

1. Observe RCMP investigations as a pilot project for the possible development of a formal observer program.
2. Gather data through appropriate means to measure public confidence in the complaints process. (Note: To proceed based on the approval of a formal program.)

2.   Enhancing Collaboration with Provinces and Client Communities

Key Initiative 2.1 – Strategy for Increased Collaboration with Provinces and Client Communities

Performance Measure

Completion of collaboration strategy.

Project Goals and Objectives

To increase awareness of the CPC and access to the complaints and review processes, and to improve and harmonize complaints processes with the provincial organizations.

Action Items

1. To provide a solid basis for discussions with provincial organizations and client groups on possible ways to harmonize and improve the intake and processing of complaints; the CPC will review and confirm its approach to the intake and processing of complaints.
2. Continue discussions with the Aboriginal and Muslim communities on ways to improve access and the complaints process.

Key Initiative 2.2 – Improving Multi-Language Services and Tools and Enhancing the CPC’s Web Presence

Performance Measures

1. 10% increase in the number of different communities accessing the CPC.
2. 20% increase in the number of visits to the CPC Web page.

Project Goals and Objectives

To increase access to and awareness of the CPC and the complaints and review processes.

Action Items

1. Make the CPC Web site available in other languages.
2. Simplify the CPC Web site.
3. Track the number of visits to the CPC Web site.

3.     Improving Human Resources Management

Key Initiative 3.1 – Full Implementation of the PSMA Deliverables

Performance Measure

Full implementation by the end of Q2.

Project Goals and Objectives

To ensure that the CPC is in full compliance with all government HRM requirements.

Action Items

1. Implement the CPC’s Rewards and Recognition Program.
2. Complete the implementation of all PSMA requirements as per the CPC’s plan.
3. Improve CPC classification program.
4. Provide support to PSC staffing audit team.
5. Plan to follow up on audit results.

Key Initiative 3.2 – Continue Building a Respectful Workplace of Choice

Performance Measure

20% improvement in the survey scores on questions related to the prevention of discrimination and harassment.

Project Goals and Objectives

To continue to institute the tools and support the behaviour needed to enhance and maintain a respectful workplace that will be a workplace of choice.

Action Items

1. Implement the harassment and discrimination prevention plan/ strategy.
2. Carry out a follow-up survey of employees to gauge the impact of the strategy and actions taken.
3. Meet with all staff members to gather input for planning purposes and discuss issues of common interest.

Key Initiative 3.3 – Consolidate and Formalize CPC’s Human Resource Planning

Performance Measures

Streamlining of HR reporting (reduction in the number and volume of reports) and improvement in the timeliness of HR transactions (reduction in the number of days required to staff positions).

Project Goals and Objectives

To reduce the burden of reporting on HR activities and improve the CPC’s ability to get the right people in the right jobs in a timely manner.

Action Items

1. Complete a formal HR plan for the CPC.
2. Establish and implement a plan to develop candidate pools for targeted positions.

4.     Improving Corporate Management

Key Initiative 4.1 – Communications Planning

Performance Measure

Feedback on communications effectiveness will come from the EKOS study. 

Project Goals and Objectives

To broaden and better target the CPC’s communications activities to ensure most effective communications vehicles are employed to reach the desired audiences.

Action Items

Develop and implement a communications outreach strategy and plan.

Key Initiative 4.2 – Establish a Corporate Performance Management Program

Performance Measure

Satisfactory assessment by TBS against the Management Accountability Framework (MAF).

Project Goals and Objectives

A performance management regime will enable the CPC to ensure that the initiatives being undertaken are achieving the desired strategic outcomes at all levels and that the available resources are being used as effectively as possible.

Action Items

1. Implement performance management in the CPC.
2. Carry out an assessment of the CPC’s performance against the Treasury Board MAF.
3. Implement the new suite of TBS policies and the requirements of the new Federal Accountability Act.

Key Initiative 4.3 – Develop an Internal Audit Strategy

Performance Measure

Satisfactory assessment against the MAF indicators relating to risk management including internal audit.

Project Goals and Objectives

To provide continuing support to the OAG and OCG audit teams and follow up on audit results and to ensure that the CPC has the capacity and tools needed to provide formal assurance of the effective management of its resources.

Action Items

1. Continue to support the OAG and OCG audit teams and to follow up on results of the audits.
2. Develop a corporate risk profile.
3. Develop and implement a corporate audit plan.

5.     Building for the Future

Key Initiative 5.1 – Pursue Funding for the CPC

Performance Measure

Minister’s approval.

Project Goals and Objectives

To secure additional funding for the CPC.

Action Items

Prepare an appropriate Treasury Board Submission.

Key Initiative 5.2 – Responding to the Government’s Position on the O’Connor Inquiry Recommendations

Performance Measure

Expanded CPC mandate.

Project Goals and Objectives

To ensure that the CPC is able to support and influence the government’s position/actions flowing from the recommendations of Justice O’Connor on the independent review of national security activities.

Action Items

Support and influence the government’s position/actions.

Key Initiative 5.3 – Conclude the Kingsclear Investigation

Performance Measure

Publication of the Kingsclear Investigation report in a timely manner.

Project Goals and Objectives

To conclude the investigation and publish the report by the target date of June 21, 2007.

Action Items

Conclusion of the investigation and publishing of the report.

 

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