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2011-12
Report on Plans and Priorities

Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat

The original version was signed by
The Honourable Peter Penashue
President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

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Table of Contents

Minister's Message

Section I: Departmental Overview

• Raison d’être and Responsibilities
• Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture (PAA)
• Planning Summary
• Contribution of Priorities to Strategic Outcome
• Risk Analysis
• Expenditure Profile
• Estimates by Vote

Section II: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

• Strategic Outcome
• Planning Highlights
• Benefits for Canadians

Section III: Supplementary Information

• Financial Highlights
• Supplementary Information Tables

Section IV: Other Items of Interest

Minister's Message

I am pleased to table The Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat’s (CICS) Report on Plans and Priorities for the fiscal year 2011-12.

The Secretariat is an institution dedicated to supporting senior level intergovernmental conferences, an important feature of Canadian federalism. CICS provides professional services of the highest quality in organizing federal-provincial-territorial and provincial-territorial meetings of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers. The unique value that CICS brings to these meetings, in terms of experience, professionalism, non-partisanship, consistency and continuity are key factors that contribute to their overall success.

During fiscal year 2011-12 CICS will pursue its strategy to re-energize partnerships with governments, improve its service delivery model and implement innovative management practices to better serve its clients and provide them with significant cost efficiencies and economies of scale.

Section I: Departmental Overview

Raison d’être and Responsibilities

CICS is an agency of the federal and provincial governments and, as such, acts as a neutral intergovernmental body. Its budget is supported by both orders of government and its staff includes federal and provincial/territorial public servants. The Secretary reports to all governments annually. The operations are reviewed by federal and provincial senior officials designated by their respective First Ministers. CICS reports to Parliament through the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.

The mandate of the Secretariat is to serve federal, provincial and territorial governments in the planning, conduct, and the serving of senior level intergovernmental conferences held across Canada. The primary objective of CICS is to relieve client departments in virtually every major sector of intergovernmental activity, of the numerous technical and administrative tasks associated with the planning and conduct of multilateral conferences, thereby enabling them to concentrate on the substantive policy issues. CICS provides continuous, effective, impartial administrative services to these meetings.

Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture (PAA)

In order to effectively pursue its mandate, CICS aims to achieve the following strategic outcome:

Program Activity Architecture (PAA)

CICS is a micro agency with a single program mandate. Its Program Activity Architecture is presented below.

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Planning Summary

CICS’ key priority for 2011-12 is to plan, conduct and flawlessly serve intergovernmental conferences at the most senior level in response to requests by federal, provincial and territorial governments. The Secretariat is funded at a level sufficient to finance conference activity in the 110-120 range.

For an organization such as CICS, success and credibility is based on continued performance of the highest quality.  Consequently, CICS is constantly looking for ways to enhance its level of client services.

To respond to the evolving nature of the environment in which the organization operates, CICS has developed a corporate strategic plan which identifies objectives and priorities that ensure the continuous success and relevance of the agency.  This initiative will define CICS’ short-term and long term priorities, maximize opportunities and overcome challenges such as succession planning and adapting to the current economic environment.

As a result of its strategic direction CICS will continue to review, in 2011-12, its service delivery model with the ultimate goal of enhancing its services to clients and providing economies of scale that contribute to effective intergovernmental collaboration.  CICS will be looking at the utilization of various technologies and processes that may be implemented to increase our efficiency and provide enhanced services to senior level intergovernmental meetings.

The Secretariat will sustain its effort to modernize its corporate management and key business processes and reporting capability in 2011-12 in order to provide effective tools for management decisions making process while ensuring that the agency responds in a timely manner to central and other agencies requirements.

Financial Resources ($ millions)

2011–12	2012–13	2013–14
6.6	6.6	6.6

Human Resources (Full-time Equivalent – FTE)

2011–12	2012–13	2013–14
36	36	36

Financial Resources ($ millions)

Strategic Outcome: Multilateral meetings of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers are planned and conducted flawlessly.

Performance Indicators	Targets
Extent to which senior government officials are satisfied with various CICS services in the planning and conduct of multilateral meetings of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers.	90% satisfaction- High degree of stakeholder trust and confidence in CICS’ institutional independent role and high degree of satisfaction with CICS services.

Program Activity	Forecast Spending 2010–11	Planned Spending			Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes
		2011–12	2012–13	2013–14
Intergovernmental Conference Services	3.6	4.4	4.4	4.4	Well-managed and efficient government operations.
Total Planned Spending		4.4	4.4	4.4

Program Activity	Forecast Spending 2010–11	Planned Spending
		2011–12	2012–13	2013–14
Internal Services	1.8	2.2	2.2	2.2

Contribution of Priorities to Strategic Outcome

Operational Priorities	Type	Links to Strategic Outcome	Description
Continuous improvement of our services by adopting the necessary tools to evolve our delivery model for the planning and conduct of senior-level intergovernmental conferences.	Ongoing	Multilateral meetings of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers are planned and conducted flawlessly.	This priority recognizes that the needs of our clients are evolving. It will encourage reflection and innovation within the organization and assist us to develop a more flexible array of services that continue to be of the highest quality and relevant to our clients. Plans for meeting the priority Completion of a market analysis study; Establish options for new technological requirements in service delivery; and Conduct pilot projects of new service offerings.
Re-energize our partnerships through increased engagement with stakeholders and clients to ensure that the Secretariat remains the preferred choice of governments for senior-level intergovernmental conference support.	Ongoing; escalated	Multilateral meetings of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers are planned and conducted flawlessly.	This priority will build on a solid foundation with our well established client base to enhance visibility and strengthen loyalty while at the same time seek to attract new sectors within our mandate. It will ensure that communication is open and on-going and will allow us to confirm and/or revise our mandate and role. Plans for meeting this priority Development of a new marketing strategy for the Secretariat; and Renewed communication and consultations with current and potential clients.

Management Priorities	Type	Links to Strategic Outcome	Description
To strengthen internal management practices at CICS.	Ongoing	Multilateral meetings of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers are planned and conducted flawlessly.	This priority will contribute to achieving excellence in management practices, resulting in effective and efficient use of resources in support of conference service delivery. In addition, financial and non-financial practices will be reviewed to ensure transparency and accountability. Plans for meeting this priority Enhance the budgeting and financial systems and develop business intelligence to support management decisions; Expend existing performance measurement tools to ensure efficient utilisation of resources; and Make use of new technologies to enhance our service delivery and improve our management practices.

Risk Analysis

As an organization that services the senior level intergovernmental conference activities undertaken by 14 jurisdictions and their respective departments, CICS has no control over the timing, location and costs of such meetings. The Secretariat is funded annually at a level sufficient to finance a level of conference activity in the 110-120 range. Over a ten-year period, we were averaging over 100 conferences annually. However, instability in political environments and more recently the economic recession has led to what is seen as a temporary decline in intergovernmental activities over the last several years.

The flawless delivery of high quality services to the Secretariat’s clients is only made possible by the total dedication and commitment of the agency's personnel; personnel which possesses the aptitudes, character and devotion necessary for efficient CICS operations. Furthermore, retention of corporate memory and conference practices, procedures and protocols are fundamental to the success of CICS in carrying out its mandate.  CICS departmental clients are also subject to high turnover rates among the staff assigned to conference planning. Consequently, CICS personnel play a key role in providing new contacts with pertinent information on the practices and processes related to intergovernmental machinery.

Given that CICS reports to 14 governments, it must ensure that its services not only remain pertinent, impartial, confidential and equitable to all clients but, more critical, that they be perceived as such in an environment that often can be highly political.

As a result, the Secretariat has always been cognizant of the importance of risk management issues and continues to make steady progress towards the effective implementation of integrated risk management. CICS’ highest risks continue to be:

1. Maintaining the credibility of the agency as a neutral conference service provider;
2. Maintaining continuity of CICS’ conference services capability and supporting infrastructure;
3. Maintaining due diligence and reporting on appropriate controls, given the increased emphasis on accountability, delegated authority and resources management;
4. The ability to react and adjust to expansions and reductions within the requests for CICS services;
5. Access to qualified personnel; and
6. Retention of corporate memory and practices.

Expenditure Profile

As a micro agency, with a unique mandate, CICS’ organizational structure must be capable of delivering services for up to 120 distinct conferences annually. The spending on the program has usually come in under the estimated and allotted funding each year, as various environmental circumstances have resulted in lower activity in recent periods. As per an agreement, the provinces contribute up to 50% of the operational cost of CICS, less employee benefit plans, translations costs and tenant services. These contributions are made to the Receiver General’s Consolidated Revenue Funds. The following chart shows actual and anticipated spending over the next several years.

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Estimates by Vote

Estimates by Vote are presented in the 2011–12 Main Estimates which are available here: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/20112012/me-bpd/info/info-eng.asp.

Section II: Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

Strategic Outcome

Multilateral meetings of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers are planned and conducted flawlessly.

Program Activity Name:

Conference Services

Program Activity Description:

Provision of expert, impartial support services for the planning and conduct of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers level federal-provincial-territorial and provincial-territorial conferences.

The CICS does not convene intergovernmental meetings. It is called upon to respond to decisions taken by governments to meet on key national or specific issues. Decisions concerning the location of such meetings, their number in a given fiscal year, their timing and duration, are all factors, beyond the control of the Secretariat. The level of CICS expenditures for each fiscal year is, however, directly affected by these factors.

Over the next three years, the Secretariat has the capacity of serving approximately 110 to 120 conferences per year.

Program Activity by Strategic Outcome

Program Activity: Conference Services

Human Resources (FTEs) and Planned Spending ($ millions)
2011–12		2012–13		2013–14
FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending
24	4.4	24	4.4	24	4.4

Program Activity Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets
Flawlessly planned and conducted events.	Survey results, client satisfaction letters, number of client departments utilizing the services are maintained or expanded.	To maintain the highest degree of customer satisfaction.

Program Activity: Internal Services

Human Resources (FTEs) and Planned Spending ($ millions)
2011–12		2012–13		2013–14
FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending
12	2.2	12	2.2	12	2.2

Planning Highlights

The Secretariat will benefit from the increasingly standardized and strategic practices garnered from the Integrated Business Human Resources Plan and implementtion of Best Practices principles.

Improvement of human resources practices within Conference Services through strategic recruiting and systematic training and mentorship will heighten the capabilities of CICS to reach the objective of flawlessly serving senior level intergovernmental meetings. The ongoing review and implementation of CICS’ strategic plan will facilitate the development of its business planning process by focussing activities to attain long term results and deal with priority issues resulting from the changing environment.  This will assist the agency to reflect on how priorities and directions ought to be set, how allocation and reallocation decisions ought to be made, and how progress ought to be coordinated and managed to achieve the strategic outcomes expected.

The Secretariat will also maintain a sound overall approach to its unique collection of intergovernmental conference documents, which span virtually every sector of Canadian intergovernmental activity, and is the only comprehensive archive of its kind in Canada.

CICS’ key priorities for 2011-12 will be as follows:

1. Continuous improvement of our services by adopting the necessary tools to evolve our delivery model for the planning and conduct of senior-level intergovernmental conferences;
2. Re-energize our partnerships through increased engagement with stakeholders and clients to ensure that the Secretariat remains the preferred choice of governments for senior-level intergovernmental conference support; and
3. To strengthen internal management practices at CICS.

Benefits for Canadians

The planning and conducting of multilateral meetings of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers is a service which elevates a core principle of democratic society, communication, and is a critical component of the workings of the Canadian federation. By skilfully and professionally executing planning and delivery of services at these meetings, CICS allows governments to address pertinent issues without getting distracted by process. Significant risk of error and omission are taken out of the equation by tapping into the Secretariat’s experience and impartiality.

The interests of every Canadian are represented by their respective elected governments participating in these intergovernmental conferences.

As an institution dedicated to supporting events that give rise to, and support the spirit of cooperation and negotiation among governments, CICS seeks to execute its part in these processes to maximum effect, producing an environment wherein the opportunity for rational discourse and optimal decision-making is at its highest, to the benefit of all Canadians.

More to the point, federal, provincial and territorial governments greatly benefit from significant cost efficiencies and economies of scale through the use of CICS. This is particularly relevant in the current economic environment.

Section III: Supplementary Information

Financial Highlights

The future-oriented financial highlights presented here for the first time are intended to serve as a general overview of CICS financial operations. Next year, CICS will present the full set of future-oriented financial statements. This condensed statement of operations is prepared on an accrual basis to strengthen accountability and improve transparency and financial management. Total projected expenses differ from planned spending presented earlier in this document as projected expenses include accruals and services received without charge from other Government department.

(The complete future-oriented financial statement can be found on CICS’s website at: http://www.scics.gc.ca/english/view.asp?ccid=107)

Future-oriented Condensed Statement of Operations ($ millions)
For the Year (Ended March 31)

	% Change	Future-oriented 2011–12	Future-oriented 2010–11
Expenses
Total Expenses	18%	7.1	6.0
Revenues
Total Revenues	9%	1.2	1.1
Net Cost of Operations	18%	5.9	4.9

The planned increase of expenses for 2011-12 reflects the fact that CICS has no control over the number of intergovernmental conferences it will be asked to serve in any given year nor the location or costs of such meetings. The demand for CICS services varies from year to year depending largely on the agendas and priorities of federal, provincial and territorial governments. A number of conferences are planned up to a year in advance, others several months in advance and in a few instances requests arrive quite unexpectedly at the last minute. CICS is funded and resourced to serve approximately 110 to 120 conferences a year.

Supplementary Information Tables

All electronic supplementary information tables found in the 2011–12 Report on Plans and Priorities can be found on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s web site at: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rpp/st-ts-eng.asp.

Sources of Non-Respendable Revenue

Upcoming Internal Audit over the next three fiscal years

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Section IV: Other Items of Interest

Other Items of Interest

CICS is an agency of the federal and provincial governments and, as such, acts as a neutral intergovernmental body. The Secretariat produces an annual report to Governments detailing the activities of the agency.  It can be found on CICS’ website at www.scics.gc.ca.

Contact For Further Information:

Daniel Plourde
Assistant Secretary
Telephone: (613) 995-2344
E-mail: daniel.plourde@scics.gc.ca