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Thanks to strong economic and fiscal management, including the highly successful Economic Action Plan, Canada has enjoyed one of the strongest recoveries of any advanced economy and is the only G7 country to have recovered all of the output and jobs lost during the
2008-09 global financial crisis and recession. Despite the domestic strengths of the Canadian economy, global economic uncertainty remains high and promoting jobs and growth remains the Government’s top priority.
Economic Action Plan 2012, the Government’s plan for jobs, growth, and long-term prosperity, builds on the sustainable, low-tax, growth-friendly policies put in place since 2006. The plan supports jobs and growth by investing in innovation, entrepreneurship and world-class research, responsible resource development, and training, infrastructure and opportunity.
To maintain Canada’s fiscal advantage and avoid the economic uncertainty seen in other countries, the Government will take action to reduce the deficit and return to a balanced budget over the medium term.
The Privy Council Office will assist the Government in these efforts by providing fiscal, economic and social policy advice and support to help ensure that the Canadian economy continues to grow and remain stable, and that Canada continues to be one of the most attractive countries in the world for national and international investment.
In 2012-13, the Government will continue efforts to build a fast and flexible economic immigration system and will work to expand opportunities for Aboriginal Canadians to fully participate in the economy. In addition, the Government will advance labour market participation and the health and well-being of Canadians. The Government will continue its efforts to keep Canada’s streets and communities safe.
The Privy Council Office will help the Government to achieve these and other important domestic goals by: providing professional, non-partisan policy advice; supporting the development of policy and legislative proposals to Cabinet; performing a challenge function to ensure that proposals to advance our agenda are based on comprehensive analyses; assisting with the communication and implementation of the Government’s decisions; and consulting, collaborating and coordinating efforts with domestic partners, including provinces and territories. Of particular note, in 2012-13, the Privy Council Office will continue to promote Public Service Renewal and excellence in public service management and will help the Government to follow through on its commitments to reform the Senate and strengthen the electoral system.
Finally, in 2012-13, the Privy Council Office will facilitate our leadership in promoting international trade and security, help the Government to advance the values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, and support international efforts such as those centered in Afghanistan. The Privy Council Office will also continue to provide support and coordination for emerging issues and international crises that require the immediate attention of the Government.
I am pleased to present the 2012-13 Report on Plans and Priorities for the Privy Council Office.
The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada
PCO provides impartial advice and support to the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Headed by the Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, the department functions both as the Cabinet’s secretariat and as the Prime Minister’s source of public service advice on almost all policy questions and operational issues facing the Government.
PCO’s three primary roles are to:
Provide impartial advice to the Prime Minister, portfolio ministers, Cabinet and Cabinet committees on matters of national and international importance.
This includes:
Ensure the smooth functioning of the Cabinet decision-making process and facilitate the implementation of the Government’s agenda.
This includes:
Foster a high-performing and accountable public service.
This includes:
For more information on PCO’s main roles, please visit PCO’s website.
PCO’s priorities and plans for 2012-13, shown in the tables below, are closely tied to its strategic outcome: “The Government’s agenda and decision making are supported and implemented and the institutions of government are supported and maintained.”
Priority | Type1 | Program Activities |
---|---|---|
Support the Prime Minister in exercising his overall leadership responsibility | Ongoing | 1.1: Prime Minister and portfolio ministers’ support and advice |
Description | ||
Why is this a priority? This priority facilitates the Prime Minister’s leadership in Government decision making. Plans to meet this priority: Provide advice and support to the Prime Minister in his leadership of Government decision making. This includes advice and support on:
|
Priority | Type | Program Activities |
---|---|---|
Focus on key policy and legislative areas and strengthen medium-term policy planning | Ongoing |
1.1: Prime Minister and portfolio ministers’ support and advice |
Description | ||
Why is this a priority? This priority supports the Government’s delivery on key policy and legislative commitments and helps to advance medium-term policy planning. Plans to meet this priority: Provide advice and support to the Prime Minister, portfolio ministers, Cabinet and Cabinet committees to advance the policy and legislative agendas and to lead and coordinate efforts across government related to medium-term policy planning. This includes advice and support on:
|
Priority | Type | Program Activities |
---|---|---|
Support management and accountability of government | Ongoing |
1.3: Public service leadership and direction |
Description | ||
Why is this a priority? This priority supports the Clerk’s leadership role as Head of the Public Service of Canada and the Government’s commitment to accountability in government. Plans to meet this priority: Provide advice and support to the Clerk of the Privy Council as Head of the Public Service of Canada. This includes advice and support on:
Provide administrative and organizational support to commissions of inquiry. |
Priority | Type | Program Activities |
---|---|---|
Strengthen PCO’s internal management practices | Ongoing | 1.5: Internal services |
Description | ||
Why is this a priority? This priority supports strong internal management, which enables PCO to fulfill its mandate with excellence. Plans to meet this priority: Provide support for strong internal management of human resources, expenditures, security and risk. |
PCO’s everyday operating context is complex and variable. Accordingly, PCO’s risk profile is best understood in relation to those occasional circumstances that produce impacts significant enough to require substantive, new policy or management responses.
In 2012-13, PCO’s risk management strategies will be influenced by the cumulative effects of ongoing reductions in government spending. PCO’s risk mitigation efforts will focus on capitalizing on efficiencies, while safeguarding the critical assets and functions required to support Government priorities and operations.
In 2012-13, PCO will support the Government in delivering on its policy agenda and responding to emerging policy issues. PCO will manage risks to the implementation of the Government's agenda by:
In 2012-13, PCO will ensure that it is positioned to support well-coordinated, efficient and effective management responses by continuing to develop its capacity to support the Government in the event of emerging issues, emergencies or crises. This includes:
Improved governance, planning, and interdepartmental coordination of security, foreign and defence issues will help to ensure that PCO is able to deliver key advisory and support functions and positioned to support and coordinate responses on behalf of the Government.
In 2012-13, PCO will minimize internal services risks by ensuring that human resources plans are aligned with cost containment and fiscal restraint objectives, by maintaining a state of readiness in support of critical business functions and workplace health and safety, and by advancing an integrated approach to risk management. This includes:
2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
---|---|---|
126,767 | 121,152 | 121,076 |
2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
---|---|---|
968 | 926 | 926 |
Program Activity2 | Forecast Spending 2011-12 |
Planned Spending3 | Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | |||
Prime Minister and portfolio ministers’ support and advice | 73,569 | 65,463 | 62,698 | 62,700 | Strong and independent democratic institutions |
Cabinet and Cabinet committees’ advice and support | 20,166 | 15,546 | 15,029 | 15,030 | Strong and independent democratic institutions |
Public Service leadership and direction | 5,031 | 3,935 | 4,100 | 4,100 | Well-managed and efficient government operations |
Commissions of inquiry4 | 12,907 | 1,250 | 0 | 0 | A transparent, accountable and responsive federal government |
Total Planned Spending | 86,194 | 81,827 | 81,830 |
Program Activity | Forecast Spending 2011-12 |
Planned Spending | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | ||
Internal services5 | 52,383 | 40,573 | 39,325 | 39,246 |
Total Planned Spending | 40,573 | 39,325 | 39,246 |
The overall increase in spending of $10.6 million from 2008-09 to 2010-11 was mainly attributable to a combination of initiatives, including:
The above increases were partially offset by a decrease in actual spending under Commissions of inquiry: The Commission of Inquiry into the Investigation of the Bombing of Air India Flight 182 was fully operational during fiscal year 2008-09 and the Commission of Inquiry into Certain Allegations Respecting Business and Financial Dealings Between Karlheinz Schreiber and the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney was operational for most of 2008-09. However, by 2010-11, only one commission, the Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River, was operational for the entire fiscal year.
The forecast increase in spending of $4.1 million from 2010-11 to 2011-12 was mainly attributable to salary-related items and other initiatives. This included:
The forecast increases from 2010-11 to 2011-12 were partially offset by the following activities:
PCO expects spending to decrease between 2011-12 and 2014-15. Reasons for the expected decrease include the following:
For information on organizational appropriations, please see the 2012–13 Main Estimates publication.