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The following was the overview of our National Conference which took place in Ottawa, March 19 & 20, 2001.
The transcripts and session presentation material can be obtained by entering your member/subscriber access code below.
 

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BUILDING EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNANCE, MANAGEMENT & ACCOUNTABILITY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR


MARCH 19 & 20, 2001 ~ THE WESTIN HOTEL, OTTAWA, CANADA

Results-oriented management, good governance, and good stewardship, accountability and comptrollership in the public sector share a common dependence on getting a few things right. They include an ability to:

  • ensure the relevance and appropriateness of programs and services and the way in which they are delivered – policy and strategic planning
  • maintain capacity to implement policy and manage affairs effectively
  • understand and communicate what was or is being accomplished – performance reporting
  • maintain control
  • identify and manage risk
  • manage affairs with appropriate values and ethics.

Integral to building capacity in all these key drivers is the need to build a culture of good governance within the public sector. Governance is largely a product of people’s attitudes, thoughts and behaviour, and as such, management, governing body members and those who serve accountability relationships such as auditors, as well as citizens, must all be engaged in the process and in creating cultural change.

This conference is about moving from the vision to the reality of excellence in public sector management and governance – through a focus on the key drivers of excellence in results-oriented management governance, stewardship and comptrollership.

Conference Co-Chairs

RITA BURAK Former Secretary of the Cabinet, Government of Ontario

FRANK CLAYDON Secretary of the Treasury Board & Comptroller General of Canada

‘Moving to a new level’, a level of excellence in the above critical areas will in many ways determine the success of results-oriented management regimes adopted by, for example, Ontario and Alberta and other provinces; the “Results for Canadians Management Framework” recently advanced by the President of the Treasury Board of Canada; the new governance, management and accountability legislation in Québec; and, certain important provisions of the Social Union Framework Agreement.

While the challenge is significant, so are the results of doing so successfully – in terms of the health, social, economic and educational well being of all Canadians; our ability to compete as a nation with others; and, increased levels of confidence that the public sector is effectively contributing to the aspirations and needs of citizens. These are matters of important national interest affecting both the public and the business sectors. This conference will engage each of the key drivers presented above from a number of important perspectives including:

  • understanding the standards that need to be espoused as demonstrating the excellence we seek
  • assessing the progress that is being made and adjusting the course as a result if needs be
  • addressing the fundamental issues of our capacity to achieve and maintain such standards and to effectively deliver out on public policy/services
  • understanding the kinds of leadership that are needed to ‘create and sustain’ cultures of results-oriented management and governance
  • looking at how we deal with the inevitable possibility that some things will go very wrong, very publicly – how we ‘practice good governance’ in those circumstances (and central to this is the issue of risk sharing and management)
  • understanding the environment of tomorrow – we need to aim to that environment or we will undershoot the mark and risk uncertainty
  • looking at the underlying basis for the exercise of certain professional disciplines in the process – e.g. audit and evaluation
  • finding new ways to measure the right things especially when there is no historical performance track record to understand ‘value created’
  • learning from others as to how they manage risk and mistakes – public administration is not alone in this
  • how to better connect with Canadians on these issues
  • locating the public and private sectors in relation to their shared interests in these matters.

Conference sessions are designed to provide those who are faced with providing the general and technical leadership to help achieve a new level of excellence. These people include:

  • senior and middle level general and program managers
  • senior and chief financial officers, comptrollers and professionals who work in this community
  • analysts, planners and all those who have responsibility to prepare reports on performance or interpret their results
  • auditors
  • elected representatives
  • members of board of crown corporations or other governmental agencies, boards or commissions and their senior executives
  • representatives of professional standard setting bodies, regulatory agencies or central agencies of government who establish standards and exercise oversight
  • academics who are engaged in public administration and governance in both the business and the public sectors
  • consultants and advisors in accountability, governance, management to the business and public sectors.

 
 
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