An important research initiative on public performance reporting principles that CCAF has undertaken in partnership with the governments of Alberta, Canada and Ontario is nearing completion. (See CCAF / Governmental Joint Initiative on Public Performance Reporting Principles for more information on this research project.) The project will provide guidance from a government management perspective to promote good practice in public reporting on performance as a step towards developing meaningful and agreed principles that will bridge the interests of key communities, embrace common ground, and serve as a basis for concerted action. This session will introduce and explore the results of this endeavour together with the senior executives involved. This project parallels a similar recent effort undertaken by Canada’s legislative auditors.

An integral part of the Foundation’s public performance reporting program is to gain insight and understanding into the human dimensions of public reporting and to use these insights to support dialogue on public performance reporting. This discussion began at the 1999 Conference. Since that conference we have been working with leading members of Canada’s governance and executive communities, developing their counsel into a publication that represents a unique and valuable expression of shared views and insights on the human dimensions of public performance reporting issues. This conference plenary session will introduce and explore the results of this undertaking featuring the public sector leaders interviewed and members of the project’s steering committee.

It is evident that in the foreseeable future, there will be continuing public pressure for accountability, good government and, good governance, values and ethics. Performance results and the capacity to deliver out on important public business as well as how the conduct of that business conforms with public expectations, will continue to be significant issues for governments and the public. A number of important trends and changes are taking place in Canada and worldwide, in both the public and the business sectors. These include:

Internal audit reports in the federal and in some provincial government settings are now being made public. What are the consequences of the changed internal audit paradigm? What new or different standards ought to attend this changed paradigm and define the audit product so that it is both useful and reliable in the public setting?

This session will look at whether and how government agencies can adopt “state of the art” governance models. It will share the experiences of several agency heads and senior executives who have adopted such a model, including crown corporations and other agencies. Speakers will examine if and how these models can be applied in other like agencies.

A number of factors ranging from demographics to compensation are testing the public sector’s ability to maintain and grow its management capacity to deliver on policy and programs and to manage and control the risks and opportunities of government. Some would argue that we have let that capacity erode and that the result will be a weakened public sector with unfortunate consequences for the well being of Canadians and the business sector. This plenary session will be devoted to looking at how this issue can be managed.

The single most important change proposed in the report of the Independent Panel on Modernization of Comptrollership in the Government of Canada (see javascript:info('https://www.ccaf-fcvi.com/english/publications.html')#report for copy of report) had to do with a move to a new guiding philosophy for comptrollership. (That is dealing with: control, risk, performance reporting and values and ethics). In very general terms, it was proposed that the philosophy guiding comptrollership move from a “command/control” orientation to a more contemporary one, sometimes called “loose/tight.” A “loose/tight” orientation combines a strong commitment to central standards and values and achievement of planned results with flexibility regarding processes and operational approaches. Better or good control does not simply mean continuously adding new controls. It means being selective, gearing controls to risk and knowing “what to let go of ”. The need to move to this kind of approach has been tested in recent events and this session will provide a practical understanding of what it means in practice.

It has been argued by business and public sector leaders alike that in both sectors we have not succeeded in creating the needed culture of governance that will drive and encourage meaningful accountability, control and values and ethics. What are the opinions of these leaders on what is needed to create a culture of good governance? How can we move from the vision to the reality?

Accountability, good governance and good management are very much in the eye of the beholder. How do Canadians view results, performance, accountability and control, values and ethics? Connecting to Canadians in ways that will be convincing in both substance and form is essential if we are to overcome a growing cynicism between the public and their governments. Notions of personal versus collective accountability, rewards and sanction, the views of a new generation of young Canadians and the very notion of “citizen responsibility” will be explored in this session.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat is introducing an important Award in the federal public sector which recognizes excellence in government departmental and agency public performance reports. CCAF is providing advocacy, support and assistance in the Award process and will host the Inaugural Award Ceremony at the National Conference. The Awards for Excellence in Departmental Performance Reports is a significant initiative designed to promote continuing improvement in reporting practices government-wide. All government departments and agencies are eligible for the Award. The inaugural Award of Excellence for Public Reporting is being presented at the Conference by the Secretary of the Treasury Board and Comptroller General of Canada, Frank Claydon, and Conference Co-Chair.

Canada is not alone in making efforts at building excellence in governance, management and accountability in the public sector. Similar efforts are being made around the globe. This plenary session will look at two specific examples—the U.K. and the USA. The UK Prime Minister has launched a broad-scope initiative termed "Modernizing Government" to enhance government services to the public through a focus on integrated policy making that focuses on citizen engagement, shared goals, defined results and risk management. In the United States significant attention is being brought to bear on integrating performance measurement and reporting into decision-making at the highest government level. Efforts are underway to look at how the House of Representatives can effectively use the Government Performance and Results Act —such that it effectively supports congressional decision-making and oversight and improves confidence in the accountability and performance of the federal government.

This session will look at how leading governments are making performance measurement integral to their management decision-making through a focus on building the required capacity—engaging line departments and agencies, integrating tools and processes with management systems and ensuring that managers see the value of using performance information to make decisions and choices. It will also explore leading edge approaches to measure value creation where traditional performance measures are not a true valuation of performance, as is increasingly the case in the public sector where laws, strategies and programs have extended periods before impacts are obvious but it is nevertheless important to understand whether they are adding value as they go along.

Monday, March 19

Tuesday, March 20