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•	Minister's Letter
•	Accountability Statement
•	Strategic Context
•	Ministry Goals, Key Performance Measures and Core Business Areas
•	Objectives, Strategies, Performance Measures and Targets for Core Business Areas
•	Consistency with Government Strategic Plan
•	Resource Summary
•	Summary of Related Planning Processes
•	Appendix — Glossary


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2003/04 – 2005/06 SERVICE PLAN
Ministry of Attorney General

Summary of Related Planning Processes

Information Resource Management Plan

Executive Summary

The ministry has delivered on its 2002/2003 Information Resource Management Plan (IRMP). The Ministry of Attorney General and Minister Responsible for Treaty Negotiations (AG) completed an aggressive plan to upgrade all of its technology infrastructure including replacing all desktop computers and mission critical application servers, and migrating its users to a common government e-mail system. The ministry also focused on increasing integration between its criminal justice system (JUSTIN) and the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General’s (PSSG) corrections system (CORNET). The ministry delivered on its electronic government commitments by completing the Lobbyist Registration system and the PRIME (Common Police Records Management Environment) interface to JUSTIN.

Fiscal 2003/2004 will bring significant opportunities and challenges in the area of Information Management/Information Technology (IM/IT). Having recently upgraded its IT infrastructure, the ministry is well positioned to be part of government’s new initiatives and shared IT services. The ministry continues to focus on enhancing JUSTIN and is being challenged with new application development projects, such as a civil case tracking system, a human rights tribunal system and a criminal justice litigation management system.

The ministry continues to align IT/IM projects with its respective service plans. For several years, the ministry has had a joint AG/PSSG steering committee called the Administration and Technology Committee (ATC). ATC membership consists of a senior manager or designate from each major business area of the ministry. All IT/IM projects must be sponsored and approved by the ATC. Through ATC, the ministry is adopting a project portfolio management methodology. This methodology will ensure that not only are IT/IM initiatives aligned with business, but that development projects continue to be delivered in the most efficient manner, maximizing value and results.

Risk will be further mitigated by ensuring that all projects adhere to core government IT/IM strategies and standards. Using the latest security strategies, the ministry will continue to protect the privacy of information it maintains while enabling the exchange of information within the justice sector.

See the attached Table A, IM/IT Service Plan Objectives, and Table B, Information Management Directions and Major Projects.

TABLE A: IM/IT Service Plan Objectives by Core Business Area

Business Objective	IM/IT Strategy
COURT SERVICES Support operation of three levels of court in processing cases in a timely, efficient manner.	Continue enhancements of the province’s criminal justice case tracking system (JUSTIN). Develop a new civil case tracking system, including electronic filing. Continue developing the prisoner management system to manage and track inmate movement to/from court and correctional facilities (PIMS).
LEGAL SERVICES Deliver legal services that meet clients’ changing needs at rates that are competitive, reduce the province’s exposure to civil liability, and control liability costs to government.	Continue to utilize newly-developed document management and practice management systems to create efficiencies for government.
PROSECUTION SERVICES Process criminal cases in a timely and efficient manner within three levels of court, and protect the community from high-risk and violent offenders.	Develop a litigation management system to aid in the research and administration required by large and complex prosecutions and continue to enhance JUSTIN.
JUSTICE SERVICES Encourage greater public use of out-of-court dispute resolution options within the civil/family justice system.	Revise the provincial family information system to support out-of-court settlement of family cases. Continue to work with partners to improve system support to programs delivering dispute resolution services.
EXECUTIVE AND SUPPORT SERVICES Move justice reform initiatives forward by ensuring timely management and delivery of key ministry components for each initiative.	Implement a project portfolio management methodology.
TREATY NEGOTIATIONS OFFICE Negotiate agreements that create certainty and enhance economic opportunity; build public support for negotiations, and implement obligations resulting from settlements.	Improve the efficiency of operations through the use of innovative business practices and technology, including a complete refresh of technology infrastructure and office systems.
JUDICIARY Provide support for continued operation of the independent judiciary.	Build a new judicial trial scheduling system and replace the legacy Court of Appeal case tracking system.

TABLE B: Information Management Directions for Fiscal 2003/04

Direction	Strategy
IM/IT Alignment with Service Plan	ATC approval and sponsorship of all capital projects to ensure alignment with service plan and financial accountability.
Project Portfolio Management	Formal project management approach on all projects to minimize risk, ensure value and achieve more project successes.
Electronic Service Delivery	Efficient and effective delivery of services via the Web to citizens and business partners, ensuring improved productivity and sharing of information electronically.
Corporate and Integrated Justice Data Standards	Identify corporate data used across the ministry for purposes of creating greater consistency in sharing information with other areas of government and integrated justice business partners.
Security and Privacy	Develop policy and procedures to ensure sensitive justice information is protected. Promote good privacy practices in information sharing with business partners and government.
Shared Services	Utilize shared government services to maximize IT investment value and service delivery.
Business Intelligence	Develop a set of reporting tools to evaluate program performance against the service plan and provide improved data for planning.

Major Projects

Project

Description

Civil Electronic Information System (Court Services)

Target: September 2003

The application will create a provincewide civil case tracking system with a central database. The development of this system is a precursor to future civil court administration and self-service delivery models.

Litigation Management System (Prosecution Services)

Target: March 2004

The application will assist Crown counsel to be more productive with their case preparation, allowing them to organize and search case-related documents quickly and identify and produce disclosure packages for the defence. Special emphasis will be placed on the larger cases.

Human Resource Management Plan

The following Human Resources Management Plan (HRMP) has been compiled to support the overall Service Plan. The HRMP will be realigned on an on-going basis to ensure the plan continues to reflect the needs of our staff, overall government strategic goals and the corporate HRMP.

Underlying Fundamentals

Staff are our most important resource.

The staff of the Ministry of Attorney General and Treaty Negotiations Office are the strength of the ministry. They are committed to the work, strive to achieve results, sustain the organization, and work to provide superior service.

Workload demands attention.

Workload at all levels of the ministry is a concern. Senior management will assess workload requirements and distribution, and develop priorities commensurate with available staff resources.

A Human Resource Management Plan (HRMP) is essential.

The ministry’s HRMP is an “effective people strategy,” which recognizes the corporate goals for human resource management and identifies objectives and strategies that are practical, meaningful and achievable. The HRMP also ensures human resource priorities and activities are aligned with the overall Ministry Service Plan. The HRMP will evolve over time as it is updated to reflect changing circumstances.

The Treaty Negotiations Office has distinct human resource management needs.

The HRMP is a framework for human resource management priorities across the Ministry of Attorney General and Treaty Negotiations Office. Within this framework, all branches implement additional strategies and objectives that will meet their individual needs. In particular, issues specific to the business of the Treaty Negotiations Office require unique strategies. A detailed HRMP specific to the Treaty Negotiations Office is posted to the PSERC web site at: http://gww.pserc.gov.bc.ca./HRPlans/down/treaty_negot_HR.pdf

Principles for the Development and Implementation of the HRMP

The experience of the ministry’s HR Strategy is valuable.

In order for a ministry HRMP to be successfully implemented, a number of elements must be present: staff involvement and commitment; management commitment and support; branch autonomy to define and manage branch priorities within the framework of the ministry plan; initiatives that respond to branch needs and follow branch implementation strategies; and ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

There is a Corporate HRMP for government.

An outcome of Public Service Renewal is a corporate HRMP for government. The ministry’s HRMP aligns with the corporate HRMP and shares a number of objectives: leadership, performance management, and corporate learning.

HRMPs should be realistic and practical.

Plans must be realistic and practical; an overriding goal for the development and implementation of HRMPs is achievability and sustainability. Branches, the Treaty Negotiations Office and the ministry must report on human resource management accomplishments.

A performance management program is fundamental to the HRMP.

Consistent with the need for a realistic strategy, the focus for the ministry through 2003/2004 is a performance management program. Branches should assess existing performance management models and practices and adopt, over the short-term, a viable program. While the ministry will rely primarily on existing programs, these must address the objectives and strategies of the HRMP.

To this end, performance management programs ideally focus on employee participation and two-way dialogue, and include: competency-based reviews; a learning and career plan; consideration of leadership capability; recognition; and workload consideration.

The Plan — Goals, Objectives, Strategies

Goal: Proactive and Visionary Leadership Addressing leadership concerns provides an opportunity for the Ministry of Attorney General to improve employee engagement and to maintain a culture that is client-centered. A strong leadership system is essential to the effective management of government. The acquisition, development and retention of leadership talent are central to performance.
Objective: Develop leadership	Strategy: Leadership competencies must be identified, incorporated into the ministry performance management program and utilized in the assessment of the capabilities of staff. This component of performance management will facilitate staff training and development and succession planning and assist the ministry to maximize its leadership potential.
Goal: Performance-focused Workforce Better measuring and reporting on performance will lead to better governance. Performance management is the use of performance information to set goals and objectives, allocate resources, confirm or change direction to meet these goals, and report on the success in meeting them.
Objective: Progress to competency- based processes	Strategy: Continue the development of branch core competencies, and establish competency profiles and inventories to facilitate a shift to competency-based staffing and performance management processes. This work should focus on the broad application of competencies and the need to link competencies to ministry service and business planning.
Objective: Maintain effective, practical performance management programs	Strategy: Ensure the ministry’s performance management programs are efficient and effective and rely on practical, viable tools that ensure reviews support the objectives of the HRMP.

Goal: Flexible and Motivating Work Environment Employees continue to value recognition and career advancement opportunities.
Objective: Commit to employee recognition	Strategy: Reaffirm the ministry’s commitment to recognition programs that have been developed by branches to meet their respective needs.
Goal: Learning and Innovative Organization A culture that values continuous improvement must include staff who are committed to it as an organizational goal, encouraging others to question current practices and communicate suggestions for improving the efficiency or effectiveness of the services they provide.
Objective: Employees are supported in their development	Strategy: Performance management should include an individual learning and career plan, and the ministry must be committed to supporting staff in accessing opportunities for professional development.
Goal: Progressive Employee/Employer Relations
Objective: Promote a consultative employee relations culture	Strategy: Continue to utilize consultative processes, including Supportive Workplace Committee, Article 29 Committee, the Joint Standing Committees and Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees, to promote good employee morale, as well as innovation and improvement in the workplace.