Goals, Objectives, Strategies and Measures — Continued

Goal 5: Government and corporate initiatives receive essential administrative services.

Outcome:

Administrative support for government and corporate initiatives that concurs with government directions and fiscal realities

Government and corporate commitments are more likely to be achieved in accordance with expectations if they are given timely and adequate administrative support during their development and implementation. Careful administrative management during these initial phases helps to ensure that priorities are carried forward on schedule and that they adhere to government specifications.

The nature of administrative support required can vary depending on the initiative. Such support can range from procuring suitable office space, equipment and furniture to processing board appointments and payments, to archiving files. Support can also involve developing policy and legislation, providing information technology solutions and strategic human resource services, and establishing agreements.

Because initiatives can vary widely in terms of the kind of support they require and the timelines allowed for development, performance measures tend to be project-specific and short-term. Therefore, rather than using a single key measure, this core business area uses proxy (i.e., substitute) output measures to indicate performance for each objective.

Core Business Area:

Executive and Support Services

Objective 1:

Key justice initiatives supported and expedited

The ministry is responsible for ensuring that some justice-related initiatives such as the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform have the means to complete its mandate. One important aspect of the service provided to this independent Assembly by the ministry was timely preparation of all documents confirming membership. Because the Assembly must finish its work by December 15, 2004, it was critical that all 160 members of the Assembly were ready to begin work by January 9, 2004, as set out in the terms of reference and that all administrative procedures regarding membership were completed as expeditiously as possible. The base data indicates timely completion of all administrative procedures regarding membership. This level of support is consistent with that envisioned in Goal 5 and Objective 1.

After the Assembly convenes, it carries out its mandate independently of the ministry. Executive and Support Services provides basic administrative support only. Such support includes remuneration and travel expense payments to members, payment of facility rentals, budget reviews and forecasts, and expenditure tracking.

The Assembly is responsible for producing a final report by December 15, 2004. The report will then be analysed within the policy area of Executive and Support Services by or before March 2005. This service is also consistent with the support envisioned in Goal 5 and Objective 1.

Strategies:

1. Assist the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform in carrying out its mandate.

2. Implement the strategic technology solutions outlined in the ministry's Information Resource Management Plan (Appendix 3).

3. Develop legislation as required to implement government and ministry priorities.

Objective 2:

Integrated corporate performance and accountability mechanisms that are consistent with government directions

Enterprise-wide risk management is a useful and essential process for making decisions about long-term planning, major projects and programs, and resource investments. Risk management plans identify potential risks that could affect ministry performance and impede progress toward its goals. Risk management plans also include risk assessment, avoidance and management strategies.

Government is encouraging all ministries to develop risk management plans over a three-year period, to report on the progress made in implementing this initiative, and to include in their service plans an appropriate reference to enterprise risk management. Executive and Support Services is responsible for coordinating this initiative and for working with respective Executive Committees to establish risk registers for the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, the Treaty Negotiations Office, and the Ministry of Attorney General.

The base data reflects work already undertaken in support of this initiative. Targets represent milestones for each formative phase. Reaching these targets will indicate steady progress toward the kind of accountability mechanisms envisioned in Objective 2 and the government initiatives covered by Goal 5.

Strategies:

1. Coordinate government's Enterprise Risk Management initiative in the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, the Ministry of Attorney General and the Treaty Negotiations Office.

2. Communicate government guidelines for accountability processes and deliverables to all relevant internal staff.