Regulation Inside Government: Reducing Administrative Burden Issues and Approaches Case Study: Canada OECD Workshop Mexico City – March 14-15, 2006 Gilles Vézina Office of the Comptroller General of Canada

Overview Government of Canada Internal Regulators Domains of Internal Regulation Objectives of Internal Regulation Recent Trends Current Approach

Government of Canada Constitution Federal Government Provincial Governments Federal Institutions Central Agencies

Internal Regulators Treasury Board the Management Board of the Public Service –Treasury Board Secretariat –Office of the Comptroller General –Public Service Human Resources Management Agency

Objectives of Internal Regulation Control –Compliance –Risk Management Accountability Effectiveness / Efficiency

Instruments Regulations Policies Directives Standards

Domains of Internal Regulation TBS –Expenditures Management –Information Management –Security –Materiel, Contracting, Real Property –Access to Information –Official Languages OCG –Financial Management PSHRMAC –Human Resources Management

Recent Trends Continuous Management Improvement –1997 Modern Comptrollership Initiative –2001 Accountability Management Framework –2005 Public Service Modernization Act –2005 TBS Portfolio Policy Renewal

TB Portfolio Policy Renewal Project  Clarify through a renewed policy suite, the management responsibilities and accountabilities of Ministers and Deputy Heads, distinguishing between their duties and those of functional experts and managers in general  Create an integrated, streamlined and consolidated policy infrastructure  Receive TB approval of all policies by December 2006

Pre-Renewal Policy Suite Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text Text

PRP – Issues to be addressed Unclear accountabilities Unclear expectations Large number and diversity of instruments Inconsistent format and level of guidance Incoherent set of monitoring and reporting requirements Lack of consequences

PRP – Approach Review every policy document Streamline and clarify Six challenge questions –the right policy instruments are developed for the right reasons –the instruments are clearly articulated to meet project and management objectives –the instruments’ impact have been assessed and addressed

PRP – 6 questions Have the issues or risks been identified and assessed? Are management objectives, or desired management practices and behaviours, or both, clearly stated and measurable? Is a policy the most appropriate means of addressing the issue? Is the nature of the response, be it policy, policy instrument, or other, appropriate for the issue or risk that is being addressed? Is the choice of response (policy, policy instrument or other) consistent with government priorities, TB management agenda and with the objectives of the Policy Suite Renewal Initiative? Are reporting requirements reasonable? Are TBS’s and PSHRMAC’s roles regarding monitoring and consequences clearly stated? Have the needs of TBS, PSHRMAC and departments been assessed with regard to implementing policy (i.e., FTEs, $, systems, training)?

Planned Policy Suite

OCG – Financial Management Objectives PRP Objectives Strengthening Financial Management Scope 144 policy documents to be revised End Result 6 Policies 40 Directives

Costs or Investments? Implementation Costs –Resource Impact Capacity / competences / –Cultural Change Communication –Sustainability Results –Better government