Governance and Strategic Directions
The essential conditions - internal coherence, corporate discipline and alignment to outcomes - are in place for providing effective strategic direction, support to the minister and Parliament, and the delivery of results.
Additional Data Sources:
- Department's Act
- PAA Tracking System (PAATS)
- Survey of Departments pursuant to Step 1 of the MRRS Action Plan
Key Relevant Policies:
- Management, Resources, and Results Structure Policy
2. Utility of the Corporate Performance Framework - A robust performance framework reinforces corporate alignment to outcomes, as measured by:
- Extent to which the organization's Strategic Outcomes and Program Activity Architecture are consistent with its mandate
- Clarity and measurability of the organization's strategic outcomes
- Level of completeness of the Program Activity Architecture and its alignment to the organization's strategic outcomes
- Quality of the performance measurement structure (including expected results, outputs, indicators, targets, data sources, and frequencies of data collection)
- Extent to which the performance measurement structure is used to support organizational decision-making
Q: Does the Department have a robust PAA with logical linkages to appropriate Strategic Outcomes?
Additional Data Sources:
- Corporate plans, PAA supporting documentation
- Review of senior executive PMAs
- Business Plans, Investment plan
- Review of Governance structures
- Organizational Structure
Key Relevant Policies:
- Management, Resources, and Results Structure Policy
- Directives for the Performance Management Program (PMP) for the Executive Group.
3. Integrity of the Corporate Management Structure - An integrated corporate system of decision-making enables effective allocation of resources to priorities, alignment of activities to outcomes and management of accountabilities, as measured by:
- Extent to which accountabilities of senior officials and internal decision-making structures are aligned to the organization's strategic outcomes
- Extent to which Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports are aligned and based on the approved MRRS
- Alignment of corporate and senior executive performance commitments to the Report on Plans and Priorities
- Extent to which Memoranda to Cabinet, TB Submissions and public performance reports are grounded in the Government's priorities, and the organization's mandate
- Presence of a risk-based corporate plan which: is fully aligned to strategic outcomes; serves to align sector business plans; integrates strategic plans, HR plans, and resource plans; and is regularly monitored for progress and performance
Q: Does the Department have a corporate governance structure that effectively supports prioritization and decision-making?
Additional Data Sources:
- Reports from horizontal initiatives such as Aboriginal affairs, climate change, water preservation and national security
- Reports from horizontal initiatives such as Service Canada; Procurement Reform (including Government of Canada Marketplace and Shared Travel); Real Property Reform; Corporate Administrative Shared Services; IT Shared Services (including Secure Channel)
- Portfolio Management Structure or Plan, input from organization's portfolio partners
4. Effectiveness of Extra-organizational Contribution - Contributions to horizontal policy and administrative initiatives and portfolio management are appropriate to the organization's mandate and resources, as measured by:
- Level of organizational engagement (e.g. appropriateness, leadership, resource commitment) on horizontal policy and program initiatives
- Level of organizational engagement (e.g. appropriateness, leadership, resource commitment) on horizontal administrative initiatives or other government-wide transformational initiatives, as set out in the Government's Agenda, the Clerk's Priorities, etc.
- Presence of a clearly articulated portfolio management structure or plan and governance mechanisms to foster regular dialogue
Q: Does the Department contribute effectively to extra-organizational initiatives?
