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July 20, 2006
Ottawa - The Honourable John Baird, President of the Treasury Board,
announced that two new reviews are underway to help strengthen and streamline Treasury Board policies in order to
increase efficiency and accountability in the Government of Canada.
"The Federal Accountability Act and Action Plan promised to make government more accountable," said Minister
Baird. "Today, with these two reviews, we are following up on our commitment to untangle the paralyzing web of rules
put in place by the previous government. This will ensure that tax dollars are better spent and deliver on our promise
to provide the good, clean government that Canadians deserve and expect."
The first review will look at policies governing financial management in the Government of Canada. Financial
management policies are the cornerstone of sound oversight and accountability in government spending.
The second review will look at procurement policy to ensure it supports a fair, open, and transparent process. The
federal government uses procurement to acquire goods, services and construction needed to carry out government programs
for Canadians.
"Instead of more rules, we want to put the right rules in place," Minister Baird said. "We want to strike the right
balance between oversight and flexibility."
In addition to these two reviews, first announced in the Federal Accountability Action Plan, the Government has
committed to reducing the total number of Treasury Board policies by more than half. By reviewing policies around
financial management and procurement, the Government is acting on its commitment to reduce unproductive regulations
that prevent public servants from doing their jobs effectively, and that make it difficult for individuals and
organizations to do business with the federal government.
These reviews build on the June 6, 2006 announcement of the creation of an independent Blue Ribbon Panel to review
administrative barriers to accessing and managing grant and contribution programs (http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/media/nr-cp/2006/0606_e.asp).
Further information on the Federal Accountability Act and Action Plan is available at http://www.accountability.gc.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Patrick Robert
Press Secretary
Office of the President of the Treasury Board
(613) 957-2666
Robert Makichuk
Media Relations
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
(613) 957-2391
If there is a discrepancy between any printed version and the
electronic version of this news release, the electronic version will prevail.
By moving ahead with these reviews as part
of the Federal Accountability Act and Action Plan, Canada's new
Government is helping reassure Canadians that their tax dollars are being spent
wisely. The Senior Committee on the
Review of the Financial Management Framework and the Procurement Policy Review
are about making government more effective and efficient. The reviews will increase Canadians'
confidence in government by improving the functioning of government itself.
Senior Committee on
the Review of the Financial Management Framework
Introduction
A senior committee of deputy ministers and former private-sector
chief financial officers will review the financial management framework. In addition to working to improve financial controls, the committee will
also seek to clarify financial roles and responsibilities.
Mandate
The mandate of the Senior Committee on the
Review of the Financial Management Framework is as follows:
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Review and bring forward
recommendations to strengthen and streamline Treasury Board financial
management policies;
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Identify where unnecessary or
unproductive policy or legislative requirements exist and recommend changes
based on principles of management accountability and transparency; and
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Recommend measures, including training
strategies, to ensure the Public Service of Canada has the skilled financial
experts it needs to ensure effective financial control and accountability.
Membership of Committee
The committee members bring extensive
experience, in both the public- and private‑sector, to the task. They
are:
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Wayne Wouters, Secretary of the
Treasury Board (Chair);
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Charles-Antoine St-Jean, Comptroller
General of Canada;
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Janice Charette, Deputy Minister,
Human Resources and Social Development;
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Richard Dicerni, Deputy Minister,
Industry;
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Richard Fadden, Deputy Minister,
Citizenship and Immigration;
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Michael Wernick, Deputy Minister, Indian Affairs and Northern
Development;
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Serge Gadbois, Corporate Director, and
former Chief Financial Officer of Metro Inc., Montréal; and
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John Watson, Corporate Director, and
former Chief Financial Officer of EnCana,
Calgary.
Duration of the Review
The senior committee will report to the
President on the financial management framework by December 2006.
Procurement Policy Review
Mandate
Mr. Robert W. Dye, President and Chief
Operating Officer of the Purchasing Management Association of Canada, has been
appointed to review the draft policy on managing procurement. Mr. Dye will examine the policy with a view
to ensuring that the procurement process is open, fair and transparent. He will also identify opportunities to
streamline the process.
Duration of the Review
Mr. Dye will report back to the President
of the Treasury Board in the fall of 2006.
Related Initiatives
This action to reform the procurement
process builds on the April 18, 2006 announcement by the Minister of Public
Works and Government Services Canada of the establishment of six regional
offices to train and assist small and medium enterprises in order to give them
a fair opportunity to compete for government contracts.
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