A. Canadian Heritage Portfolio

Portfolio Description

The Canadian Heritage Portfolio was created in 1993. In 1998, responsibility for the Canada Information Office was transferred to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services, and a new member was added to the Portfolio with the proclamation of the Parks Canada Agency on December 21, 1998. The Minister, supported by the Secretary of State (Parks), is responsible to Parliament for the new Parks Canada Agency, which administers and implements the Government of Canada's programs relating to national parks, national historic sites and other protected areas, and heritageprotection programs. The Canadian Heritage Portfolio now includes:

• the Department of Canadian Heritage, as well as the Canadian Conservation Institute, the Canadian Heritage Information Network, the Canadian Cultural Property Export Review Board, and the Historic Sites and Monunents Board of Canada;
  
  
• seven departmental agencies: the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) (an independent regulatory agency), the National Archives of Canada, the National Battlefields Commission, the National Film Board of Canada, the National Library of Canada, Status of Women Canada and the Parks Canada Agency; and
  
  
• ten Crown corporations: the Canada Council for the Arts, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the Canadian Film Development Corporation (Telefilm Canada), the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, the National Arts Centre, the National Capital Commission, the National Gallery of Canada, and the National Museum of Science and Technology.

As well, the Public Service Commission reports to Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

The Department and each departmental agency produce their own Report on Plans and Priorities. The Crown corporations and the Parks Canada Agency prepare corporate plans, the summaries of which are tabled in Parliament, or are subject to the accountability requirements of their enabling legislation. The Minister of Canadian Heritage is responsible for ensuring that the major orientations of the agencies within the Portfolio are in line with Government objectives. The Minister is also responsible to Parliament for the resources allocated to all the organizations in the Portfolio.

Portfolio Resources

Portfolio's Financial Spending Plan

* These agencies will generate annual revenues.
** The Canadian Race Relations Foundation does not receive annual appropriations. It is funded primarily from the revenue generated by a $24 million endowment received from the Government of Canada in 1996.