Governance: Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs—February 27, 2020
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Key messages
- Governance for the Long Term Vision and Plan (LTVP) is unique and very complex as it involves multiples stakeholders and levels of government
- Parliamentary administration is the lead for engagement with parliamentarians
- Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) and the parliamentary administrations make regular appearances before parliamentary committees to provide an update on overall program and financial performance, and seek endorsements for program elements
- Given that this is the home of our democracy with 2 chambers and 2 branches of government, decisions cannot be made unilaterally
- Engagement with parliament for integrated, stable decision-making is critical to maintaining momentum of the program and ensuring its continued success
Roles and responsibilities
Governance for the Parliamentary Precinct is complex and involves:
- the Legislative Branch: The House of Commons and the Senate establish their own needs and project requirements
- the Executive Branch: The minister of Public Services and Procurement is the custodian of the buildings and grounds of the precinct, and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the buildings, and the planning and delivery of major restoration and modernization projects
- in this capacity, the minister is also responsible for securing and controlling the budgets associated with this work
- other stakeholders: Other federal organizations (for example Heritage Canada; Parks Canada; National Capital Commission) and the City of Ottawa
The division of accountabilities between the legislative and executive without any bridging or integrating mechanisms at the political level is a significant challenge that is complicated further by the independence of the 2 Houses of Parliament, which fractures decision-making.
Challenges of the current model
The Canadian governance model is an anomaly. Internationally speaking, the Legislative Branch generally has full responsibility for operating and maintaining the buildings they occupy and delivering major projects.
The main governance challenges of the Canadian model are:
- fragmented accountabilities: There is no bridging or integrating mechanism at the political level, between both branches of government, which creates an environment where conflicting priorities can potentially affect the program
- fractured decision Mmking and oversight: There is no integrated forum to manage matters of significant or common interest that brings together both Houses of Parliament, as well as the executive and legislative branches of government
These challenges can lead to misaligned and/or conflicting priorities and competition among stakeholders. They can also lead to program risk, namely uncertainty in delivery, and the potential for delays and increased costs.
Governance and committees
The LTVP is implemented through a Parliamentary Precinct Integrated Governance Framework which provides a forum for the department and Parliamentary Partners (including Parliamentary Protective Service) to collaboratively provide direction and oversight. The Integrated Governance Framework was the result of extensive consultations with the Parliamentary Partners. Moving towards an ‘integrated’ model promoted greater collaboration and integration while expanding committee mandates to cover operations, business management, accommodations, LTVP, etc. The governance was also streamlined to improve decision making and stakeholder engagement; new management tools were also developed/implemented to standardize intake and measure the realization of expected outcomes.
Committee functions include reviewing and resolving outstanding project issues and risks, reviewing status reports, and developing and approving procurement strategies. Client requirements and scope modifications are formally submitted by the client to PSPC, who then works actively with the client to deliver plans according to their specifications. There are 3 levels of committees that currently form the Parliament Precinct Integrated Governance Framework. The approval process for key LTVP decisions begins at the director general (DG)-level committee and then at the assistant deputy minister (ADM)- and deputy minister (DM)-level committees, respectively.
- A DG level governance body provides a forum for PSPC and the Parliamentary Partners to collaboratively discuss and make informed decisions in regards to the delivery of operations and accommodation services, including the rehabilitation, renovation, and construction programs of work, within the Parliamentary Precinct
- An ADM level governance body establishes the strategy, direction and long term plan to implement and oversee the Parliamentary Precinct Renewal Program (Long Term Vision and Plan)
- it is comprised of the ADM of PSPC and Parliamentary Partners executives
- A Deputy Minister level governance body brings together the heads of administration for PSPC, House of Commons, Senate of Canada, Library of Parliament, Parliamentary Protective Service is leveraged to endorse key decisions to ensure the advancement of the various LTVP projects
Partners and Stakeholders
In this section
PSPC works closely with the following Parliamentary Partners, as well as many other stakeholders who support informed decision making and the overall delivery of the LTVP for the Parliamentary Precinct.
Partners
- Senate of Canada
- House of Commons of Canada
- Library of Parliament
- Parliamentary Protective Services
- Office of the Prime Minister
- Privy Council Office
- Crown-Indigenous Relations And Northern Affairs
- Assembly of First Nations
- Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
- The Métis National Council
- The Algonquin Nation (the Algonquin Anishnabeg Nation Tribal Council)
Stakeholders
- National Capital Commission
- Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office (Parks Canada)
- Shared Services Canada
- Treasury Board Secretariat—Federal Identity Program
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- City of Ottawa
- Sparks Street Business Improvement Area (BIA)
- Canada Lands Corporation
- Supreme Court of Canada
- Ottawa Fire Services
- Canadian Heritage Information Network
- Canadian Conservation Institute
- Heritage Canada
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