Decision Making in the Federal Government –
Central Agencies: Who are they and what do
they do?
Gavin Liddy, Treasury Board Secretariat
FMI Capital Chapter - Professional Development Day
May 22, 2014
Key role of Ministers:
– Which public goods are produced?
– How to pay for them (Taxes/Borrowing/other eg user
fee)?
– Efficiency (Potential Income vs Actual or
Deadweightloss)
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Privy Council Office
• Advisor to the Prime Minister
– Non-partisan advice
– Coordination and collaboration across government
and external stakeholders
• Secretary to the Cabinet
– Management of Cabinet decision-making
– Advancement of the Government’s agenda
• Public Service Leadership
– Management of appointments of senior personnel
3
Department of Finance
• Preparation of the federal Budget and Economic
Updates
• Development of tax and tariff policy/legislation
• Administration of major transfers of $ to
Provinces/Territories
• Keeper of the Fiscal Framework – $ inflows and outflows
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Treasury Board Secretariat
– The only permanent Cabinet Committee, established in 1867
– The only Cabinet Committee established in legislation (Financial
Administration Act);
– TBS is general manager of the public service serving as:
• Management Board;
• Budget Office; and
• People Manager.
TB is responsible for the management of government, by translating policies
and programs approved by Cabinet into operational reality and by providing
departments with resources and administrative environment they need.
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The Central Agencies
Distinguishing Roles
Price $
Finance
Privy Council
Office (PCO)
Treasury
Board
Quantity
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The Process
2014
2015
2016
2017
Cabinet
Retreat
MC
Budget
TB Sub
Supps
Mains
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Cabinet Committees
Cabinet
P&P
OPs
SAC
EP
TB
FAS
TB GA
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What happens at Cabinet Meetings
• Cabinet meetings are held weekly when Parliament is
sitting
• Ministers present MCs for the departments they head for
discussion and approval
• PCO manages agenda and documents
• Decisions made by consensus
• Ministers make policy decisions and notional funding to
carry out initiatives
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What happens at Treasury Board meetings?
• TB meetings are held once a week when Parliament is sitting
• The Secretary supports the President by setting context, introducing
items and presenters
• TBS manages the meetings and provides advice to TB Ministers
• Ministers of the Treasury Board examine:
– Evaluations of pan-governmental spending and management
initiatives (strategic reviews, MAF, etc.)
– Treasury Board Submissions (approx. 800 submissions per
year)
– Information on current, or emerging files
– Follow up on issues raised at previous meetings
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What do Ministers ask?
• Policy
– What problem are we trying to solve?
– Why is this a good idea?
– Details on execution?
– Stakeholder and Caucus engagement?
– Communication?
• Financial
– Overhead - Why can’t the dept absorb the costs?
– What will the investment achieve, eg results
– Why was the initial estimate wrong?
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Cases
•
•
•
•
•
•
DND – How much money de we have?
CRA – How to make the case for more resources?
Parks Canada – what is the extent of our capital shortfall?
Carling Campus – business case analysis – cost per rm2?
Canada Post – Financing postal modernization?
Shared Services Canada – is it a good idea, how to make
it work?
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END
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