August 15, 2019
Audit and Evaluation Committee (AEC) Meeting
August 15, 2019
9h00 à 12h00
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau, Quebec
Room 724
Meeting chair : Graham Fraser
Secretary Committee : Manon Durand
Attendees
Members :
Graham Fraser, Chair
Caroline Maynard, Information Commissioner
Dyane Adam, external member
David Rattray, external member
Regular attendees :
France Labine, Deputy Commissioner, Corporate Services, Strategic Planning and Transformation Services and Chief Financial Officer and Chief Audit Executive
Layla Michaud, Deputy Commissioner, Investigations and Governance
Gino Grondin, Deputy Commissioner, Legal Services and Public Affairs
Stephen Campbell, Director, Financial management, Procurement and Audit (absent)
Invités:
Riowen Abgrall, Principal, Office of the Auditor General
Angelle Moore, Manager, Access to Information and Privacy
Chantal Laberge, Manager - Financial Services
Amy Heron, Editor / Writer
Record of decisions
Meeting summary
- Approve of meeting minutes and action items from the meeting of May 16, 2019
- Approve of the 2018–2019 Audit and Evaluation Committee Annual Report
- Approve of the calendar of the Risk-based Audit and Evaluation Plan (RBAEP)
- Discuss the financial statements and annex
- Discuss the Office of the Auditor General financial statement audit report and management action plan
- Discuss the 2018-19 Departmental Results Report
- Hear presentations from finance, investigation, Legal Services, Parliamentary Affairs and Communications.
Welcome and opening remarks
The chair welcomed all attendees.
The Chair and the Commissioner mark the departure of Ms. Adam as Chair of the Audit and Evaluation Committee and thank her for her significant contribution over the last 10 years.
Minutes and action items from the meeting of May 16, 2019
The members approved the meeting minutes from the meeting held on May 16, 2019.
Ongoing follow-up actions were discussed, no changes were requested.
Action item: Transmission of the English version of the minutes of the May 16, 2019 meeting to the members of the committee and publication of the minutes of the May 16, 2019 meeting on the Office of the Information Commissioner's website
Audit and Evaluation Committee Annual Report – Presented by Diane Adam et David Rattray
The 2018-19 report of the Audit and Evaluation Committee was discussed and approved.
Action item: forward the French version of the report of the Audit and Evaluation Committee 2018-19 to the members of the Committee and publication of the annual report of the Audit and Audit Committee on the Office of the Information Commissioner's Web site
Risk-based audit and evaluation plan (RBAEP) – Presented by F. Labine
The new schedule of planned audits in the RBAEP was presented and approved.
Action item: publication of the revised RBAEP on the Office of the Information Commissioner's website.
Financial statements and Annex - Presented by Chantal Laberge
The Manager - Financial Services thanked the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) team for their cooperation and provided a detailed review of the financial statements for 2018-19 and the annex to the Statement of Management Responsibility including internal control over financial reporting.
The main elements were presented and discussed.
The Chair proposed that the Commissioner accept the financial statements. The Commissioner agrees.
Action item: forward the French version of the annex to the financial statements to the members of the Committee and publication of the signed audited financial statements and annex on the Office of the Information Commissioner's website when the date of posting of the departmental results report is officially known.
Report of the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) to the Audit and evaluation committee and Letter of Representation – Presented by Riowen Abgrall
The director of the OAG thanked the finance team for their collaboration in the annual audit report and presented the OAG report containing the annual audit results, risks and mitigation measures.
Action item: no action required
2018-19 Departmental Results Report - presented by Amy Heron
The report on departmental results for 2018-19 was presented and discussed.
No substantial comments were made on the Commissioner's message.
Action item: send the French version of the report to committee members and submission of the report to the Treasury Board Secretariat as soon as the date is officially determined, the current tentative date being December 2, 2019 but could be modified with the election.
Update - Corporate Services - Presented by F. Labine
The Deputy Commissioner presented the various files underway within Corporate Services. In particular, the year-end audit, the public accounts, the Treasury Board submission, upcoming funding request, governance and strategic planning topics were also adressed and discussed.
A proposal for a new governance structure was presented and discussed.
Action item : no action required
Update - Investigations - Presented by L. Michaud
The Deputy Commissioner, Investigations and Governance presented the latest statistics on the investigation files. An analysis of the evolution of complaints identified in the backlog of complaints and active complaints were presented.
The various strategies put in place to reduce the backlog of complaints are working well. As of August 12, 2019, 70% of the complaints related to the backlog have been closed. The focus was now to address the remaining complaints in this backlog.
The challenge also remains with the new complaints received, so far 55% of the complaints have been closed. However, the lack of resources does not allow to assign all the files. Another element to consider, as of August 12, the office has already received 800 more complaints than at that same time last year.
The Deputy Commissioner highlighted the excellent work of her managers and their investigative teams and the great collaboration with the legal services team.
Members reviewed and discussed the information presented
Action item : no action required
Update - Legal Services - Presented by G. Grondin
The Deputy Commissioner, Legal Services and Public Affairs, updated the committee on current litigation files and the latest court decisions impacting the Office of the Information Commissioner and the next steps that will be taken.
Action item : no action required
Update - Parliamentary Activities and Communications - Presented by Angelle Moore
The Manager, Access to Information and Privacy presented an update on policy and parliamentary affairs, various outreach activities, conferences and presentations such as the 2019 Global Summit of the Open Government Partnership, the presentation of the Information Commissioner's Award, the visit of our international counterparts in the United Kingdom and Scotland, as well as major projects currently underway, including the launch of the new website, the redesign of the intranet, the change in the image of the office, the communication plan for the Right to know week and the organization of the next meeting of all staff on September 26th.
It was also noted that the Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) unit has successfully integrated the Treasury Board Secretariat's online application service and continues to implement the changes from the implementation of Bill C-58.
Action item : no action required
In camera session
A short in camera discussion continued with the Commissioner, the Chair and the external members.
Next meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for November 7, 2019.