APEX’s Guide for Executives

Information about the Government of Canada

Introduction to Government

The Government of Canada offers a vibrant, professional, non-partisan and merit-based work environment that is focused on serving Canadians by delivering quality services in the official language of their choice, providing impartial evidence-based advice to government, and implementing the laws, policies and programs determined by the elected government and Parliament.

While approximately 42% of the federal public service is located in the Ottawa-Gatineau area, employees can be found in many locations across the country and abroad.

As of March 2019, the Treasury Board Secretariat reported that the federal public service was comprised of 88 departments and separate agencies. Sixty-eight departments and agencies in the core public administration employ approximately 220,310 employees with the 21 Separate Agencies employing an additional 67,668.

If you have been working in the federal public service, some of this information will not be new to you. Whatever your background, these pages provide a useful summary and links to help you find additional information.

How the Public Service Manages Itself

Key elements of the Public Service include:

Office of the Clerk of the Privy Council

• The Clerk of the Privy Council is the most senior non-political official in the Government of Canada and the Head of the federal public service.

Departments

• Ministers are responsible for the management of their departments/agencies and Deputy Heads are designated Accounting Officers with primary responsibility for financial management and HR management in their organizations.

Some Separate Agencies are governed by their own legislation. If you are employed by a Separate Agency, your authorities, responsibilities and the applicability of certain legislation and governing bodies should be confirmed with your Human Resources and Finance Departments.

Treasury Board

The Treasury Board consists of the President of the Treasury Board (the President), the Minister of Finance, and four other members of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada that are designated as members by an Order in Council. The composition of the Treasury Board is provided for in the Financial Administration Act (FAA).

The Treasury Board exercises authority over a vast range of issues, and its role can generally be classified into powers of supervision, recommendation, decision, approval, reporting, policy and regulation-making and leading consultation on matters related to human resources and financial management.

The Treasury Board has four principal roles:

1. Setting the rules that establish how people, public funds, and government assets are managed and reviewing departmental investment plans.
2. Managing the Government’s expenditure plans, the stewardship of public funds and approving new money for major procurements, assets, new programs, and grants and contributions.
3. Determining terms and conditions of employment, including pensions and setting the direction of human resources management.
4. Reviewing and approving the majority of regulations and Orders in Council made pursuant to legislation attributing a power to the Governor in Council.

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (the Secretariat) is the administrative arm of the Treasury Board. It makes recommendations and provides advice on program spending, regulations, and management policies and directives, while respecting the primary responsibility of deputy heads in managing their organizations, and in their role as Accounting Officers.

Three other senior officials have specific government-wide leadership responsibilities within the Secretariat:

• The Comptroller General of Canada provides leadership, direction, oversight, and capacity building for financial management, internal audit, and the management of assets and acquired services.
• The Chief Human Resources Officer provides leadership on people management through policies, programs, and strategic engagements, and by centrally managing labour relations, compensation, pensions and benefits, and contributing to the management of Executives.
• The Chief Information Officer provides leadership, direction, oversight, and capacity building for information management, information technology, government security (including identity management), access to information, privacy, and internal and external service delivery.

Agents of Parliament

Agents of Parliament are administratively housed within the Executive Branch of government and oversee the exercise of authority by the Executive, in support of Parliament’s accountability and oversight function.

There are seven Agents of Parliament:

1. Auditor General (Finance Portfolio):
   • Verifies the accuracy of the government’s financial statements and supports Parliamentary oversight of government spending and operations.
2. Information Commissioner (Justice Portfolio):
   • Investigates complaints about federal institutions’ handling of access to information requests.
3. Privacy Commissioner (Justice Portfolio):
   • Oversees compliance with both the Privacy Act, which covers the personal information-handling practices of federal government departments and agencies, and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
4. Chief Electoral Officer (Privy Council Office Portfolio):
   • Under the provisions of the Canada Elections Act, conducts federal general elections, by-elections, and referenda; administers political financing provisions; and monitors compliance with the Act.
5. Commissioner of Official Languages (Privy Council Office Portfolio):
   • Administers the Official Languages Act, oversees its full implementation, and safeguards the status of the two official languages.
6. Public Sector Integrity Commissioner (Treasury Board Secretariat Portfolio):
   • Establishes a safe, confidential, and independent mechanism for public servants or members of the public to disclose potential wrongdoing in the federal public sector.
7. Commissioner of Lobbying (Treasury Board Secretariat Portfolio):
   • Contributes to confidence in the integrity of government decision-making by administering the Lobbying Act and the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct.

Public Service Commission (PSC)

The Public Service Commission (PSC) is responsible for safeguarding the staffing system and political neutrality of public servants.

The PSC protects merit, non-partisanship, representativeness and the use of both official languages. It safeguards the integrity of staffing in the Public Service and the political impartiality of public servants, develops policies and guidance for Public Service managers and holds them accountable for their staffing decisions. It conducts audits and investigations to confirm the effectiveness of the staffing system and to improve it.  The PSC reports its results to Parliament.

Parliamentary Budget Officer

The Parliamentary Budget Officer provides independent analysis on the state of the nation’s finances, the Government’s Main Estimates and trends in the Canadian economy; and upon request, undertakes economic analysis and costing estimates for any proposal under Parliament’s jurisdiction.

Managing Myself *

Terms and Conditions of Employment

The Government of Canada Policy on the Management of Executives and the Directive on Terms and Conditions of Employment for Executives set out the requirements for the equitable and consistent administration of Executive compensation, including salary and non-salary elements. This Directive applies to the core public administration as defined in Section 11(1) of the Financial Administration Act, unless excluded through specific acts, regulations or Orders in Council.

If you are employed by an organization not identified in Section 11 of the Financial Administration Act as part of the core public administration, you should consult your Human Resources Department for information regarding terms and conditions of employment.

 

Official Languages

• The Public Service Commission provides resources for confirming previous second language test results and to assist public servants attain the second language requirements of their position.
• There is additional emphasis on not only achieving the required level of bilingualism for a position, but on maintaining the required level of proficiency. In general, executives are required to maintain their second language proficiency. This requirement should be reflected in your letter of offer.

 

Security Clearances

Security screening is at the core of the Policy on Government Security as a fundamental practice that establishes and maintains a foundation of trust within government, between government and Canadians, and between Canada and other countries.

Deputy heads are responsible for ensuring that all individuals who will have access to government information and assets, are security screened at the appropriate level before the commencement of their duties and are treated in a fair and unbiased manner.

Deputy heads are also responsible for ensuring appropriate remedial actions are taken to address issues regarding policy compliance, allegations of misconduct, suspected criminal activity or security incidents, including denying, revoking or suspending security clearances and reliability status, as appropriate.

For additional information regarding individual security screening, refer to the Standard on Security Screening.

 

Compensation

The Components of Executive Compensation

Executive compensation in the core public administration and many parts of the federal public service is based on the principle of total compensation. Total compensation consists of both salary and non-salary elements. Salary elements include base salary and performance pay. Some examples of non-salary elements include leave entitlements, group benefits coverage, superannuation and special sick leave.

The Government of Canada’s Compensation Principles for Senior Leaders

Established in 1997, the Advisory Committee on Senior Level Retention and Compensation provides independent, expert advice to the government, through the President of the Treasury Board, on total compensation of Executives and Governor in Council appointees. The committee considers the context and nature of Executives’ work, and the composition and size of Executive groups. It also considers compensation principles and strategies, salaries, performance pay, leave and other benefits, and other aspects of human resources management to be considered in establishing total compensation levels.

The existing Chair and committee members were appointed in 2014 and in 2015, published its latest Report and Recommendations to the Government on Executive compensation. The Committee exists today, but has not met since 2015.

The principles underlying the compensation of Senior Leaders, as stated in the 2015 Report of the Advisory Committee on Senior Level Retention and Compensation, include:

Fairness and Transparency

• The quantum and form of total compensation for senior public servants is fair, reasonable and transparent in light of the changing and increasingly complex demands placed on senior leaders and the distinctions in managerial and leadership responsibilities between senior leaders and collectively bargained employees.
• Internal equity and the incidence of compression and inversion are considered in deliberations.

Fiscal Responsibility

• Total compensation is affordable, and responsive to the economic and social environment.

Performance

• Compensation is intended to reward senior leaders for meeting and exceeding strategic and operational objectives that are aligned with enterprise-wide strategies on an individual and unit basis and which respect public service values.
• Performance pay is part of the total compensation package.

Comparability

• Senior leader compensation is comparable to that of positions with similar scope and responsibilities in other organizations from which recruitment is likely or desirable.

Recruitment and Retention

• Compensation attracts qualified individuals into the senior levels from both inside and outside the public service and serves to retain them.

Structure

• Total compensation of senior leaders is comprised of base salary, incentives and benefits.
  • Incentives are performance based and senior leaders understand the individual and unit objectives they are required to achieve.
  • Increases to compensation are made in a timely manner.

Base Salary

Base salary is defined as the fixed recurring portion of an employee’s cash compensation received for the performance of the regular duties of a position, exclusive of allowances, performance awards or other compensation or gratuities.

The salary elements of Executive compensation are described in Appendix A of the Directive on Terms and Conditions of Employment for Executives.

Executive salary ranges are revised periodically, as authorized by the Treasury Board. The current salary ranges for executives are posted on the Treasury Board website.

When an individual is being appointed to an Executive position from outside the public service, they can be appointed at any rate of pay within the applicable salary range of the executive position as determined by the delegated manager. Where their previous salary exceeds the salary maximum of the executive position, the deputy head can authorize a one-time lump sum payment. Details on calculating this lump sum can be found in article A.I.4 of Appendix A in the Directive on Terms and Conditions of Employment for Executive.

When an individual is being appointed to an Executive position from other occupational groups within the public service, which includes persons appointed from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Forces, an increase in salary of 5% of the salary maximum of the Executive position is the norm. The salary on appointment is at least the salary minimum of the Executive position.

In exceptional circumstances, the Deputy head can authorize an increase in salary of up to 10% of the salary maximum of the Executive position. If the increase causes the new salary to exceed the maximum of the salary range, the amount above the salary maximum is paid as a one-time lump sum on appointment. The amount of the increase is established within limits set out in article A.I.4.1.2 of the Directive on Terms and Conditions of Employment for Executives.

No salary increase is granted when an appointment or deployment is to a position at the same level and Executives are not entitled to payment for overtime.

See the section “Performance Management and Performance Awards” for information on performance pay.

 

Pay Services

The Public Service Pay Centre provides pay services to 50 federal departments and agencies. Some organizations manage pay internally. The list of institutions served by the Public Service Pay Centre is available online.

If your organization is not included in the Public Service Pay Centre client list, consult your Human Resources Department for assistance.

For employees of the federal public service who receive compensation services from the Public Service Pay Centre, payday is every second Wednesday and is by direct deposit. Staff at the Public Service Pay Centre providing services can be reached online, by mail or by telephone:

By Mail

Public Services and Procurement Canada
Public Service Pay Centre: Mail Facility
PO Box 6500
Matane QC G4W 0H6

By Telephone

• In Canada or the United States: 1-855-686-4729
• Monday to Friday, 7 am to 7 pm Eastern Standard Time or Eastern Daylight Time
• Outside Canada and the United States: 506-424-4330
• Monday to Friday, 7 am to 7 pm Eastern Standard Time or Eastern Daylight Time

If you have access to the internal Government of Canada network, you may access many pay-related services and useful information online.

If you do not have access to the Government of Canada network, consult your Human Resources Department.

Severance

Federal Budget 2011 announced the end to executive severance accumulation for resignation and retirement in the public service. Federal public service departments and separate agencies were advised of this change by TBS-OCHRO on August 2, 2011.

Severance benefits for retirement and resignation ceased to accumulate effective close of business day, October 1, 2011.

Severance benefits accumulated up to October 1, 2011 were eligible to be cashed out based on options presented to executives at the time (see Options for Severance Cash-out below).

For executives who had completed at least one full year of service as of October 1, 2011, the cash-out payment was calculated at the rate of one (1) week of pay, as of that date, for each year of completed service, up to a maximum of 28 weeks.

Partial years of service were prorated if the executive had been employed on an indeterminate basis.

Options for Severance Cash-out

As of October 1, 2011, indeterminate executives who had at least one (1) year of completed service, were asked to select one of the following three options to initiate the cash out of their accumulated severance:

• Cash out based on their substantive rate of pay as of October 1, 2011;
• Cash out upon separation from the Core Public Administration at the rate of pay in effect at that time;
• A combination of the two options above. This included the option of electing to cash out part of the accumulated weeks of severance immediately and the balance when separating from the Core Public Administration. Executives who left the Core Public Administration on or after October 2, 2011 for an organization outside the Core Public Administration had their accumulated severance paid out in its entirety if the new employer did not have an identical severance plan or did not accept the accumulated severance liability.

Severance benefits were maintained for cases of lay-off, death, termination on probation, and termination for reasons of incapacity or incompetence, though the years of service were reset to zero as of the date when the elimination of further accrual of severance benefits came into effect and accumulation commenced anew to avoid paying severance benefits twice for the same period.

No executive is eligible to receive a severance cash-out twice.

Executives were provided until January 31, 2012 to select an option. No extensions to this deadline were permitted and executives who did not select an option by the deadline were deemed to have chosen the severance cash out as a single payment at the time of their termination of employment from the Core Public Administration.

Executives wishing to confirm their decision from 2011 should contact their Compensation Service Provider.

Are Pensions Affected by the Cash-out of Severance?

Severance payments are not pensionable.

Deductions Taken from the Cash-out of Severance

While the cash-out of severance is taxable, it is not subject to Public Service Superannuation Act pension contributions. Employment Insurance (EI) and Canada Pension Plan/Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) may be deducted from a severance payment, if the executive has not reached their maximum annual contribution limit at the time the payment is made.

Calculating the Severance Payment

All payments in lieu of severance are based on the number of years of eligible years of service accumulated up to October 1, 2011 multiplied by the executive’s weekly rate of pay for their substantive either on the elected date of cash out or the date of termination of employment from the Core Public Administration.

Transferring Your Severance Pay

On or after retirement, you may be able to transfer some of your severance pay to your own Registered Pension Plan (RPP), a Specified Pension Plan (SPP), a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) or a Pooled Registered Pension Plan (PRP). Important information regarding the Eligible and Non-Eligible part of your severance pay is available at the following Government of Canada site: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/topics/rrsps-related-plans/transferring/transferring-retiring-allowances-severance-pay.html.

Death

If an executive dies while employed in the federal public service, their estate shall receive a severance payment in respect of any unpaid severance.

 

Group Insurance Benefits

Executives, as do all employees of the federal public service, enjoy a generous offering of group insurance benefits, but with some important differences.

As an Executive, if you meet the eligibility criteria under each plan, you are eligible for 100% employer-paid coverage by the Government of Canada under the following group insurance benefit plans:

1. Public Service Health Care Plan and Hospital Level III
   • If you are not already a Public Service Health Care Plan member when you become an Executive, your coverage will be effective the first day of the month following the date you become eligible. Enrolment information for Executives who are new to the public service is available online.
   • If you are already a member of the PSHCP when you become an Executive, your departmental Compensation Services or the Public Service Pay Centre, whichever applies, will stop your contributions, if any.
2. Public Service Dental Care Plan
   • The Government of Canada pays 100% of the cost of your dental care coverage.
3. Public Service Management Insurance Plan
   • The Public Service Management Insurance Plan provides 100% employer-paid Long-Term Disability, Basic Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment and Dependants’ Life Insurance.
   • For details on the employer-paid Public Service Management Insurance Plan (PSMIP) benefits that are available to Executives, refer to the Executive Plan Member booklet.
   • If you are not already a PSMIP member when you become an Executive, your coverage will be effective the first day of the month following the date you become eligible.
   • If you are already a PSMIP member when you become an Executive, your departmental Compensation Services or Public Service Pay Centre, whichever applies, will stop your contributions.

Additional information on the public service group insurance benefit plans, which includes health, dental, disability and life insurance, is available online.

Pension Plan and Retirement

New employees are automatically enrolled in the Public Service Superannuation Plan.

The public service pension plan is designed to provide you with a retirement income payable during your lifetime. Pension benefits are based on your salary, pensionable service, age and reason for termination. The date you became a member of the public service pension plan determines when you will be eligible to receive an unreduced pension benefit. You are encouraged to familiarize yourself with the orientation information kit.

If you recently entered the federal public service, you may be able to transfer your pensionable service into the public pension plan through one of the pension portability provisions of the Public Service Superannuation Act (PSSA). A Pension Transfer Agreement (PTA) permits you to increase your pension assets by transferring the amount available for transfer from your former employer’s pension plan.

If you have questions regarding the public service pension plan, including the possibility of transferring pension credits earned under another pension plan or a service buyback package, the Government of Canada Pension Centre may be reached by mail at:

Public Services and Procurement Canada
Government of Canada Pension Centre
Policy and Advisory Services Division
PO Box 5155
Shediac NB
E4P 8T9

Alternatively, Executives of the Government of Canada have access to a dedicated pension service team that is reachable by telephone at 1-888-742-1300.

 

Leave

Executives of the Government of Canada have access to a variety of leave types. Part II of Appendix A in the Directive on Terms and Conditions of Employment for Executives summarizes the available leave entitlements.

This Directive contains information on:

• Paid Leave
• Sick Leave
• Personal Leave
• Special Leave With Pay
  • Jury Duty Leave
  • Bereavement Leave
• Special Leave Without Pay
  • Maternity Leave
  • Parental Leave
• Vacation Leave

Additional information regarding leave is available in the APEX Fact Sheet on Leave*.
Appendix B of the Directive on Leave and Special Working Arrangements provides Executives with direction regarding Leave Without Pay situations and Appendix C of this Directive explains Pre-retirement Transition Leave. This leave is a special working arrangement whereby eligible employees who are within two years of retirement may reduce their workweek by up to 40 per cent. During this period, pay would be adjusted to reflect the shorter workweek, but pension and benefits coverage, as well as premiums and contributions, would continue at the pre-arrangement levels.

If you are employed by a Separate Agency, you should contact your Human Resources Department to confirm if you are subject to this Directive or one developed by your organization.

 

Performance Management and Performance Awards

The Directive on Performance and Talent Management for Executives explains the requirements for the management of Executive performance and the administration of performance‑based compensation. This Directive provides important information regarding the requirement for performance management agreements, requirements for managing and assessing Executive performance, an explanation of performance ratings and the administration of performance rewards.

Obtaining Feedback

Performance management is a two-way street. You should feel comfortable asking for feedback. You should:

• Ask for the specific feedback that you need. Rather than asking the broad, “How did I do?” you can focus narrowly on an area where you want help.
• Prepare yourself to listen intently to the feedback you are to receive. Rather than feeling surprised or ambushed, you should view feedback as valuable information that you can use. By assuming a purposeful role, you will likely be more receptive to all forms of feedback and better able to decide what to do with it.
• Gather feedback quickly and regularly. Rather than waiting on feedback, you are able to obtain data for a specific action or situation that you can apply immediately. Frequent, targeted feedback is much more useful than a bi-annual or annual performance feedback meeting in which you might get a combination of generalities that are hard to put into action and specific comments about incidents you do not even remember.

Performance Pay

Performance pay is delivered on an annual cycle (April 1 to March 31) and is determined based on the rating of your assessment over that year.

The Performance Management Program (PMP) for Executives is an essential component in the effective management of a department. The Directive on Performance and Talent Management for Executives which applies to Executives in the core public administration as defined in Section 11 of the Financial Administration Act, unless excluded through specific acts, regulations or Orders in Council, describes the requirements for the Performance Management Program to:

• Link individual Executive accountability to strategies and business priorities,
• Manage the performance of Executives in support of Key Leadership Competencies and values and ethics, and
• Administer performance awards.

As a result of the performance assessment cycle, you may be eligible for an in-range salary movement (if you are not at the maximum of the salary range) and performance pay.

Performance pay does not increase an Executive’s salary. It is, however, included in average salary for pension calculations.

The performance cycle starts on April 1^st and ends on March 31^st of the following year. Your final rating will determine the performance pay you receive.

 

In-Range Salary Movement

While in-range salary movements are not part of performance pay, eligibility is dependent upon the successful achievement of results against commitments.

In-range salary movement is the progression through the salary range, up to the maximum of the range. Executives are eligible for in-range salary movement if they obtain a performance rating of “Succeeded Minus” or higher. Normal progression for satisfactory performance is 5% per year so that an Executive’s salary would typically reach the top of the range within 3 years. Higher or lower percentages may be approved by the deputy head based on performance.

The base salary for calculation of increases is that which is in effect on March 31^st of the performance year.

Performance Rating	Movement within Your Salary Range	In-Range Salary Movement
Unable to Assess (Level 0)	Eligible	Not eligible
Did Not Meet (Level 1)	Not eligible	Not eligible
Succeeded Minus (Level 2)	Eligible	Eligible
Succeeded (Level 3)	Eligible	Eligible
Succeeded Plus (Level 4)	Eligible	Eligible
Surpassed (Level 5)	Eligible	Eligible

 

Elements of Performance Pay

Performance pay is paid in respect to the previous performance cycle, and includes two components: at-risk pay and the bonus.

1. At-risk pay: Calculated as a portion of salary that must be re-earned each year based on the level of achievement against commitments and demonstration of the Key Leadership Competencies in the achievement of results.
2. Bonus: Calculated as a portion of salary only awarded to individuals whose performance has truly surpassed expectations.

Eligibility for At-risk Pay

To be eligible for at-risk pay, Executives must have a valid performance agreement, which includes:

• Personal information – name of Executive and their manager, period covered by the performance agreement and dates for which performance is being reviewed
• Commitments – including mandatory commitments in support of the corporate priorities, performance measures, results achieved, narrative assessments, and approved performance rating
• Signature of the Executive and their manager
• Receive a performance rating of “Succeeded Minus” or higher, subject to the following exceptions:
  • Employees from other occupational groups acting in an Executive position for at least three (3) months during the cycle are eligible for at-risk pay. Deputy heads may, however, establish a longer minimum eligibility period in their organization. Deputy heads are required to inform employees of the organizational eligibility period and any other specific organizational standards related to the administration of the Executive Performance Management Program.
  • Executives hired as casual workers and incoming Interchange Canada participants are not eligible for performance pay.

 

Eligibility Requirements

In all circumstances, the requirements of the Directive on Performance and Talent Management for Executives must otherwise be met in order for an Executive to be eligible for performance pay and in-range salary movement.

For newly appointed executives to be eligible for performance pay, they must have performed Executive-level functions for a minimum of 3 months during the performance cycle.

To be eligible for the bonus, you must have been on strength in a position or functions subject to the Directive on Performance and Talent Management for Executives, for the entire performance cycle.

Additional eligibility requirements for performance pay related to different circumstances can be found in the Guide for the Administration of the Performance Management Program for Executives.

 

Talent Management

Talent management is about ensuring that people are matched to the right job for their skills, competencies, and career plans. Through dialogue, feedback, career support, and individually tailored learning, the potential of individuals can be fully realized, organizational priorities can be met, and public service excellence can be achieved.

Executive talent management is designed to support the ongoing development and retention of Executives while supporting current and future departmental business goals. It helps build sustained excellence in public service leadership by maximizing the contribution of every Executive.

Managing the talent of Executives is a shared responsibility between each Executive, their superior, departments, human resources professionals, deputy heads, and for the core public administration, the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer (OCHRO). Consult the Treasury Board website on Executive Talent Management for additional information and support.

You are encouraged to also consult the APEX Fact Sheet on Talent Management*.

If you are employed by a Separate Agency, you should contact your Human Resources Department to obtain details regarding any organization-specific talent management programs.

 

Learning and Development

The Canada School of Public Service (CSPS)offers a curriculum aimed at providing you with a solid grounding in the leadership skills you need to thrive in the Executive ranks. Details regarding this curriculum can be found on the CSPS website.

A significant portion of the necessary and relevant learning and development available at no-cost to Executives, can be found at the Canada School of Public Service site under Executive Development. To get started, you simply need to set-up or log into your existing GCCampus account.

For additional suggestions and insight regarding establishing your learning plan, consult the APEX Fact Sheet on Learning and Professional Development*.

Contact your Human Resources Department to enquire about organization-specific Executive training that may be offered.

 

Conflict of Interest

Public service employees cannot participate in decision making that might benefit themselves or their family members. Any employee who finds that they are in a situation of actual or perceived conflict of interest should report their concern to their superior. In the core public administration, the Policy on Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment provides direction and measures to assist organizations and public servants in effectively dealing with real, potential and apparent conflict of interest situations which may arise during and after employment in the public service and the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service describes the values and expected behaviours that guide public servants in all activities related to their professional duties.

If you are employed by a Separate Agency, you should contact your Human Resources Department to obtain a copy of your organization’s policy and values and ethics code.

 

Legal Indemnification

The Government of Canada’s Policy on Legal Assistance and Indemnification provides legal assistance and compensation to Crown employees and matters greatly for the protection of the Crown’s interest, the fair treatment of its employees, and the effective management of an organization.

Crown employees may require appropriate legal representation and protection from personal liability as long as they are not acting against the interests of the Crown. The greater public interest is served by obtaining the full collaboration of Crown employees in testifying in legal proceedings including parliamentary proceedings, commissions of inquiry, inquests or other similar proceedings. The Policy on Legal Assistance and Indemnification is intended to encourage such collaboration.

Legal assistance or indemnification requests for the following matters are ineligible under the policy:

• matters arising while the requestor was engaged under a contract for services, with the exception of ministers’ exempt staff;
• an action or claim initiated by a Crown servant unless it forms part of a legitimate defence to a legal claim, action or charge for which legal assistance was approved under this policy;
• an internal investigation (e.g., labour relations or harassment complaint) or an internal administrative recourse mechanism including grievances, staffing or disciplinary proceedings; and
• activities undertaken/carried out by a volunteer.

You are encouraged to review the Government of Canada-prepared frequently asked questions and answers regarding the Policy on Legal Assistance and Indemnification.

 

Recourse Mechanisms

Subject	Mechanism
Labour relations grievance	Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board – Filing a Complaint Frequently Asked Questions
Harassment complaint	Canadian Human Rights Commission – What is Harassment Renewed Policy on Harassment Prevention and Resolution and the new Directive on the Harassment Complaint Process – Frequently Asked Questions Filing a Complaint
Human rights complaint	Canadian Human Rights Commission – Filing a Complaint Know More about Human Rights
Official languages complaint	Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages – Filing a Complaint Frequently Asked Questions
Staffing complaint	Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board – Frequently Asked Questions Staffing complaint process Staffing Complaint Procedural Guide
Violence in the workplace complaint	Understanding Violence in the Workplace Frequently Asked Questions Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations – Part XX
Refusing dangerous work	Canada Labour Code: Understanding Your Health and Safety Rights

Prior to filing a complaint for any of the reasons listed above, you are encouraged to contact your Human Resources Department to better understand any organizational policy or process.

Go to Section Two: Managing My Team*

 

Managing My Team *

Mental Health and Wellness

Workforce health and wellness has been and continues to be a Government of Canada priority.

The importance of health and wellness in Government of Canada workplaces is echoed by the Clerk of the Privy Council in the Twenty-Second, Twenty-Third, Twenty-Fourth, Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth Annual Reports to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada.

Since 1997, The Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada (APEX) has been actively monitoring the health of federal public service Executives. Every five years since 1997, APEX has surveyed the Executive community on work and health. The findings of the most recently completed Work and Health survey are available on the APEX site. From the findings, a clear picture has emerged regarding the health status of Executives and their workplace.

With the financial support of the Deputy Minister community, the Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada (APEX) provides a free, confidential Advisory Service for Executives (ASE). This service, available to all Executives in the federal public service, across Canada and abroad, can be accessed by contacting the Advisor at info@apex.gc.ca.

This service offers:

• a discreet and confidential sounding board;
• a safe place to discuss sensitive issues; and
• a single point of contact for advice and referral to specialized services available to the Executive community.

Learn more about how to improve mental health and wellness.

 

Human Rights in the Workplace

Government of Canada Executives are entitled to pursue their duties in a respectful workplace. It is crucial that all employees, regardless of role or position, conduct themselves in a respectful manner in the workplace.

Executives are expected to strive to create and maintain a work environment free from harassment and discrimination. Harassment will not be tolerated and where harassment has been determined to have occurred, disciplinary action will be taken.

Helpful information regarding your legal responsibilities can be found at the Canadian Human Rights Commission website.

The Canadian Human Rights Act gives effect, within the purview of matters coming within the legislative authority of Parliament, to the principle that all individuals should have an opportunity equal with other individuals to make for themselves the lives that they are able and wish to have and to have their needs accommodated, consistent with their duties and obligations as members of society, without being hindered in or prevented from doing so by discriminatory practices based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, genetic characteristics, disability or conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted or in respect of which a record suspension has been ordered. The Canadian Human Rights Commission has developed a guide to explain key provisions of the Act and how they impact your role as a people manager.

The following is a high-level summary of key people management responsibilities:

1. Equality Obligations

Under the Canadian Human Rights Act you are required to ensure that all of your employees are treated equally regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, or any of the following 12 grounds of discrimination, which are listed in the Act.

• race
• national or ethnic origin
• colour
• religion
• age
• sex
• sexual orientation
• marital status
• family status
• genetic characteristics
• disability
• a conviction for which a pardon has been granted or a record suspended

This means that as an Executive with people management responsibilities, you are required to ensure that your practices are fair and equitable, and that they help prevent discrimination, harassment or retaliation towards individuals, or groups of individuals who work for your organization or receive services from it.

People managers are also responsible for nurturing a workplace free from harassment. You are obligated to take appropriate action against any employee who harasses someone.

The Government of Canada’s Policy on Harassment Prevention and Resolution establishes the responsibility of deputy heads to protect employees from harassment beyond the requirement of the Canadian Human Rights Act by requiring that deputy heads respond to all forms of harassment. All Executives are expected to act similarly.

If you are employed by a separate agency, you should consult your Human Resources Department regarding organization-specific policy.

2. Duty to Accommodate

Occasionally, people need to be treated differently to prevent or reduce discrimination. As a people manager, you have a legal obligation to take steps to eliminate different and negative treatment of individuals, or groups of individuals based on prohibited grounds of discrimination. This is called your duty to accommodate, and it applies both to your employees and the public you serve.

The duty to accommodate means that sometimes it is necessary to treat someone differently in order to be fair. For example, asking all job applicants to pass a written test may not be fair to a person with a visual disability. In such cases, the duty to accommodate may require that alternative arrangements be made to ensure full participation of a person or group. You have a duty to accommodate only when a person’s need or needs are based on any of the grounds of discrimination in the Canadian Human Rights Act.

While it is often necessary to accommodate people’s needs on an individual basis, the courts have made it clear that, as much as possible, federal organizations should build accommodation into the way they do business. For example, rather than making individual accommodations for visually impaired employees, your organization should ensure that all office software is accessible. The idea is to prevent barriers to accessibility from occurring in the first place, rather than to remove them retroactively. As a people manager, you have a very important role to play in this regard.

The duty to accommodate has limits. Sometimes accommodation is not possible because it would cause an organization “undue hardship.” Under the Canadian Human Rights Act, an employer or service provider can claim undue hardship when adjustments to a policy, practice, by-law or building would cost too much, or create risks to health or safety. There is no precise legal definition of undue hardship or a standard formula for determining undue hardship. Each situation should be viewed as unique and assessed individually. Consult your Human Resources Department if faced with a situation that may require an accommodation.

3. Discrimination

The purpose of the Employment Equity Act is to achieve equality in the workplace so that no person is denied employment opportunities or benefits for reasons unrelated to ability and, in the fulfilment of that goal, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment experienced by women, aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities, giving effect to the principle that employment equity means more than treating persons in the same way, but also requires special measures and the accommodation of differences.

 

Official Languages

In accordance with the Official Languages Act, English and French are the languages of work in all federal institutions, and officers and employees of all federal institutions have the right to use either official language. Practically speaking, this means that executives are expected to communicate with employees in the language of their choice.

The Policy on Official Languages facilitates institutional compliance with and ensures effective implementation of the Official Languages Act and its regulations.

Appendix 2 of the Directive on Official Languages for People Management sets out the staffing rules applicable to institutions subject to the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA).

Deputy heads or their delegates are responsible for ensuring the following:

• Imperative staffing(the staffing procedure for a bilingual position where only applicants who meet all the position’s qualifications, including language skills, at the time of appointment can be appointed) is obligatory in the following circumstances:
  • Throughout Canada for Assistant Deputy Minister level or equivalent positions;
  • In bilingual regions, for all EX-02 to EX-05 positions; and
  • In unilingual regions, for all EX-02 to EX-05 positions that include supervision of employees located in bilingual regions who occupy bilingual positions or positions with varying language requirements.

The Official Languages (Communications with and Services to the Public) Regulations is the instrument implementing some of the key provisions of Part IV of the Official Languages Act in terms of communications with and services to the public. It specifies the circumstances under which the “nature” of the office or facility justifies the provision of bilingual services and sets criteria that determine whether or not there is significant demand for services in both official languages.

If you are employed by a Separate Agency, you should contact your Human Resources Department to obtain details regarding organization-specific official languages programs.

 

Managing Performance

Excellence in people management produces a high–performing public service, which is a key enabler in building Canadians’ trust in and satisfaction with government. A high–performing public service is built on employee engagement, a culture of excellence, demonstrated leadership, and a strong workplace and workforce. A highly engaged, healthy, productive and effective workforce is cultivated through innovation and respect, communication and recognition and results in improved productivity, superior performance and excellent service to Canadians.

As an Executive, your team will be looking to you to translate the organizational goals into a concrete and tangible vision and direction for your area of responsibility. Research has demonstrated that employees who understand how their work is linked to the objectives and priorities of their organization are more highly engaged. Your leadership in creating that line of sight is invaluable.

Additional information regarding the management of employee performance can be found in the Directive on Performance and Talent Management for Executives, which sets out the responsibilities of deputy heads, or their delegates, regarding the administration of a consistent, equitable and rigorous approach to performance management in their organizations. For employees, it reinforces the importance of demonstrating the required knowledge, skills, competencies, behaviours (including reliability and respectful behaviour expected in a professional workplace), and engagement required to be productive and perform their duties in the service of Canadians.

If you are employed by a Separate Agency, you should contact your Human Resources Department to confirm if you are subject to this Directive or to one developed by your organization.

Ongoing Feedback

Central to effective performance management is ongoing feedback to employees. Nothing discussed in the mid-year review or year-end performance assessment should come as a surprise to those you manage. Ongoing feedback establishes trust and builds an environment of continuous improvement.

Providing feedback at the mid-year review or year-end performance assessment is a task that very few look forward to. Even with the best of intentions to provide honest and useful insight, feedback can be easily pushed to the bottom of a to-do list already crowded with tasks and deadlines.

Providing feedback should not be a dreaded and burdensome part of your organizational life. The promise of feedback conversations is two-fold: to lower the barriers of feedback and integrate it seamlessly into everyday work, and to make it into a two-way conversation rather than something that is grudgingly given and received.

Research has highlighted that there is a growing recognition of the need for a more balanced approach, spanning the constructive to the celebratory. The notion of a feedback as a “conversation” is equally important, transforming the recipient of feedback into an active participant, the giver of feedback into more of a coaching role, and conversations as both lighter and real-time.

Getting into the habit of holding regular conversations and gaining familiarity with what works will become easier with practice.

The following questions that can help with the transition:

1. What is the type of task, in terms of routineness and frequency?
   • For tasks that are routine and frequent, a more constructive approach that focuses on specific and repeatable behaviors is more appropriate. For tasks that are novel or infrequently encountered, perhaps celebratory feedback that emphasizes process and adaptability is better.
2. Who has visibility into the performance?
   • This will help ensure that relevant stakeholders have been given the opportunity to provide input into the performance conversation, particularly where colleagues may be in a better position than you are to observe the individual.
3. What has the history of performance conversations been?
   • Because feedback is more frequent, the track record of these conversations over time becomes more important in terms of the balance of constructive to celebratory feedback. Data from these conversations becomes important in calibrating future conversations to maintain motivation and improvement.

 

Establishing Performance Goals

Performance goals enable employees to plan and organize their work in accordance with achieving predetermined results or outcomes.

Although focused attention on performance goals typically happens once annually, goal-setting really pays off when employees monitor their goal progress throughout the year, discuss the status of goals with their manager on an ongoing and regular basis, and propose and make adjustments to remain on track toward completion.

Effective goal-setting starts with an analysis of all aspects of the goal, including:

• Reasons for pursuing the goal;
• Intended results or outcomes and measures of success;
• Alignment with the organization’s vision, mission, values, principles, strategies, and goals;
• Potential stakeholders or others that may be impacted;
• Resources or capabilities needed, wanted, and available; and
• Possible roadblocks that may arise along the way.

The following list of questions will assist you with conducting a thorough analysis of a goal being considered:

• What are the reasons for pursuing this goal now and why do these reasons matter?
• What specific results or outcomes are intended? What benefits are expected from achieving this goal and what are the potential consequences or costs of not doing so?
• How will success be determined? How will others know what has been accomplished?
• How does this goal align with, support, or advance the team’s, organization’s vision, mission, values, principles, strategies, and goals?
• When will the goal be achieved? Are there milestones that need to be met along the way?
• What resources are needed to accomplish this goal? What additional resources may be helpful? Are these resources available and at what cost? If necessary resources are not available, are there viable alternatives or will the goal need to be changed?
• What possible roadblocks could arise while pursuing this goal? What can be done now to prevent those roadblocks or address them if and when they arise?

 

Employee Recognition

The Government of Canada believes it is important to recognize the success and achievements of all its employees. Recognition is a key component of the desired workplace culture. The goal is that all employees feel connected and engaged with the employer and recognized when they succeed.

A range of programs and ways to recognize and reward your employees are described on the Treasury Board website.

Annually during June, the Government of Canada recognizes employees through events and communication in support of National Public Service Week. Details regarding this week of recognition can be obtained from your Human Resources department.

During Public Service Week, government wide and department specific events occur to thank public service employees for their efforts in providing excellent service. The highest honour and marquee award is the Public Service Award of Excellence.

You should also familiarize yourself with your department’s awards program.

In addition, each year, the Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada (APEX) highlights management excellence and the leadership of federal public service executives with Awards of Excellence. The Association’s awards are presented to the people who have made uniquely important contributions.

The APEX Awards of Excellence are open to all current executives in the public service. It should be noted that Deputy Heads, who are appointed by the Prime Minister, are not eligible and recently retired executives must have been working as of the closing date of nominations for awards.

 

Leading in a Unionized Workplace

A majority of Government of Canada employees are members of a bargaining unit.

The significant building block for establishing credibility in the workplace for an Executive is familiarity with the collective agreement. Without this knowledge, Executives may lack credibility with their staff, impairing their ability to lead and drive change with their workforce.

The two largest bargaining agents, PSAC and PIPSC, represent approximately 90 per cent of all unionized employees in the federal public service. An additional 24 bargaining agents represent the balance of the workforce.

Most terms and conditions of employment for unionized employees are established through the collective bargaining process.

Separate agencies, via enabling legislation or Orders in Council, have been delegated the powers and functions of the Governor in Council and/or the Board in relation to personnel management, including responsibility for collective bargaining. However, all separate agencies with represented employees are required to obtain a mandate for collective bargaining from the President of the Treasury Board to enter into negotiations with their respective bargaining agents. This approach is designed to ensure a coordinated policy approach to the establishment of terms and conditions of employment across the public service, and to ensure collective bargaining mandates are in line with the government’s direction.

Some matters are not negotiated during collective bargaining, but are discussed at the National Joint Council (NJC), which includes official members representing the Treasury Board, 4 separate agencies, and 19 bargaining agents.

The NJC complements collective bargaining between individual unions and employers by offering a forum to discuss broad labour relations issues and develop collaborative solutions to workplace problems.

The NJC is a forum where participating employers and bargaining agents co-develop directives that have common application across government, such as directives on travel and relocation. Most of these directives are incorporated into collective agreements and ensure all employees are treated the same.

NJC directives are reviewed by the parties on a cyclical basis; generally every three years. Prior to entering into a cyclical review, a mandate is sought from the President of the Treasury Board to ensure that any amendments co-developed with the bargaining agents fall within acceptable parameters.

Both unions and management have a duty to create productive, respectful, and engaging workplaces. The collective agreement is one of the main tools that both parties must use effectively to create this organizational culture.

By promoting knowledge and clarity of the collective agreement across the entire management team, as well as by supporting productivity and change initiatives that respect the collective agreement, management teams and unions can build strong organizations and better, productive working relationships.

Collective agreements for the core public administration are available online at Canada.ca. Executives employed by separate agencies should contact their Human Resources Department to obtain a copy of collective agreements applicable to their organization’s workforce.

You are encouraged to speak with your Human Resources Department to obtain information regarding the union(s) representing employees within your span of control.

 

Occupational Health and Safety Responsibilities

Executives are obligated to work with employees to identify and control hazards in the workplace and to foster a work culture where health and safety is a priority in the daily completion of work activities. Every employee must work in compliance with the established legislation, work practices and procedures and other policies and guidelines of the employer and must protect his/her own health and safety and that of other persons at or near the workplace.

Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) is an integral part of everyday work. It is every public service employee’s responsibility to co-operate in practicing sound principles of OHS in all work activities.

If you become aware of an unsafe situation in your work environment or if you are injured at work, make sure you notify your superior immediately.

Under law, each department has a Joint Occupational Health and Safety committee. For additional information, consult your Human Resources Department and view the Government of Canada’s Policy on Occupational Safety and Health and the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.

The Standard for Fire Safety Planning and Fire Emergency Organization sets out the responsibilities that fall to the senior officer, defined as the “highest ranking official of any department or agency occupying space in a building or facility and being responsible for the preparation and administration of the fire safety plan. The person so identified is to be located in that building.”

As an executive, you are encouraged to become familiar with this Standard and the responsibilities of a designated senior officer, which include:

• the preparation of a fire safety plan
• appointment of the chief fire emergency warden and the deputy chief fire emergency warden of the building
• establishment and administration of the fire emergency organization
• ensuring the creation and maintenance of records of fire emergency organization meetings

 

Workplace Violence Prevention

The Government of Canada is committed to working collaboratively with employees, unions, contractors and client groups to ensure a safe, secure and respectful workplace and to prevent all forms of violent behaviour and inappropriate conduct in the workplace.

Part XX of the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations – Violence Prevention in the Work Place prescribes steps that federally-regulated employers must implement in their work place to protect employees against violence.

 

Privacy and Access to Information

The Privacy Act governs the personal information handling practices of federal institutions. It limits the collection, use, sharing and disclosure of individuals’ personal information. It also gives individuals the right to access and request the correction of personal information about themselves held by the Government of Canada.

The Policy on Privacy Protection provides direction to government institutions to ensure compliance with the Act. Heads of government institutions or their delegates are responsible for monitoring compliance with this policy as it relates to the administration of the Act.

The Privacy Commissioner of Canada is an Officer of Parliament who investigates complaints from individuals regarding the handling of personal information by Government of Canada institutions. In addition, the Commissioner has the authority to conduct compliance reviews of the privacy practices of government institutions as the practices relate to the collection, retention, accuracy, use, disclosure and disposal of personal information by government institutions subject to the Act. The Commissioner has the powers of an ombudsman and can make recommendations with respect to any matter which has been investigated or reviewed. In addition, the Commissioner can report on institutional activities in annual or special reports to Parliament.

Go to Section 3: Managing the Business

Managing the Business *

Financial Management Responsibilities

The Financial Administration Act (FAA) guides the work of public servants and provides the cornerstone of the legal framework for financial management within the Government of Canada. Under the FAA, the Treasury Board has authority over financial management matters and other matters relating to the prudent and effective use of public resources. This is done by approving financial and management policies, allocating financial resources and overseeing departmental performance. Financial management is an integral element of all management, and financial specialists have an important role in supporting their deputy and their department.

The Financial Management Sector (FMS) and the Treasury Board Secretariat play a lead role in supporting the commitment of the Office of the Comptroller General (OCG) to strengthening financial management, oversight, and reporting within the Government of Canada. The FMS leads the effort to ensure the availability of appropriate frameworks, policies, and guidance on financial management across the federal public service and is responsible for ensuring the use of appropriate accounting standards for timely, complete, and accurate financial reporting across government. To this end, the OCG continues its efforts to strengthen the financial management policy suite and improve financial operations, practices, information, systems, and reporting across government to support better decision making.

The Comptroller General of Canada is responsible for providing functional direction and assurance government-wide for financial management, internal audit, investment planning, procurement, project management, and the management of real property and materiel.

The Policy on Financial Management provides the key responsibilities for Deputy Heads, Chief Financial Officers, Senior Departmental Managers and the Comptroller General of Canada in exercising effective financial management. The majority of Executives have delegated authority for Financial Management and must complete the mandatory training and familiarize themselves with TBS Financial Management policies.

You should consult with your organization’s Finance Branch or Chief Financial Officer to understand how financial authorities have been delegated.

 

Travel for Business Purposes

Executives travelling on Government of Canada business are governed by the National Joint Council Travel Directive and during normal business trips away from the vicinity of the headquarters area (excluding weekends home, extended travel, relocations and expenses related to guests, which automatically fall under hospitality), flexibilities found in the Special Travel Authorities apply.

You should consult your organization’s Designated Departmental Travel Coordinator if seeking policy Interpretation for the Travel Directive, rates and allowances and Special Travel Authorities. On April 1, 2017, the Treasury Board Secretariat published a new Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Event Expenditures.

 

Contracting

The Government of Canada’s Contracting Policy explains the requirements to meet the objective of acquiring goods and services, and carry out construction in a manner that enhances access, competition and fairness, and that results in best value or, if appropriate, the optimal balance of overall benefits to the Crown and the Canadian people.

Executives who have been delegated authority to negotiate and conclude contractual arrangements on behalf of the Crown, must exercise this authority with prudence and probity so that the contracting authority (the minister) is acting and is seen to be acting within the letter and the spirit of the Government Contracts Regulations (Appendix B of the Contracting Policy), the Treasury Board Contracts Directive (Appendix C of the Contracting Policy) and the government’s procurement policies, the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, the World Trade Organization – Agreement on Government Procurement, and the Agreement on Internal Trade. Where applicable, contracting authorities are to also observe the requirements of the Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business.

Go to Section 4: Tools to Assist Me*

Tools to Assist Me *

Government of Canada Social Media Tools

The GCTools are a growing suite of enterprise platforms for all public servants, helping them work in the digital age.

The GCTools include:

• GCpedia, a wiki-based collaborative workspace and knowledge sharing platform;
• GCconnex, a professional networking platform for connecting people and ideas;
• GCcollab, which is similar to GCconnex, but open to provincial/territorial public servants, students and academics from across Canada; and
• GCdirectory and GCintranet.

GCcollab

GCcollab is a professional collaboration platform, connecting federal, provincial and territorial public servants from across Canada with students and academics from Canadian colleges and universities.

GCcollab is a major step toward a more innovative, open, and collaborative way of identifying, exploring and co-creating policy and research, in order to:

• increase the depth and breadth of data and information sharing between the academic and public sector communities to support improved deliberation on policy issues
• build a more connected, relevant and responsive cohort of public servants, students and academics
• contribute to a culture change as the public service is provided better access to emerging research, technologies, and communication approaches
• help academics and students improve their understanding of the policy, program and research development processes
• promote recruitment opportunities to those interested in joining the federal public service, as one specific featured section of the platform

You can learn, connect, share and join GCcollab.

GCconnex

GCconnex was introduced to Government of Canada employees in January 2009 as a professional networking platform for connecting and collaborating. The GCconnex platform played a significant role in engaging public servants and facilitating their involvement in enterprise-wide Blueprint 2020 activities.

GCconnex is a professional networking and collaborative workspace for all employees of the federal public service. It allows people to connect and share information, thereby leveraging the power of networking towards a more effective and efficient public service.

GCconnex features dynamic online communities where public servants can collaborate on projects, blog, chat via instant messaging, carry on discussions, and ask and answer each other’s questions. It is a professional platform to create your professional profile, share ideas, and connect people and information. Users can create or join groups on particular subjects, initiatives or projects, which can be either open to anyone interested, or kept closed to a specific community of interest.

GCpedia

GCpedia is an essential knowledge sharing tool, designed to facilitate collaboration, co-creation of information and providing access to subject matter experts across the federal public service.

Through the collaborative work of Government of Canada employees, GCpedia is developing into a major information tool for the federal public service. Public servants who search within GCpedia will often be able to quickly get a whole-of-government perspective on most major government terms, concepts and practices.

GCpedia is an internal wiki, running on the same software as Wikipedia. All registered users can add and modify content, while anyone in the Government of Canada can view content. GCpedia has been used as a platform to take, publish, and distribute meeting minutes, to create project status dashboards, to collaboratively author interdepartmental papers, to brainstorm, and to create wiki-based briefing books.

Web Experience Toolkit (WET)

Government of Canada social media platforms are based on the Web Experience Toolkit (WET), another collaborative open source project. The WET is a front-end framework for building websites that are accessible, usable, interoperable, mobile friendly and multilingual. The standard look and feel for Government of Canada websites are built using WET, with different themes for internal and external sites.

Conclusion

Thank you for using the APEX Guide for Executives. We hope that find it to be a useful resource.

The Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada (APEX) is committed to assisting, supporting and advocating for federal public service Executives. Key to APEX’s commitment to the Executive community is its investment in learning, engagement and advocacy, including its flagship annual learning offering, which brings together thought leaders and industry experts. Additional information regarding APEX and its support for the Executive community can be found on its website.

This Guide is evergreen, so you are invited to contact APEX if they have questions or wish to suggest additional content.