III. Looking Ahead – PPSC Priorities

For 2008-2009, the PPSC has adopted four corporate priorities.

Security

Because of the function they perform as part of Canada’s criminal justice system, prosecutors may become vulnerable to threats to their personal safety and security. Consequently, ensuring the safety and security of employees is of paramount importance to the PPSC.

The PPSC has established a national committee to identify and deal with these issues. One of its first tasks will be to craft a security policy that meets the needs of all employees, particularly prosecutors. As part of its mandate, it will also assess the security of PPSC offices and make recommendations to ensure staff are protected against threats and intimidation.

The PPSC continues to work closely with police forces as well as with the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Heads of Prosecutions Committee to share information on security threats, issues and mitigation strategies affecting the security of prosecutors, both inside and outside the workplace.

Recruitment and Retention

As a key part of Canada’s criminal justice system, the PPSC will continue to uphold the highest standards of excellence, fairness and integrity. In doing so, the PPSC seeks to attract qualified members of the legal community. An increasingly competitive environment has made this more difficult than ever before.

This priority reflects one of the key priorities of the public service at large. The Clerk of the Privy Council has made renewing the public service a priority. The Clerk has identified planning, recruitment, employee development and enabling infrastructure as essential to achieving this priority.

The PPSC will focus on investing in its workforce on several fronts. In 2008-2009, the PPSC will develop a national recruitment strategy that includes compiling a demographic study and developing competency profiles to support the recruitment, retention and career management of its workforce. The expansion of the School for Prosecutors will also contribute to employee development.

Organizational Structure

The PPSC will continue to develop and put in place the corporate structure required to meet its needs. Work in this area includes a review of the lines of authority for all staff, ensuring positions at all levels support the PPSC mandate, and establishing a delivery approach for providing corporate services.

Measuring Organizational Performance

Like all organizations of the federal government, the PPSC is accountable to the Canadian public for how it uses its resources. The PPSC’s fourth priority is the development of performance measures to capture key financial and human resources information. In addition to improving departmental analysis and strategic planning, this information is essential for securing a sound and stable financial footing.

The PPSC has begun to identify results-based performance indicators to measure progress in achieving its strategic outcome. In 2008-2009, the PPSC will develop and implement indicators to help it manage its operations and report on its performance. The development process will include the examination of best practices of similar organizations in other jurisdictions, the assessment of the capability of internal systems to deliver measurement data, and the gradual implementation of benchmarking activities for the organization.