M» AOMINISI RAMON 



review was put in abeyanci' lor ilic nsi ol the IK-parl- 

 ment as well. F-iccpt for an internal review of the Support 

 Services Branch last year, no thoroiii;h review of the 

 IXrpartnient has ever been undertaken. This is now twer- 

 due, and I recommend that- 



4. Uw )^>\cninient stMuild initiate a (JMiroii^li /ent-hase 

 rvvioH of the adniinislralion, stalling aixl linanci;il 

 supptMl f(»r each pri>(^rani ol tlie IK'p;irtnK'nt. 



Properly conducted, such a review would throw light 

 on my concerns and those raised by others about the 

 Department's organi/iition and internal management, 

 and would meet the needs expressed by the recent Royal 

 Commission on Financial Management and Accounta- 

 bility. 



The defects in financial administration and 

 control among federal departments, which 

 have been so starkly ptirtrayed by the Audi- 

 tor General, can be seen as a direct conse- 

 quence of the absence of any requirement to 

 provide a proper accounting of the carrying 

 out of the management role. . . . 



Over the course of the past few years, several 

 new financial measures for improving man- 

 agement efficiency have been developed and 

 applied to a limited extent within govern- 

 ment, including cost-benefit anaylsis, pro- 

 gram planning and budgeting, operational 

 performance measurement, and management 

 by objectives. The contribution of each of 

 these has been limited because, in the absence 

 of any requirement for departments or agen- 

 cies either to manage their affairs effectively 

 or to demonstrate to the Government and 

 Parliament that they were doing so, there has 

 been little pressure to apply such techniques 

 rigorously.'^ 



The proposed review shall therefore follow the zero- 

 base approach to ensure that each program is evaluated 

 in its entirety with reference to predetermined objectives 

 and priorities. This provides an opportunity to assess and 

 reorient the established uses of administrative resources, 

 which otherwise tend to be perpetuated by the traditional 

 governmental budgeting procedure of making annual 

 incremental adjustments to existing expenditure patterns. 

 The review should include the whole Department, not 

 just the Pacific region. It should identify, among other 

 things, the requirements for new priorities and programs 

 arising from this Commission. It should be conducted by 

 a group that includes one or more senior officers of the 

 Department, but the majority should be non-Departmen- 

 tal, such as specialists from Treasury Board, the Office of 

 the Comptroller-General and perhaps a private consult- 



ant. This kind ol review has been carried nut m other 

 departments, apparently with considerable benefits. 



Specific i.ssues that have been brought to my attention 

 and warrant investigation in the context of this review are 

 the tollowmg: 



i)The balance of manpower and linancial support 

 devoted to the Pacific region in relation to other 

 regions and headquarters, as discussed earlier in this 

 chapter. 



ii) Whether Yukon fisheries administration would be 

 better .served if that territory were included in the 

 Western region or the propo.sed Arctic region and, if 

 it is to remain in the Pacific region, whether it should 

 be part of the north coast or Fraser River area 

 administration. 



iii) The separate reporting line for the Salmonid 

 Enhancement Program, the administrative structure 

 of that organization, and its working relationship 

 with the Department's habitat management group. 



iv) The unique reporting line for the manager of the 

 north coast area (i.e. directly to the Director General 

 rather than through the Field Services Branch like 

 the other area managers). 



v) The geographical division of research activities 

 among the Environmental Institute at West Vancou- 

 ver, the Fisheries Technology Laboratory in Point 

 Grey, and the Pacific Biological Research Station in 

 Nanaimo. These facilities have not been integrated 

 as once planned, and there may well be opportuni- 

 ties for significant savings through merging libraries, 

 facilities and administration. 



vi) The adequacy of fishery ofl[icer, enforcement officer 

 and community advisor personnel and the appropri- 

 ateness of their reporting lines. 



vii) The special deficiencies and problems of the Support 

 Services Branch identified by a review team last 

 year, including deficiencies of direction, communica- 

 tion and management of supplies.'"' 



viii) The policy favouring external consultants and con- 

 tractors rather than in-house resources for manage- 

 ment, enforcement and other functions. 



My investigations have left me with the impression that 

 the economy and efficiency of the Department's activities 

 could be improved signficantly. However, only a special- 

 ized interna! review of the kind proposed could substanti- 

 ate that impression and identify opportunities for 

 improvements. Properly conducted, with the participa- 

 tion of Departmental personnel, such a review can be 

 completed without impairing the Department's ability to 

 cope with the heavy demands of policy changes in the 

 meantime. 



