To strengthen the Department’s ability to effectively manage the planning and execution of overseas commemorative events, the following are recommended:
Recommendation 1:
It is recommended that the Director General, Commemoration Division, develop and implement comprehensive business processes and requirements related to the planning and delivery of overseas events including project management elements such as planning, risk assessment and management; monitoring and reporting against key deliverables. (Essential)
Management Response:
Management agrees with this recommendation. Following a review of the tools currently used for events, the Director General, Commemoration, will create and/or update and implement tools (e.g. documentation requirements and business processes) to incorporate elements related to project management such as project state planning and costing, risk identification and mitigation, as well as monitoring and reporting. In addition to this work, Commemoration Division is developing a ten year strategic plan which will guide the Department’s development and implementation of commemorative initiatives over the next decade.
Target completion date:
August 2019
Recommendation 2:
It is recommended that the Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy and Commemoration, in consultation with the Chief Financial Officer, formalize and implement the delegated authorities and authorizations for overseas events. (Critical)
Management Response:
Management agrees with this recommendation. While the events forming the scope of the audit were previously deemed to fall within the definition of an event per the existing TB Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Event Expenditures, VAC Finance has clarified that the Department’s commemorative events fall within the definition of VAC’s mandated operational activities and therefore do not fall within the definition of an event under the TB Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Event Expenditures Directive.
Given the unique situation surrounding events included in the audit (large dollar value, additional external funding, managed by a task force), management does not anticipate a recurrence and will update processes to clarify approval requirements of non-operational events versus operational activities undertaken to deliver programs and services.
Target completion date:
April 2019