Archived - Summative Evaluation of INAC's Emergency Management - Follow-up Report Status Update as of September 30, 2011
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Action Plan Implementation Status Update Report to the Evaluation, Performance Measurement and Review Committee - As of September 30, 2011
Regional Operations Sector, Operations and Planning Support Branch, Emergency and Issues Management Directorate
Summative Evaluation of INAC's Emergency Management (2008046)
Approval Date: 24/02/2010
| Project Recommendations |
Action Plan | Expected Completion Date |
Program Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Roles and responsibilities: It is recommended that INAC clarify the roles and responsibilities of the Department as they relate to emergency management. This process should consider the current environment of emergency management, specifically the implications of the 2007 Emergency Management Act. To do so, the Department must define relationships with all external stakeholders and put in place the appropriate governance structures and agreements to ensure fulfillment of responsibilities related to emergency management. All aspects of emergency management should be considered in this process, with particular emphasis on the following areas: a. The precise role of the Department in an all-hazards approach to emergency management in the three northern territories. b. The precise role of the Department with respect to emergencies that fall within the responsibility of another department or jurisdiction (such as health issues and civil unrest). c. The program delivery mechanisms and structure relating to the four pillars of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery activities. d. Horizontal engagement of other relevant INAC programs that have a potential to contribute to an all-hazards approach to emergency management, such as capital infrastructure in mitigation projects or land claims in civil unrest issues. e. The precise role of First Nations communities in emergency management. |
INAC recognizes its primary role in fulfilling the federal government's responsibilities to First Nations, Inuit and Northerners as they relate to emergency management. As a first step, the Department has developed the INAC National Emergency Management Plan, approved in May 2009 by the Deputy Minister. The plan provides INAC with a national framework for its roles and responsibilities on emergency management which includes mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery activities in First Nations communities across Canada. A - In addition to the INAC National Emergency Management Plan and to address recommendation 1 as described, INAC will be working with the Senior Officials Responsible for Emergency Management (SOREM) First Nations, Inuit and Northerners Working Group to establish a national approach to emergency management Service Agreements with the provinces/territories. As part of this, the SOREM Working Group made up of intergovernmental representatives will support the development of a clear national INAC framework on emergency management, including mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery for:
|
Implementation work has already been initiated with a planned completion date of October 2011 tied to EMAP authority renewal | Status: Ongoing Update/Rationale: 30/09/2011: AANDC has an emergency management plan that describes the roles and responsibilities for emergency management. The plan was recently updated and evaluated by Public Safety Canada. EIMD also requested and received a legal opinion that provided some clarification with regards to the noted areas of emphasis with the exclusion of the North. EIMD has developed stronger links to other relevant AANDC programs such as the Capital Facilities and Maintenance Program as well as external stakeholders such as Public Safety Canada to reinforce the all-hazards approach to emergency management in the Department. EIMD will continue to engage the Northern Affairs Organization for the purpose of clarifying roles and responsibilities for emergency management in the territories. AES: In progress. Most actions implemented, see #2. Further follow-up is required. |
| B - As part of this process and for preparedness, INAC will explore approaches to ensure the development of meaningful emergency management plans in First Nations communities through a capacity building approach. INAC's EIMD and Northern Affairs Organization (NAO) are currently collaborating on developing an annex to INAC's National EM Plan to clarify INAC's emergency roles and responsibilities in the North. INAC's precise role with respect to emergencies that fall within the responsibility of another department or jurisdiction (such as health issues and civil unrest) is known and must simply be better communicated to stakeholders. For example, INAC worked closely with Health Canada's First Nation and Inuit Health Branch to develop a joint action plan, based on the Department's role as set out in Annex B of The Canadian Influenza Pandemic Plan for the Health Sector. The joint action plan clearly described INAC's precise role during the H1N1 emergency. INAC also participates in Public Safety's Interdepartmental Working Group on the All Hazards Risk Assessment Framework for increased collaboration at the federal level. Although better communication and coordination has been achieved since the creation of the Emergency and Issue Management Directorate in September 2008, work is ongoing to develop stronger links to other relevant INAC programs to reinforce the all-hazards approach to emergency management in the Department. |
June 2010 | ||
| 2. Program funding structure: It is recommended that INAC consider a revised funding structure, to alleviate the impact on regions, other program areas, and communities and provide a secure funding base for the Department's emergency response and recovery activities. To facilitate this transition, INAC should document existing INAC funding for emergency management programming and develop forecasts for future expenses relating to an all hazards approach to emergency management. INAC should also identify appropriate resources in alignment with the Department's roles and responsibilities as determined in the response to Recommendation 1 above. Specifically, ensuring that the department has the ability to provide preparedness and mitigation services in accordance with Departmental obligations under the EMA. |
INAC will use the present evaluation and authority renewal process to further investigate and determine the most appropriate funding structure to meet all of the Department's legal and contractual obligations regarding emergency management in its area of responsibility while alleviating unintended impacts on regions, other program areas and affected communities. To support this exercise, the Department has started to track and document all emergency management related expenses for better forecasting purposes. Also as part of this, INAC will develop options to secure appropriate resources in alignment with the Department's roles and responsibilities for emergency management assistance as well as obligations under the EMA. |
As part of the EMAP authority renewal scheduled for completion by October 2011, a funding structure to reflect the Department's legal and contractual obligations will be developed for approval. | Status: Ongoing Update/Rationale: 30/09/2011: AANDC is currently working on a policy document with input from internal and external stakeholders to develop a more sustainable and effective funding structure for response and recovery activities. AES: Good progress |
| 3. Performance measurement: It is recommended that INAC develop a Performance Measurement Strategy for emergency management programming in consultation with the Evaluation Performance Measurement and Review Branch and in accordance with the principles of the new Treasury Board Policy and Directive on Evaluation. |
The Department is in agreement with this recommendation. The Performance Measurement Strategy and the EMAP authority renewal process will be completed simultaneously | 31/09/2011 | Status: Ongoing Update/Rationale: 30/09/2011: EIMD is currently developing a Performance Measurement Strategy. Although work was delayed due to the unprecedented 2011 flood and fire seasons, EIMD now has a draft logic model in place and will continue to move forward with the other elements of the strategy. AES: Actions are underway. Flood-related delays need to be factored in to expected completion dates. Aim for March 31, 2012 completion. |