Government should fully analyze the practical challenges of implementing decisions, says Auditor General

(Matters of Special Importance - Fall 2009 Report of the Auditor General)

Ottawa, 3 November 2009—When the government designs programs, develops policies, and makes commitments, it should fully analyze the practical challenges of implementing them successfully, says the Auditor General of Canada, Sheila Fraser, in her Report tabled today in the House of Commons.

“The issues covered in this report are typical of the challenges facing government today,” said Ms. Fraser. “Our findings underscore the importance of thinking through the implementation challenges when policies and programs are developed or changed.”

The report notes examples of policies adopted, programs launched or changed, and commitments made without a full analysis of the risks involved, the resources needed, the potential impact on other players, and the steps required to achieve the desired results.

The report also notes that some departments lack a long-term vision or strategy to guide overall programming, and many do not evaluate program effectiveness on a regular basis. The result can be a fragmented approach to programming in response to a problem of the day, creating other problems that were not anticipated.

Activities cited as examples include the selection of foreign workers under the immigration program, emergency management, and strengthening the effectiveness of foreign aid.

“Having a complete picture of what needs to be done, by whom, how other programs will be affected, and what risks are involved can make the difference between a program that delivers results for Canadians and one that does not,” said Ms. Fraser.

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The chapter “Matters of Special Importance” is available on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada website.

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