and Information Technology:
Century
Treasury Board of CanadaSecretariat
Secrétariat du Conseil du Trésor du Canada
for Information Management
StrategicDirectionsStrategicDirections
Enabling 21st Century Service to Canadians
Enabling 21st Century Service to Canadians
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada,represented by the President of the Treasury Board, 1999
Catalogue No. BT53-10/1999ISBN 0-662-64526-X
This document is available in alternative formatsand on the TBS Web site at the following addresses:
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.cahttp://www.cio-dpi.gc.ca/home_e.html
and Information Technology:
for Information Management
StrategicDirectionsStrategicDirections
Enabling 21st Century Service to Canadians
Enabling 21st Century Service to Canadians
A Message from the President of the Treasury Board
The impact of technology is transforming our lives.
The Government of Canada feels this impact. As societies andeconomies evolve, largely due to the influence of globalization,changing demographics, and the rise of the digital economy,governments are “reinventing” themselves to meet newexpectations and the priorities of citizens and businesses.These dynamics are compelling the federal government tocreate a new vision for its relationship with Canadians.Characterized as citizen-centred government, it is a visionthat recognizes the different ways that people interact withtheir government:
as taxpayers who expect value and results;
as clients who expect accessible, quality services; and
as citizens who participate in the democratic process.
The government's challenge is to enable Canadians to exploreall three elements of their citizenship. Government is meetingthis challenge by reassessing the substantial resources it has inpublic servants and IM/IT assets and levering these investmentsto make government more responsive and affordable.
This Strategic Directionsfor Information Managementand Information Technologydocument represents a broad-based,comprehensive approach toachieving this goal. It is anambitious agenda that confirmsCanada’s role as a world leaderin modern governance empoweredby information management and technology.
A Mission for the New Century
Vision StatementThe IM/IT strategy will advance the federalgovernment's citizen-centred service deliveryvision collaboratively across departments andwith other levels of government.
Lucienne Robillard. P.C., M.P.
A Message from the Chief Information Officer for the Government of Canada
Governments, corporations, and other institutions around theworld are fundamentally changing the relationships they havewith the people they serve. This transformation is in its nascentstages and is the result of many powerful influences.
One of the strongest is the shift in how governments viewcitizens and businesses. In order to improve service delivery,governments are listening to the concerns of citizens andbusinesses and are acting on their insights.
The citizen-centred dynamic isdriving the Government ofCanada’s Strategic Directionsfor IM/IT, a series of directionsand opportunities geared toward amore collaborative, integratedmodel of delivering governmentservices and programs. Thesedirections arose out of thecollaboration of communities ofinterest that came together andagreed on the path forward. They are the foundation for how wecan together shape the ongoing process of change and renewal.
Our success in delivering on the promise of theseStrategic Directions will depend on how well we continueto work together. Technology and information are powerfulenablers, but their potential can only be fully realised throughcollaboration. This is fostering a public sector service revolutionacross the country, a revolution that is bringing governmentstogether to integrate and rationalize services.
Facilitating this transformation is the core of the mandate formy two-year term with the Government of Canada. The level ofparticipation, support, and enthusiasm from colleagues acrossgovernment and in the private sector assures me that there isa deep commitment to harnessing IM/IT’s potential to betterserve Canadians.
"As we continue to renew and modernize theinstitution of public service, it is increasingly thevoice of Canadians that will guide us. Technologyis providing us with one of the greatest tools tohear that voice more clearly, and putting in ourhands a better means to respond."
Peter Harder, Secretary of the Treasury Board
Enabling Government's IM/IT Vision:
Linda Lizotte-MacPherson
A Mission for the New CenturyA Message from the President of the Treasury Board
Enabling Government's IM/IT Vision:A Message from the Chief Information Officer for the Government of Canada
Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Part 1 – The Changing Landscape1.1 Technology, Globalization, and the Digital Economy . . . . . . . . . 4
1.2 The Changing Voice of Citizens and Businesses . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.3 Knowledge as a Key Resource in the Digital Economy . . . . . . . 5
1.4 The Changing People Landscape. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Part 2 – Governing in a Digital World2.1 A Vision for Electronic Service Delivery (ESD) . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.2 Treasury Board Secretariat's Mandate to Enable the ESD Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Part 3 – From Vision to Reality3.1 Year 2000 Remediation: A Key Enabler for Electronic
Service Delivery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.2 Consolidating Government’s Strategic IM/IT Infrastructure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.3 Building Confidence and Protecting Privacy in the Electronic World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.4 Shared Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.5 An Emerging Priority: Information Management Framework. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3.6 Renewing the IM/IT Community in Government . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3.7 Enhanced Management Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3.8 IT Procurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Part 4 – The Chief Information Officer Branch4.1 Chief Information Officer Branch (CIOB) Action Plan . . . . . . 20
4.2 Organised for Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Table of Contents
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Globalization, demographic change and the growing influenceof technology are reshaping our world at breathtaking speed.A world economy based on digitally empowered enterprises andpeople is giving rise to a new set of critical success factors forsurvival in the global marketplace. The Internet – the nervoussystem of this digital network – is growing exponentially asmore and more of the world becomes connected and peoplebegin to understand IM/IT’s potential.
Together, these forces are causing institutions, businessesand governments to renew themselves in order to delivertheir mandates, and remain competitive and relevant in achanging world. The Government of Canada has responded byreassessing its role in society, its priorities and the allocation ofits resources. By placing citizens and businesses at the centre ofactivity, the federal government is organising processes andservices around their needs and expectations. It has embraced avision of electronic service delivery that would offer Canadiansservices at the right time and place, a vision that would enableindividuals and businesses to interact securely with governmentin a convenient, accessible way.
Strategic Directions for Information Management andInformation Technology is a comprehensive approach toachieving this vision. The result of extensive consultations,this approach draws on a strategic, government-wideperspective that recognizes the pivotal role the government’speople, technology and management frameworks play inserving Canadians better.
This Strategic Directions document outlines a series ofpriorities that will lever government’s significant IM/ITinvestments towards a more integrated, collaborative modelof government. Each priority area is supported by detailedworkplans with clearly defined milestones. First-tier prioritiesinclude the following:
Aligning government’s IM/ITinfrastructure to support electronicservice delivery and governmentoperations. To enhance servicedelivery, a framework is neededto enable interoperability among government programs, bothfor information and for transactions. Government must alsoestablish trust and confidence in electronic transactions toassure Canadians that their privacy is protected and theirtransactions secure. Departments from across the governmenthave participated in the development of a government-wide
Executive Summary
Building the policy framework for sustainableand affordable structures to support electronicservice delivery.
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IM/IT Infrastructure initiative, which will implement a federatedarchitecture model for government infrastructure and put inplace security mechanisms. A common infrastructure related toinformation content is also an emerging priority, and thegovernment is working towards a common set of IM standards,techniques and tools.
Building a world-class IM/IT workforce. The potential oftechnology and information ultimately depends on people todrive it forward. As government increasingly relies on IM/IT to
serve Canadians better, its IM/ITworkforce becomes all the morecritical. Attracting and retainingthese kinds of knowledge workersis a top priority, and the govern-ment is taking steps to become anemployer of choice and a learning
organisation that encourages innovation and team building.The federal government is also committed to ensuring that itsIM/IT workforce has the opportunity to acquire the skills itneeds to take full advantage of technological advances andmeet evolving expectations. This Strategic Directionsdocument includes a comprehensive human resources frame-work for the IM/IT community. This framework encompassesprograms that will empower public servants to manage in anincreasingly complex, dynamic IM/IT environment.
Improving the management and success rate of IM/ITinvestments and minimising risk. The Government of Canadainvests over four billion dollars annually in IM/IT. The difficulties
with managing large IM/IT projectsin the public sector have been welldocumented, with management-related weaknesses and riskmanagement being identified asareas most problematic to project
success. These findings are also consistent with private-sectorexperiences. In order to ensure that Canadians receive maxi-mum return on IM/IT investments, this Strategic Directionsdocument includes the implementation of an EnhancedManagement Framework (EMF). The objective of the frameworkis to help guide IM/IT investments, enhance project manage-ment capacity and reduce risks. It includes methodologies,templates and a toolkit of best practices to support departmentsin their ongoing management of IM/IT projects. The EMFprovides for strengthened portfolio management andbusiness planning.
Working to make government an employer ofchoice that attracts and sustains a world-classIM/IT workforce.
Taking steps to improve the managementand success rate of IM/IT investments whileminimising risks.
3
Reforming government’s procurement regime has become anurgent priority due to the accelerating rate at which businessneeds are evolving and technology is changing. The IT procure-ment reform process set out in these Strategic Directions isdesigned to strike the right balance between the need forflexibility, innovation, openness, fairness and effectiveness,while maintaining careful stewardship of taxpayer’s resources.IT reform initiatives focus on threeareas: education and certification;the adoption of benefits-drivenprocurement; and the removal ofimmediate operational barriers to amore modern procurement environment.
The Strategic Directions for Information Management andInformation Technology document represents the energy andcommitment of colleagues across government who have cometogether to chart a path forward. It is an ambitious IM/ITstrategy that has assessed the challenges and developed ameans to meet them, in order to serve Canadians better inthe new century.
Reforming IT procurement to facilitateprogram delivery
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1.1 Technology, Globalization, and the Digital EconomyTechnology, globalization, and the rise of the digital economy arechanging our world.
As we approach the 21st century, information technology iseffecting what author Frances Cairncross calls the “death ofdistance.” Cairncross’s term captures the essence of what willsurely be credited as the single most important force shapingsociety in the next century. Virtual government, virtual borders,virtual business, virtual reality--all are being made possible byinformation technologies that are altering the way people andbusinesses communicate and redefining the global marketplace.
The age of “ubiquitous computing” is dawning, anenvironment where people will have nomadic access to theirinformation and computing systems from publicly shared accesspoints. This environment will raise fundamental questions:Who will own public access points? What will their capabilitiesbe? And how will they interoperate? How will we know who isauthorized to access them? This environment will heightenthe need for a robust and secure infrastructure to govern anddeliver services electronically.
According to current projections, the information economywill surpass industrial and agrarian economies in terms ofpercentage of GDP by 2003. This shift has implications beyondtechnology. Unlike the physical goods industry, many informa-tion-based services are geographically insensitive. The Internetis the symbol of this new world; it is forecasted to become theprimary infrastructure for all enterprises, with two billion userspredicted to be on-line worldwide by 2003.
In Canada, the federal government is contributing to thisshifting landscape. The March 1994 appointment of theInformation Highway Advisory Council (IHAC), with a mandateto assist government in understanding how IM/IT is changingeconomies and societies, was an early response. The IHACtabled reports and recommendations in September 1995 andSeptember 1997, which have guided government decisionmaking and have enabled Canada to emerge as a world leaderin the adoption and use of IM/IT. The introduction of legislativemeasures to facilitate electronic commerce to protect privacyand confidentiality on the Internet are good examples ofthis leadership.
Part 1 – The Changing Landscape
5
1.2 The Changing Voice of Citizens and BusinessesIn tandem with the rise of the digital economy is the growingunderstanding of the citizen as the principal driver of change.
Information technologies have infiltrated almost every aspectof modern life, resulting in the rise of a new set of expectationsand demands. Because technology can create instant communi-cation, instant answers are expected. Because technology hasthe ability to warehouse and organize information, comprehen-sive, one-stop service has become the acceptable standard.
Citizens and businesses want easy access throughsingle-window service delivery – self-serve kiosks and theInternet – as well as improvements to traditional forms ofcontact such as mail, telephone and personal service. Toidentify the best ways to meet rapidly evolving expectations,governments are increasingly turning to those they servefor guidance.
1.3 Knowledge as a Key Resource in the Digital EconomyIn the digital economy, the creation and strategic use ofknowledge – how well it is managed, shared, transmitted andstored – is growing in importance. Government must leverenterprise-wide IM/IT initiatives to manage records, informationand knowledge resources in ways that were never beforepossible. Just as importantly, knowledge must be viewed asa resource to be nurtured and shared in support of broadcorporate goals.
While knowledge creation, transfer and sharing is principallybehavioural, IM/IT can be key enablers in this process. Tosucceed in the future, government departments and agenciesmust collaborate to develop the necessary systems, strategiesand cultures for knowledge management.
Drivers of service quality: Citizen solutions for multiple contact experiences:
Timeliness A "one-stop" centre for service in one location
Knowledge and competenceCourtesy and comfort Ability to do most tasks by mail,
phone or Internet Fair treatmentOutcome A person to guide me
Source: Erin Research Inc., 1998
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1.4 The Changing People LandscapeThe emphasis on IM/IT as key strategic resources is changing thehuman resources landscape.
The traditional IT function isnow seen as a strategic enablerrather than a support service.The prerequisites for effectiveknowledge management, coupledwith growing recognition of thecentral role of IM/IT in achievingbusiness goals, have contributedto this shift in thinking.
As a result, chief informationofficers and departmental headsof IT are becoming key membersof senior management teams who
help achieve business goals. They are increasingly viewed asteam builders, consensus seekers, and problem solvers whomust bring communications skills, business acumen, andmanagement experience to their jobs.
Just as the CIO role and skill set is changing to reflect thealignment of IM/IT and business goals, so too is the role of theIM/IT professional. IM/IT professionals do much more than
implement technical solutions;today, they are relied upon to havean excellent grasp of the businessand its corporate goals, coupledwith the IM/IT skills to helpachieve them.
Attracting and retaining IM/ITprofessionals in this tight labourmarket is a top priority for theGovernment of Canada. Thegovernment must become anemployer of choice and providechallenging, worthwhile workthat attracts and retains highlysought-after knowledge workers.
"We must become the employer of choice andbe the most attractive and appealing option.We must have a modern and exciting workplacethat better meets the needs of knowledgeworkers. This will require investments in fourareas: the quality and nature of the work, thework environment, our work processes and thedevelopment of our leaders."
Mel Cappe, Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet
"By pushing forward aggressively to getgovernment on-line, the Government of Canadais playing an important role in making ourcountry one of the most connected nations inthe world. Government is becoming a modeluser of information technology, drawing on itsconsiderable IM/IT infrastructure to bringintegrated, accessible service to Canadians.As we do this, we are improving the quality ofthe information we provide, improving servicedelivery, and ultimately, becoming a world-class,technology-enabled organisation."
Kevin LynchDeputy Minister, Industry Canada and Chair,
Treasury Board Secretariat Advisory CommitteeInformation Management Sub-Committee (TIMS)
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2.1 A Vision for Electronic Service Delivery (ESD)Public access to secure electronic services centred oncitizens’ needs.
The government’s electronic service delivery (ESD) visionincorporates over a decade of experience using IT to mechanizeprograms and processes in order to make government moreaffordable, efficient and responsive. Through these experiences,the federal government has used IM/IT to revitalize itsrelationship with citizens and businesses.
The government has made tangible progress and is doingbusiness differently than even five years ago. Over 190,000public servants, for example, are now connected by e-mail,and some of these networks are linked to provincial and othernetworks. Furthermore, the government’s websites, accessiblethrough the Canada site, are entry points to a range ofgovernment services and information.
The Government of Canada is committed to providingservices – at the right time and place – by enhancing andexpanding the range of government services availableelectronically, and by making those services more integratedand accessible. The government’s Connecting Canadians agendaand Service Canada initiative are tangible manifestations ofthat commitment.
The government’s vision is to allow citizens to choose howthey wish to access information and services – via mail, phone,personal visit, or through new ESD options like kiosks and theInternet – through a single window or by going directly to
Part 2 – Governing in a Digital World
CanadianGovernments
Online
ConnectedCanada tothe World
ElectronicCommerce
CanadianContentOnline
SmartCommunities
CanadaOnline
Service Canada Service CanadaIM/IT is a key enabler
Connecting Canadians
8
departments. Electronic services will be readily available in allparts of the country and to all income groups, in both officiallanguages, and will respect the special needs of persons withdisabilities. This vision recognizes that ESD channels must beeasy to use and have a common look and feel, and thatCanadians want to conduct their business in a secureenvironment that protects their privacy and the confidentialityof information.
The Clerk of the Privy Council has mandated the TreasuryBoard Secretariat Advisory Committee Information ManagementSub-committee (TIMS) – a committee of senior governmentofficials – to champion efforts to get government on-line.Canadians are currently among the most connected citizens inthe world, and government-on-line efforts will further encouragethem to be avid and sophisticated users of new technologies.Getting government on-line will not only provide significantbenefits to citizens and businesses; it will also stimulate newjobs and economic growth. Canadian businesses that supplyhigh-value e-commerce products and services to governmentwill also be able to sell these domestically and abroad, and ahigh level of connectivity will make Canada a more attractiveplace to invest and do business.
2.2 Treasury Board Secretariat’s Mandate to Enable the ESD Vision
The affordable and responsive delivery of government servicesthrough the strategic use of information management andinformation technology.
In its role as a Management Board for the Government ofCanada, the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) advises thegovernment on resource management to ensure that it meetsits agenda and provides Parliament and Canadians with theinformation they need to hold it accountable.
TBS carries out this responsibility through its five businesslines: resource planning and expenditure management, humanresources management, comptrollership, IM/IT, and the CanadaInfrastructure Works program.
Within this structure, the Chief Information Officer Branch(CIOB) guides and directs the IM/IT business line. The CIOBsupports the government’s ESD vision through strategicdirection and leadership in levering IM/IT to improve publicaccess to government services and meet public servicerenewal objectives.
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This document outlines the broad strategic directions anda plan to achieve them. The key elements of the federalgovernment’s IM/IT strategy are the following:
• A government-wide IM/IT infrastructure that provides asecure and trusted environment to connect with citizensand the private sector.
• A world-class government IM/IT workforce.
• Successful adoption of integrated governance frameworks toguide IM/IT investments, manage risks and set standards.
Achieving these priorities – detailed in the followingsections – will require sustained effort and leadership overthe next one to five years. Success will depend on how welldiscrete elements of government work together, buildingon existing strengths and discovering new ones throughcollaboration.
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3.1 Year 2000 Remediation: A Key Enabler for Electronic Service Delivery
Without question, the government’s ESD efforts depend on itsfirst meeting the Year 2000 computer challenge.
Service to Canadians is at the centre of government’sYear 2000 efforts. The government has expended significantresources to ensure a minimal disruption of essential services atthe change of the calendar year. This dedicated effort allowsCanada to claim a position of strength in its degree of readi-ness. http://www.info2000.gc.ca/welcome/stream_e.htm.
The extraordinary Year 2000 effort will leave governmentwith a valuable legacy. In addition to fostering unprecedentedcollaboration across governments, sectors and jurisdictions,Year 2000 remediation has illuminated the reciprocalrelationship of technology and business programs and services.This insight will be invaluable as the government pursues itspost-Year 2000 IM/IT agenda. Specifically, the legacy of theYear 2000 will be felt in four distinct ways:
• The value of collaboration and of working together to identifycommon areas of interest. Through its Year 2000 efforts, thegovernment has developed effective horizontal processes.
• A better understanding of the strategic value of IM/IT.
• The importance of communications and information sharing,within government, across jurisdictions, and with Canadians.
• The strategic advantage of having a more completeunderstanding of government’s IM/IT assets. Through itsYear 2000 work, the government has developed inventoriesof systems, products, and network interfaces andinterdependencies. As a result, it is in a stronger positionto manage interdependence among governments to improveservice delivery.
3.2 Consolidating Government’s Strategic IM/IT InfrastructureBuilding the policy framework forsustainable and affordable “infra”and “info” structures to supportelectronic service delivery andinternal operations.
Government is not building itsstrategic IM/IT infrastructure fromground zero. Initiatives to put inplace an adaptable IM/ITinfrastructure will build on the
Part 3 – From Vision to Reality
"Getting government on-line requires a newapproach to our IM/IT infrastructure. We needto build our infrastructure into a cohesive,government-wide set of IM/IT capabilities thatenable integrated service delivery while stillallowing individual departments to control andmanage discrete elements."
Jill Velenosi, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Treasury Board Secretariat
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government’s considerable investments in existinginfrastructure. This installed base, much of which will still beoperational for another decade, provides both opportunitiesand challenges – opportunities to improve upon the existinginfrastructure and information, and challenges to make itmore interoperable.
Shared infrastructure does exist, but most IM/IT infrastruc-tures were developed to optimize the strategies of singledepartments or programs. As a result, current infrastructuresare not as effective as they could be in enabling thehorizontality necessary for government-wide initiatives. Infact, some act as barriers to more integrated service delivery.
Within this context, government is taking action to enhanceoperations, enable seamless interoperability, draw on economiesof scale and eliminate barriers to more responsive serviceoptions. In October 1998, the CIOB at TBS and the GovernmentTelecommunications and Informatics Services (GTIS) at PublicWorks and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) undertook aconsultative process to develop an action plan for renewing thegovernment’s IM/IT infrastructure.
The Strategic IM/IT Infrastructureinitiative (SII) is the outcome of thisprocess. The SII is based on inputfrom technology, policy, and programspecialists from 23 departments, theviews of telecommunications suppliersand vendors, and the commitment of16 deputy ministers. The SII sets outthe underpinning of secure, citizen-centred electronic service delivery –technology components such as net-works, telecommunications and sys-tems, and information managementcomponents such as policies andinformation standards.
The SII has three objectives:
• Develop a policy that provides asustainable approach to managingthe federal government’s IM/ITinfrastructure.
• Adopt a framework that guides thegovernment’s investments in IM/IT infrastructure to supportone-stop access with a common face to service delivery.
SII priorities• Develop overall framework to guide
investments in the government-wideinfrastructure
• Develop network strategy andtelecommunications procurement policy
• Develop governance framework for themanagement and funding of thegovernment-wide infrastructure
• Conduct review of the Shared Systemsprogram
• Develop long-term business plan for thegovernment-wide infrastructure
• Develop Government of Canada portal
• Implement secure channel prototype
• Implement pathfinder projects
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• Create interoperability among government programs, bothfor information and transactions, to support citizen-centredservice delivery.
Infrastructures are complex and contain many pieces, so aframework is essential to identify the critical elements – ordomains – needed to meet the government’s business vision.Stakeholders endorsed a federated architecture approach toinfrastructure, which balances government-wide needs withthose of individual departments and agencies.
Within the federated architecture framework, somecomponents of the infrastructure must be commonly held andmandatory across the government to ensure that it achieves itsservice delivery goals. In other cases, groups of departmentsmay cluster around common solutions. What will remain arestandards-based components that can be tailored to the specificneeds of individual departments.
The federated architecture:
• specifies standards for common and shared parts of theinfrastructure
• facilitates inter-departmental information sharing
• optimizes total cost of ownership by levering common facilities
• enables access by all citizens, regardless of location
Federated Architecture Model
DepartmentUnique
Components DepartmentUnique
ComponentsDepartment
UniqueComponents
DepartmentArchitectures
FederalArchitectures
DepartmentUnique
Components
Government-wide Components
Deparment Shared Components
BusinessProcess
BusinessProcess
BusinessProcess
BusinessProcess
Federated Architecture Model
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The strategic IM/IT infrastructure requires proper foundationsand best practices for governance so that the principles of afederated architecture are widely shared. A formal approvalprocess is the key to sound architecture development.Effective governance structures and decision-making bodieswill ensure compliance and guide the architecture processbased on the business requirements of government. Therecently established IM/IT Management Board (IMB), iscomprised of senior government officials from both programand IM/IT areas. The IMB reports to TIMS, and is chaired bythe CIO at TBS. It will establish annual business plans, setpriorities for the architecture, and manage funding.
The government is currently developing severalInternet-based pathfinder projects to work throughtechnology, policy and governance issues that will arise asit builds common pieces of the infrastructure. The SII is amulti-year strategy, with implementation expected to takeplace over the next one to five years.
3.3 Building Confidence and Protecting Privacy in the Electronic World
Sustaining Canadian leadership in building and maintainingan affordable, secure infrastructure to support governmentoperations and electronic service delivery.
The top priority of the SII focuses on security and privacy,issues that the digital era and the Internet have brought tothe forefront.
As information technologies give it a greater ability to collectand access information, government must also protectinformation and privacy. Surveys have shown that Canadiansare concerned about privacy and security, and that these concernsare heightened in an electronic context. The increasing desire ofCanadians to conduct business electronically cannot be satisfiedwithout first addressing these concerns.
Key government-wide components of the federated architecture
• Security (Public Key Infrastructure)
• Electronic directories
• Common look and feel
• E-mail and related attachments
• Co-ordinated channel management
• Network integration
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Therefore, the protection of personal information and theadoption of privacy-enhancing technologies must infuse theunderlying infrastructure. To that end, government is movingquickly on a public key infrastructure (PKI). An integratedstructure of hardware and software, products, processes,standards, and people, PKI is designed to establish trust andconfidence in electronic transactions.
PKI assures the recipient of anelectronic message of thefollowing:
• Confidentiality. No one else canread the message.
• Identity. The message was sentby the person identified as havingsent it.
• Data integrity. The messagewas not tampered with.
• Non repudiation. The personwho sent the message cannotrealistically deny having done so.
Consistent with other parts ofthe SII, policy issues are morecomplex than technological ones.
As a result, they have been the focus of much of thegovernment’s PKI efforts. TBS, in collaboration withdepartments, provincial counterparts, and other stakeholders,developed a policy for the Management of PKI in theGovernment of Canada. This policy, along with those that dealwith cross-certification, have earned Canada an internationalreputation as a world leader in PKI policy development.
The government is maintaining this leading-edge momentumthrough innovative pathfinder projects. Pathfinders will informthe practical development, application, and use of PKI insupport of departments’ electronic business. The governmentwill take a critical step forward when it extends the reach ofPKI to the Canadian public, applying the lessons it learnsfrom the pathfinders. The development and application of acomprehensive public access strategy will put a much broaderrange of government programs and services within the reach ofcitizens and businesses.
PKI Priorities• Develop a PKI management and operational
policy framework and governance structure
• Promote the deployment of PKI acrossgovernment, including PKI pathfinders
• Facilitate cross-certification internally andwith external PKIs
• Develop Government of Canada AccessStrategy/Policy direction for PKI throughconsultation with citizens and business
• Work nationally and internationally topromote PKI implementation andinteroperability
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3.4 Shared SystemsShared systems are an important piece of the government’sstrategic IM/IT infrastructure. In 1993, the government begantaking steps to rationalize its computer systems to enhanceinteroperability, improve program delivery and reduce costs.The Shared Systems initiative had an original five-yeartimeframe to achieve several objectives with respect to thesharing of computer systems across government in the areasof administration, finance, human resources, and materialmanagement. The aim was to evolve from a multitude ofadministrative systems unique to each department to aco-ordinated environment where departments share systems.It promoted co-operation among departments in theiracquisition of best-of-breed systems and associatedmaintenance services.
Canada was one of the first governments in the world toundertake this type of activity, and the initiative has yieldedsome significant results. With the expiry of the originalmandate’s timeframe, the CIOB undertook a review of theShared Systems initiative in the fall of 1998 to assess progress,take stock of lessons learned, identify outstanding issues andmake recommendations.
The CIOB consulted widely within government departmentsand the vendor community. The CIOB, in partnership withthe Human Resources and Comptrollership branches at TBS,is taking action to address their input on key issues such asthe following:
• governance and accountabilities
• leadership
• roles and responsibilities
• business planning
• funding
• compliance
• administration support
• enterprise resource planning systems
Departments are committed to continuing the Shared Systemsagenda and to building on its successes to date.
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3.5 An Emerging Priority: Information Management FrameworkAs government works through the issues of SII such asarchitecture, networks and governance, a commoninfrastructure related to information content is an emergingpriority. To share information internally and with its externalclients and partners in other jurisdictions, the governmentneeds a common set of IM standards, techniques and tools.
The government currently manages information within theframework of Treasury Board-approved IM/IT policies.Experience has demonstrated that implementation of informa-tion management and knowledge management (IM/KM)standards will provide the greatest return on investment whenthey are aligned with the government’s business objectives.
Through the SII, the CIOB is working closely withdepartments to identify information issues, develop a planto resolve them, formulate necessary policies and share bestpractices. A collaborative process to identify the communitiesand the CIOB roles required to advance the emerging agendafor IM/KM is under way.
3.6 Renewing the IM/IT Community in GovernmentWorking to make government an employer of choice that attractsand sustains a world-class IM/IT workforce.
The phrase “serving Canadians better” by definition includesthe public servants who are essential to finding innovative waysto use government’s IM/IT resources.
Building a world-class IM/IT workforce is a critical successfactor in realising the government’s ESD vision. The highlydynamic IM/IT environment is breeding a unique kind ofknowledge worker, one who is highly mobile, motivated bychallenges and opportunities, one who thrives on change andadapts well to a constantly shifting scene.
IM/IT professionals in government are motivated by many ofthe same dynamics as their colleagues in the private sector.Public servants are attracted to work environments thatrecognize their contributions, nurture diverse and expansivepatterns of thinking, and present continuous learningchallenges. Creating this kind of workplace – a hallmark oflearning organisations – is essential to attract and retainhighly skilled employees.
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The government also recognizes the changing nature ofthe IM/IT profession itself. The Gartner Group predicts acomplete reversal in terms of the composition of the IM/ITworkforce early in the next century. Where today approximately65 per cent of this workforce is composed of people withproduct and technical skills, Gartner predicts that by 2002 therewill be a significant shift towards business management skills.Technical expertise will continue to be critically important, butthe digital economy is placing a growing emphasis on businessacumen and communications.
This skills challenge is further accentuated by retirements inthe public service. By the year 2002, 50 per cent of IT execu-tives in the government will be in a position to retire.
These dynamics are playing out against the backdrop ofhighly publicized people shortages in the human resourcesmarketplace for IM/IT. The Gartner Group forecasts thatuntil 2003 only 7.5 IT professionals will be available for every10 full-time positions required.
Immediate action is necessary. In consultation with IM/ITexecutive champions acrossgovernment, the CIOB hasdeveloped a human resourcesframework for the IM/ITcommunity. Five programs willcreate opportunities that allowpublic servants to grow andmanage in an increasinglycomplex environment. Theframework, and the programswithin it, target both executivesand professionals to ensure thatgovernment is ahead of theskills curve.
Further opportunities forrenewing the government’sIM/IT workforce will be found incompetitive salary and benefitspackages, in the availability ofexpert-level technical positions,and in the mobility that thepublic service offers. Thechallenge and scope of IM/IT workin government are unparalleled. Government is tackling ITprojects on a range and scale that is difficult to matchanywhere, and in many areas it is charting new territory.
IM/IT community renewal priorities• Develop HR Renewal Framework
• Develop ongoing understanding of communitydynamics
• Initiate programs aimed at:
- Development of IM/IT executives and managers,
- Development of IM/IT professionals,
- IT awareness for non-IT managers,
- Development of project managers, and
- Development of non-IT professionals inIT competencies
• Implement Project ManagementCertification Program
• Define and make available career developmentguidelines, systems and tools
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3.7 Enhanced Management FrameworkTaking steps to improve the management and success rate of IM/ITinvestments while minimising risks.
Each year, the Government of Canada invests three tofour billion dollars in IM/IT. Citizens and businesses expectgovernment to manage their resources with care. They expectrecognizable value, tangible results and clear accounting.
The successes and failures associated with this investmenthave been well documented, with management weaknessesand the inability to assess and manage risk often identifiedas problematic areas. The public sector is not unique in thisregard – the experiences of the private sector mirror thoseof government – and these areas are the focal point ofimprovement efforts.
To help departments maximize their return on IM/ITinvestments at the portfolio level and better manage theirIM/IT projects, the government developed the EnhancedManagement Framework (EMF).
The EMF is a menu of principles, best practices, methodolo-gies, tools, templates, handbooks, guides and standards. It isdesigned to ensure that government IM/IT investments andprojects fully meet the needs of the business functions theyare intended to support, deliver expected benefits and arecompleted on time and on budget.
Improvement strategies are focussed in two broad areas:portfolio and project management. Over the last year,CIOB has paid particular attention to portfolio management,
since strengthening this area willsignificantly improve the successrate of IM/IT investments andprojects across government.
The guiding principles for EMFare the following:
• align IM/IT investments andprojects to support businessdirections
• establish clear accountabilitiesfor IM/IT investments
EMF priorities• Use benchmark study and other tools to
measure effectiveness of the EMF
• Deliver regular symposia focussed on keyaspects of EMF
• Continue roll-out of EMF across governmentthrough the Implementation Council
• Develop and improve mechanisms for sharingbest practices
• Establish a pool of expertise to provideexternal review function on high risk projects
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• develop project managers to work within a corporatediscipline
• base portfolio management and project managementdecisions on risk management
An EMF Implementation Council, with members from21 departments, has been established to provide overall adviceand support to the deployment of the EMF across government.The Council shares issues, solutions and experiences, and helpsdefine and develop new approaches and solutions.
Implementation of the EMF is under way, with full take-upexpected within three to five years. During this period, theCIOB will monitor results and continue to develop theframework to address emerging concerns and requirements.
3.8 IT ProcurementReforming the government’s IT procurement regime hasbecome an urgent priority due to the accelerating rate atwhich business needs and technology are evolving.
The IT procurement reform process is designed to strikethe right balance between the need for flexibility, innovation,openness, fairness and effectiveness, while maintainingcareful stewardship of taxpayers’ resources.
The CIOB is leading this reform, working closely with PWGSC.The goal of the IT Procurement Reform initiative is to facilitategovernment program delivery. To do so requires a frameworkthat allows departments to meet their program deliveryobjectives quickly, responsibly and cost effectively withinthe context of EMF and the broader procurement reformframework.
The CIOB has taken first steps on IT procurement reformwith extensive consultations with departments and industryto ensure a complete understanding of problems and issues.This investigation is also resulting in a baseline cost analysisof current processes, the setting of new targets, and an actionplan for improvement.
Further reform initiatives are centred in three areas:
• education and certification
• adoption of benefits-driven procurement
• removal of immediate operational barriers to a moremodern procurement environment.
Devising and implementing a dispute resolution mechanismwill also be an important aspect of procurement reform.
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4.1 Chief Information Officer Branch (CIOB) Action PlanThe CIOB action plan prioritizes the steps to be taken –in IM/IT infrastructure, human resources, and managementframeworks – to prepare the way for more integratedservice delivery.
These priorities are supported by detailed workplans withclearly defined milestones. The plan is a co-ordinated strategythat ensures action is taken across all priority areassimultaneously to maximize outcomes and monitor progress.
4.2 Organized for ActionWith growing collaboration comes an increased need for aco-ordinating presence to bring partners and interests together.This is at the heart of the mandate of the CIOB.
The number and complexity of interdependencies betweenfunctional centres requires the CIOB to work with counterpartsacross the federal government and beyond. Within thisdynamic IM/IT environment, the CIOB is committed tobeing a high performance team focussed on adding valueto government renewal.
The CIOB’s guiding principles are the following:
A focus on the strategic use of IM/IT to respond to businessdrivers, support departmental efforts to identify businesschallenges and opportunities, and bring IM/IT solutionstogether to address them.
A commitment to horizontal action on a prioritized agenda.
A commitment to operating as a learning organisation.CIOB advice and strategic thinking must be based onknowledge; it must be current with developments inindustry, in government, and with citizens.
Collaboration and consensus-building. The CIOB will drawon the strong IM/IT workforce that exists in government,a genuine community with common aims and a strongdesire to work together.
The CIOB is organized around its action plan priorities(www.cio-dpi.gc.ca/cio/cioborg_e.html).
Part 4 – The Chief Information Officer Branch
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The digital age is an exciting time for the Governmentof Canada. The IM/IT revolution has allowed it to imaginenew ways of connecting citizens, of eliminating the barriersof distance, and of giving a fuller, richer meaning todemocracy and citizenship. The government’s ambitiouscommitment to become the most connected nation in theworld by the year 2000 – and to providing universal accessto Canadians – sends a clear signal that IM/IT is pivotal toCanada’s future.
Together, the priorities outlined in these Strategic Directionsare an integral part of that commitment. They are central tothe government’s push to modernize services and base themon citizen needs and interests. They will help Canadians torealize the benefits of an information society where knowledge– not labour or capital – is the prime resource.
The government must maintain the substantialmomentum it has generated on these Strategic Directions.Continued collaboration – both within the federal governmentand across jurisdictions, borders and sectors – will be keyto their success. To this end, the CIOB will continue to workclosely with partners and will report on the progress of itsvarious initiatives.
Conclusion
