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A longstanding and often politically and administratively difficult issue in Canadian public
policy and administration is related to immigration. There is a considerable backlog of
immigration applications (both those made within Canada and those made to Canadian offices
in other nations). It is not uncommon for files to be delayed for a variety of reasons. As a result,
there is considerable frustration on the part of Members of Parliament (who are contacted by
individuals and asked to expedite matters with Citizenship and Immigration Canada), as well as
the legal community, the mass media and others, including individual Canadians.

The federal government has established a taskforce to seek solutions to this problem, and
specifically to determine if the immigration process can be streamlined so as to make sure that
applications are processed more quickly. The taskforce has recommended creating an
armslength operational agency that would be solely responsible for all immigration related
matters, both in terms of processing but also in terms of setting policy (determining the criteria
for potential immigrants, number of immigrants to be allowed into the country each year, etc.).
The operational agency would also be responsible for managing the immigration process in
Canadian immigration offices located in other nations. The proposed agency would report to the
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration on an annual basis, but would have considerable
autonomy in its operation, including setting policy.

In order to operate as efficiently as possible, and to allow new offices to be opened quickly, for
instance in countries where there are many immigration/refugee files, the employees of the
proposed agency would not be federal public servants. Also, the proposed agency would not be
subject to audit by the Auditor-General.

The Prime Minister has asked you, as an expert in public administration, to provide him with
advice on whether the federal government should establish the proposed special operational
agency. The Prime Minister has requested you to write an 800 word report with specific
recommendations on this proposal and support them with reasons. He has asked you to utilize
the concepts and ideas from the required readings in this course.

The Function of Special Operating Agencies

The taskforce assembled by the federal government to address the mounting frustrations

with the current immigration process, has proposed the integration of a special operating agency.

Special Operating Agencies (SOA) function to deliver a high level of performance and results

whilst improving how flexible the management can be. Innovation, better management, client

approval, and accountability are values significant to the overall efficiency and quality of service

that SOAs are qualified to provide (Treasury Board of Canada, 1993). Although these agencies
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do benefit from greater autonomy, they do not operate entirely independent of their government

department. Their performance and results remain accountable to their department.

Benefits of Establishing a Special Operating Agency

Outlined Priorities

The 2017 - 2018 Departmental Plan outlined by the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees

and Citizenship Canada (Ministry) includes six ambitious priorities:

i. Economic growth: Aiding the countrys growth and to being innovative are imperative to

the Ministrys goals.

ii. Humanitarianism: The Ministry strives to assist, protect and resettle individuals as per

Canadas long standing history.

iii. Enhanced Integration: Consolidation with several services and partners, such as language

and employment training, enable the successful integration of immigrants and refugees.

iv. Diversity and Attachment: Ensuring immigrants and refugees feel a sense of belonging

and are aware of their rights and responsibilities as a citizen of Canada.

v. Client Service: Achieve optimal client experience regarding the process and service

delivery.

vi. Efficient Processing: Improving the speed of services to the benefit of clients and

Canadian citizens.

How Core Values of Special Operating Agencies Align with the Ministrys Prioritized Objectives

Innovation: SOAs are intended to encourage a workforce that can be innovative.

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Client Experience: Service that is focused on the clients and citizens is amongst the core

values and initiatives of a SOA.

Efficiency: SOAs are designed to provide management and operations that are efficient

(Treasury Board of Canada, 1993).

Recommendation

As an expert in public administration tasked with providing knowledgeable advice, I

suggest the establishment of the proposed special operational agency. This is the best option to

be successful in achieving the objectives proposed by the department of Immigration, Refugees

and Citizenship Canada, in order to appease the considerable frustrations expressed by Members

of Parliament, the legal community, the mass media and others, including individual Canadians.

However, to maximize the benefits this proposal can offer, I have included three suggestions.

Suggestion #1: The function of policy development should belong to public servants

As the maximum efficiency of the proposed agency requires employees that are not

federal public servants, it is important that they do not have complete autonomy in determining

public policy. Dennis Grube (2013) notes that public servants are some of the most

knowledgeable individuals in regards to public policy; their expertise would ensure non-partisan

and measured approaches to immigration policy. A team of federal public servants should be

allocated to the agency and tasked with creating policy or the employees should receive policy

approval from federal public servants. This is one way to ensure accountable public policy that is

subject to the same processes as other policy areas in government.

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Suggestion #3: Employees should ideally represent different sectors of society

Frank Ohemeng (2013) notes that networks and collaboration are crucial tenets of new

public governance, a concept which entails new and contemporary ways of management within

the public sector. Notwithstanding that the agencys efficiency would be optimal without the

employment of federal public servants, Ohemeng (2013) highlights that collaboration with

representatives from public agencies as well as non-governmental organizations, including the

private sector and civil society groups, can encourage decision-making, cooperation and

learning. Contribution from multiple groups can promote technical efficiency which Ohemeng

(2013) details as, in short, the ability to achieve the maximum desired results. Employing a

diverse workforce would be advantageous to the quality of ideas, policy development and

implementation that the proposed SOA can provide.

Suggestion #2: The proposed special operating agency should be subject to audit

According to Dennis Grube (2013), the misuse of government resources is a public

concern that contributes to declining confidence in government. Subjecting the proposed agency

to annual audits by the Auditor General, as a system of performance measurement, would

increase the transparency and accountability of the agency. As seen with Passport Canada, audits

can expose when an organization is not meeting its objectives and can propose recommendations

to improve its functions. As efficient and client-centred service is of significant value to a SOA,

regular audits will aim to support and influence optimum performance.

Conclusion

With the incorporation of the suggestions, there are no foreseeable disadvantages to the
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establishment of a SOA for a more productive immigration process. To address concerns in an

effective and efficient manner, the implementation of the special operating agency should occur

immediately and with careful consideration of the suggestions.

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References

Grube, D. (2013). Public Voices from Anonymous Corridors: The Public Face of the Public

Service in a Westminster System. Canadian Public Administration. 56(1) 3-25.

Ohemeng, F. L. (2014). New Public Governance: The Changing Landscape of Canadian Public

Administration. In Conteh, C. & and Roberge, I. (Eds.), Canadian Public Administration

in the 21st Century (21-40). CRC Press.

Treasury Board of Canada. (1993, May 13). Becoming a Special Operating Agency. Library and

Archives Canada. http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/opepubs/tb_b4/bsoa-doss01-eng.asp