Response to Parliamentary Committees and External Audits
Response to parliamentary committees
There were no parliamentary committee reports requiring a response in 2020–21.
Response to audits conducted by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada (including audits conducted by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development)
Office of the Auditor General (OAG) 2019 Spring Report:
The audit focused on whether Employment and Social Development Canada, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and Veterans Affairs Canada provided clients with accessible and timely call centre services. This audit did not examine the funding of call centres or whether call centre agents or the automated self-service systems gave callers accurate information. The audit report contains two recommendations for improvement directed toward IRCC. The Department agreed with the OAG’s recommendations. One of two recommendations has been fully implemented by reviewing and updating the service standards to ensure that they are meaningful to clients and achievable by IRCC. Actions to address the remaining recommendation were completed by March 31, 2021.
OAG 2019 Spring Report:
Report 2 – Processing of Asylum Claims
The audit focused on whether the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), IRCC, and the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada consistently processed asylum claims in an efficient and timely manner. The audit did not examine asylum claims made before December 2012, as well as the quality of decisions made by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. The audit report contains two recommendations for improvement directed toward IRCC. The Department agreed with the OAG’s recommendations. Actions to address the recommendations are on target to be completed by September 30, 2021.
Office of the Auditor General (OAG) 2020 Spring Report:
Report 1 – Immigration Removals
This audit focused on whether CBSA removed individuals ordered to leave Canada as soon as possible. The OAG also examined the coordination of information shared by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, an independent tribunal, and IRCC, which supports CBSA monitoring and enforcement of removal orders. The audit report contains one recommendation for improvement addressed to the CBSA, with implication for IRCC. The Department agreed with the OAG’s recommendation. An action plan was developed to address IRCC’s portion, which is on target to be completed by September 2021.
Response to audits conducted by the Public Service Commission of Canada or the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
There were no audits in 2020–21 requiring a response.