2021–2022 Departmental Results Report – Supplementary information tables – Response to Parliamentary Committee and External Audits

Response to parliamentary committees

There were no parliamentary committee reports requiring a response in 2021-2022.

Response to audits conducted by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada (OAG) (including audits conducted by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development)

2021 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada to the Parliament of Canada

Report 12 – Independent Auditor’s Report: Protecting Canada’s Food System

There is no dedicated chapter specific to the Canadian Seafood Stabilization Fund (CSSF) or to regional development agency (RDA) involvement. Report 12 is a comprehensive assessment encompassing multiple programs and departments. Findings, Recommendations and Responses for all programs are compiled in a single chapter.

Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) did not provide a direct response to this audit, however department officials reviewed the joint response to the recommendations that was prepared by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC).

WD and other regional development agencies were not directly implicated in the audit recommendations, which were directed at AAFC, DFO, and CIRNAC. WD officials noted at the time of the report’s release:

• PacifiCan and PrairiesCan will cooperate with AAFC as needed, as the department leads in the completion of a national emergency preparedness and response plan.
• GBA+ and sustainability were assessed during the development and design phases of CSSF. RDAs will track and report against their regular suite of Departmental Results Framework Indicators, including GBA+ and sustainability measures.

2021 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada to the Parliament of Canada

Independent Auditor’s Report: COVID-19 Pandemic Report 14 - Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF)

As part of a larger series of audits on the Government of Canada’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the OAG audited the RRRF via three proxy RDAs: FedDev, FedNor and WD. The audit focused on whether the selected RDAs designed, delivered, and managed the RRRF effectively and efficiently to support businesses and organizations through the pandemic. The OAG report concluded that the RRRF was successful in quickly providing support to thousands of businesses and organizations to ensure they remained viable.

The OAG made three recommendations for the Government of Canada in relation to the RRRF, which were focused on the themes of consistency, fairness, transparency and equity. These recommendations relate to the setting of targets for levels of support to under-represented groups, the adoption of practices to ensure programs are efficient, effective and fair, and the harmonization of processes to produce accurate results reporting.

The OAG audit was addressed in a formal Management Action Plan (MAP), and tabled with the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts’ (PACP) on April 5, 2022. WD expects to complete responding actions by March 2023.

Related information on this audit can also be found in the Departmental Results Report’s “Results: what we achieved” section.

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 2021–2022 requiring a response.