Mandates & Roles

Government Policy

The Public Agencies Governance Framework specified that all agencies have clearly articulated roles and responsibilities. This will occur through formalized mandate and roles documents that describe:

  • the mandate of the agency
  • the roles of government and the agency
  • the accountability chain
  • a process for annual reaffirmation of mandate documents
  • how the renewal of mandate documents will occur

 

Discussion

Common understanding of all parties’ roles and responsibilities is the primary governance issue for agencies and government.

The Minister is ultimately responsible to the public for how the work of the government is accomplished.  The authority to conduct government business flows from the Minister, or through legislation for which the Minister is responsible, through to the agency, and some level of accountability must flow back.

Once responsibility is given to an agency, the agency must be able to exercise discretion within the bounds of its mandate, and be consistent with applicable Government policy, while being held accountable for its results.  Clear statements about roles and responsibilities that are reviewed and regularly accepted by the highest levels of the agency and ministry are essential for good governance.

Copies of the mandate and roles document for all agencies will be filed with the responsible ministry, the agency and the Agency Governance Secretariat.  In support of transparency, this document should also be easily available to the public, where appropriate.

Mandate and Roles Document

Mandate and roles documents will build on the business case and legislation to provide further clarity and direction between the government and agencies. The mandate and roles document is not meant to duplicate existing legislation or agreements, but rather address how the legal framework will be put into practice. In some cases, they may be adapted from existing Memoranda of Understanding.

Created cooperatively between the Minister and the Chair, each document’s purpose is to provide an understanding of the role of the agency within the government structure, and to outline the goals and performance expectations of the Minister.  It also outlines the role of the Minister and, where applicable, Department designates.  It is not a control document, but rather it provides an opportunity for Ministers and Chairs to develop communication channels, express concerns and share successes.

Mandate and roles documents will vary between agencies.  In the checklist provided below, you will find the minimum requirements under the proposed legislation, the requirements from the Public Agencies Governance Framework and items recognized as good governance practices that have been included in the sample documents that are provided elsewhere on this website.

For ease of reference, the checklist uses the same section headings that are found in the sample documents for different classifications of agencies.

 

 

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