section6-01

Corporate Services

A Diverse and Capable Workforce, Working in a Positive and Enabling Environment

In the past year, the Agency was successful in recruiting 227 new indeterminate employees and 628 term employees. Among the recruits, 161 indeterminate and 425 term appointees were members of the Employment Equity designated groups, including women.

In the same period, there were 188 promotions and 818 departures including, for example, retirements and transfers and specified-period appointments that came to an end.

This includes data for executive-level positions.

A national plan to augment Ecological Integrity capacity was also put in place in 2006-2007. New strategies were implemented on a large scale at the end of the fiscal year to advertise career opportunities in Resource Conservation and Education and Outreach. Particular effort was made to attract visible minority Employment Equity target group members and measures were taken to raise awareness and provide selection board members with bias-free selection training. Over 3,500 applications were received in these competitions open to the public, with evaluation of the candidates proceeding in 2007-2008.

At the executive level in particular, omnibus processes resulted in 14 candidates being identified and placed in a pre-qualifying inventory; and candidates in an aspiring executive (PCX) program were placed in developmental assignments. Leadership attributes discussed at the National Leadership Forum in April 2006 were integrated in selection processes and language training was provided to senior managers to ensure that second language requirements are respected.

In 2006-2007 Parks Canada increased and improved its bilingual capacity. The proportion of supervisors who met the level of bilingualism required for their positions increased by 5 percent over the previous reporting period. There was also a slight increase in resources serving the public in French and an overall improvement in service to the public in both official languages, in areas, which the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages had commented on.

Parks Canada continued to take steps to build a positive and healthy work environment and an engaged workforce. The Agency conducted its first National Leadership Forum - ConneXions 2006, which brought together middle and senior managers from across the organization. A learning event organized by the Parks Canada Leadership Network, it laid the foundation for work throughout the year aimed at clarifying our corporate vision and building and strengthening a leadership culture of support and achievement in line with a set of leadership attributes identified and defined by Parks Canada staff.

It resulted in a new focus on improved communications and feedback; collaboration and relationship building; and the establishment of corporate priorities in learning; knowledge sharing; and coaching. Action plans, work plans, new work tools and accountability mechanisms have been put in place.

In the past year, consultation on the people management framework for the Agency was completed, although some final revisions have yet to be made to fully align it with the corporate vision. Throughout the year, change management efforts have reinforced the importance of our leadership culture and learning to achieving the vision at all levels in the organization.

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