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Environment Canada's (EC) Audit and Evaluation Branch conducted an evaluation of Canada's Participation in the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC). This project was selected for evaluation given that Canada has been participating in the CEC since 1994 and no formal evaluation of its involvement had yet been conducted. The fact that Canada's financial contribution to the CEC (US$3 million per year since 1994) represents EC's largest contribution to an international organisation reinforced the need to undertake the evaluation, in particular to ensure that Canada is effectively benefiting from the public resources entrusted to this international organisation. This report presents the findings, conclusions and recommendations of the evaluation. A management response to the recommendations, provided by EC senior management, is also included.
The purpose of this evaluation was to examine Canada's participation in the CEC. In particular, the evaluation examined whether and how Canada has benefited from, contributed to, or been impacted by CEC's efforts to deliver the objectives of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC), the agreement that created the CEC. The evaluation consisted of a comprehensive examination of the following areas: key CEC substantive activities, governance aspects related to the CEC and the Canadian government and CEC operational and organizational aspects, including CEC administrative and financial processes. Close attention was given to the role played by EC as it is the federal department accountable for the financial contributions provided to the CEC.
The evaluation examined the following four evaluation issues:
In order to support the evaluation process from start to finish, an evaluation committee was created. This committee was composed of officials from EC's Audit and Evaluation Branch (the Evaluation Project Team) as well as program managers involved in CEC activities at EC and DFAIT. An important part of the evaluation process involved the sharing of evaluation findings and draft reports with individuals, groups and/or committees to allow them to validate findings and/or provide feedback before the report was completed. In this context, separate sessions were conducted with the following groups: evaluation committee members, members of EC's Strategic Integration Board (comprised of senior EC officials), CEC Secretariat senior staff, relevant provincial representatives, and with the Alternate Representatives and officials from the other two NAAEC Parties, namely Mexico and the U.S. Copies of the draft report were also circulated to the Branch's senior management, evaluation committee members, CEC Secretariat senior staff, relevant provincial representatives, and to representatives of the U.S. and Mexico governments.
In accordance with best practices, the approach for the evaluation involved the use of multiple lines of evidence and modes of enquiry, including a document review, key informant interviews, media monitoring, and organisational comparisons in terms of other organisations' mandates, activities and operational practices.
The following presents the two levels of findings contained in this report: those specific to the CEC and those specific to Canada's participation in the organization.
First, previous CEC assessment report findings (Independent Review Committee Report (1998) and Ten-year Review and Assessment Report (2004)) are still relevant today. These findings are: i) the CEC continues to advance North American environmental cooperation especially in the area of information sharing and capacity building; ii) decision-making at the CEC remains challenging; and iii) there is an ongoing need to focus work and generate concrete and measurable results. The evaluation also found that the CEC's way of conducting business has evolved over time, particularly in terms of: i) new organization-wide planning efforts, ii) an increasing level of Parties' oversight in the Secretariat, and, iii) the desire to improve corporate communications. Finally, some operational factors create challenges in addressing an evolving context and/or in maintaining an efficient organisation. These factors most notably concern: i) absence of CEC human resource planning, ii) the comprehensiveness and clarity of CEC administrative policies and practices, and iii) the transparency of budgeting and financial processes.
Canada's participation in the CEC was shown to address an actual Canadian need in terms of the organization's potential to help the federal government integrate its environment and economic agendas. The fact that efforts are addressed in an economically integrated North America, by way of intergovernmental collaboration and with emphasis on public participation and transparency makes the CEC all the more relevant. However, there was a general perception that the CEC's potential has not been realized. Of primary concern was the CEC's limited impact on decision-making, which many feel reflects a lack of support in the organization by the Canadian federal government.
In terms of the evaluation issue of success, it was found that the greatest benefits to Canada's participation appear to be in the environmental cooperation area. It was also found that linking Canadian policy improvements to the CEC was challenging (i.e., limited utilisation of CEC work by the Canadian federal government, absence of domestic mechanisms to learn from CEC activities/reports including the SEM process). In the area of trade and environment, the evaluation found that the diminished expectations by Canadian officials on the benefits of work performed by the CEC in this area were generally attributed to factual and institutional realities (e.g., limited trade disputes and collaboration between trade and environment communities) as well as to the fact that Canadian policy discussions have evolved to focus on broader economy-environment linkages. Finally, Canadian public participation in the CEC appeared somewhat limited. The general perception that the federal government has not been sufficiently supportive of the organisation and the ongoing desire for the CEC to improve corporate communications and outreach served to explain the lack of engagement in, and/or understanding of, the CEC by Canadian stakeholders and the general public.
In addition to the findings above, the design of Canada's involvement in the CEC (i.e., absence of a mechanism to develop and align Canadian positions to be brought to the CEC, lack of performance monitoring for EC's involvement) served to explain the lack of integration of the CEC into the Canadian agenda and vice versa and why Canadian efforts have tended to focus on operational rather than content-related ones. In this respect, the finding of increased administrative and financial oversight of the Parties in regard to the management of the Secretariat (e.g., in the area of quality assurance, budgeting and finances and professional staffing) also contributed to the notable focus on operational-related discussions. The evaluation's own analysis of CEC administrative and financial processes did indicate that there was room for improvement in regard to the effectiveness and transparency of these processes. In terms of delivery, Canadian stakeholder groups generally believe that the full potential of the CEC has not been realized and that the federal government could be a more active supporter.
Finally, although not exclusively focused on North America, key organisations in which Canada participates cover similar activity areas to the CEC suggesting opportunities for enhanced alignment of Canadian interventions in the CEC with those made in other international fora. In light of the similarities and/or synergies between the CEC work and the work conducted in other organisations as well as the regularity of CEC funding by three governments, there appears to be opportunities for the CEC to further develop work niches to uniquely position the organisation's contributions and to increase collaboration and leverage financial and in kind resources.
Overall, the evaluation concludes that there is room for improvement in regard to Canada's participation in the CEC (i.e., in terms of better integrating the CEC work into the Canadian agenda and vice versa, ensuring that Canadian policy concerns and interests are brought to the CEC, increased understanding by the Canadian public of the CEC as well as of Canada's involvement in it, and a clearer accountability for public resources entrusted to the CEC). Moreover, after more than 10 years of existence, it is generally believed that the full potential of the CEC has not been realized. Despite some recent changes, key areas for improvements by the CEC itself are also needed (e.g., in the areas of decision-making, generation of concrete and measurable results, and transparency and effectiveness of CEC's overall management and administrative environment). As the CEC-specific findings were found to be germane to Canada's participation in the organization, it will be important for Canada and EC in particular, to work with the other two NAAEC Parties and the CEC Secretariat towards the improvement of key related areas.
Environment Canada should develop a comprehensive plan for addressing its commitment to its participation in the CEC. This plan should detail the Department's role in the CEC in particular by:
Addressing the above should result in a better integration of the CEC work into the Canadian agenda and vice versa. It should also ensure that Canadian policy concerns are brought to the CEC so that there is an increased understanding by the Canadian public of the CEC as well as of Canada's involvement in it. Finally, it should provide a clearer accountability for public resources entrusted to the CEC.
Environment Canada should work with other NAAEC Parties and the CEC Secretariat to help the CEC move towards a results-based approach to planning, budgeting and management by:
Addressing the above should result in enhanced transparency and effectiveness of CEC's overall management and administrative environment. It will also help the CEC in ensuring that resources are: 1) allocated in response to Parties' public policy priorities and evolving interests and needs, 2) delivering measurable results of which the North American public should be made aware.
Environment Canada (EC) agrees with the recommendation.
The CEC is a unique and innovative institution which allows Canada to work cooperatively with the U.S. and Mexico, on a range of environmental issues, while actively collaborating with civil society. Its mission1 remains as valid today as when the North American Agreement for Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) were signed. This mission, broad mandate and the complexity of the environmental problems facing North America make it imperative, as proposed in this recommendation, that EC's leadership and engagement in the institution be as strategic and effective as possible. To this end, by December 31st, 2007, EC will develop a plan to optimize the effectiveness of Canada's participation in the CEC. The plan will provide overall goals for Canada's participation in the CEC and will propose a framework for more closely aligning EC's participation in the CEC with established Canadian priorities. This alignment will be accomplished through the development of mechanisms to link departmental and government-wide priorities to the CEC's planning processes. The plan will also include an accountability mechanism to track the impact of CEC work and activities on Canada's policy development.
Some steps towards optimizing EC's participation in the CEC have already begun. EC has increased the resources on the CEC file and is assessing the strategic relevance of the CEC's current work program vis-à-vis Canadian priorities.
This work will be undertaken in close cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), and the three signatory provinces to the Canadian Intergovernmental Agreement to the NAAEC. Recommendations, advice and views of the Joint Public Advisory Committee (JPAC) and/or a Canadian National Advisory Committee (NAC) will also be taken into account during decision making.
Environment Canada (EC) agrees with the recommendation.
EC recognizes the importance of engaging with the other NAEEC Parties and the CEC Secretariat in striving for continuous improvement and modernization of the CEC's planning, budgeting and management policies. EC will promote the following work with the other NAAEC Parties and the CEC Secretariat:
This efficiency work has already begun. At the 2004 CEC Council Session, the NAAEC Parties committed to streamlining the work of the CEC and agreed to make the organization known for concrete and measurable environmental results. The development of the CEC performance measurement framework has taken longer than expected, but the three CEC Parties are striving to ensure that this will be part of the next CEC Operational Plan for 2008-2010. Parties have also discussed the need to develop clear screening criteria for projects and have agreed to support a corporate communication approach.
Canada's leadership within the CEC will continue to focus on making the organization an effective and fulfilling partnership based on the principles identified in the 2005-2010 CEC Strategic Plan: flexibility and mutual support; openness and transparency; and accountability. It is in this spirit that Canada has always engaged in the CEC and that it wishes to continue being involved.
1 CEC mission statement: To facilitate cooperation and public participation to foster conservation, protection and enhancement of the North American environment for the benefit of present and future generations, in the context of increasing economic, trade and social links among Canada, Mexico and the United States.