Evaluation of travellers processing through a GBA+ lens:
Appendix A: Management response and action plan
Recommendation 1
The Vice-President (VP) of Strategic Policy Branch should, in collaboration with the VP of Travellers Branch, VP of Intelligence and Enforcement Branch, VP of Commercial and Trade Branch (i.e. Indigenous Affairs Secretariat), VP of Chief Transformation Officer Branch, and VP of Finance and Corporate Management Branch (i.e. Recourse Directorate, CBSA Complaints), formally define the objectives, methodology, and priority areas for data collection, retention, management, and analysis to better support GBA+ in the travellers stream.
Management response
The VP of Strategic Policy Branch (SPB) agrees with this recommendation and will work with all VPs mentioned to define the objectives, methodology, and priority areas for data collection, retention, management, and analysis to better support GBA+ in the travellers stream. Given that each of the recommendations in the evaluation are mutually supportive, it will be essential for all branches to collaborate on both the overarching guidance in this recommendation, as well as the specific activities to advance GBA+. For example, guidance on the collection of GBA+ data has implications for the future use and implementation of GBA+ in the travellers process as well as review and recourse. In addition, mandatory and non-mandatory training to raise awareness of GBA+ enables better data collection and GBA+ implementation.
Work is already underway by SPB on a series of work items, tools, resources, processes and approaches that will contribute to the improvement of data collection, retention, and management, and analysis to better support GBA+ in the travellers stream. Furthermore, it is working to ensure that data systems and processes of the future do not replicate the data issues of the past and that analytics drive a data driven modern border with GBA+ considerations. For example, the Chief Data Office (CDO) is working on a data reference, data catalogue and a data stewardship approach, which will improve the oversight of data quality and integrity, and ensure stewardship. It is promoting data literacy and developing tools, such as data principles and the data frame, to help incentivize data considerations throughout the entire data lifecycle. It is also leading CBSA's data and analytics enterprise visions through data strategies, policies, and processes. In addition, the GBA+ Centre of Responsibility (CoR) continues to promote increased senior management engagement and decision making in GBA+, strengthen policy advice to support GBA+ implementation, and expand stakeholder and partnership engagement. To this end, the CoR is working to implement a GBA+ governance structure to align GBA+ work across the agency, including a GBA+ strategy to identify the agency's priorities to guide annual plans. Guided by those overarching strategies related to GBA+ and data, the VPs identified will be responsible for implementing data collection, retention, management, and analysis in support of GBA+ in each of their respective branches.
It is recognized that due to their complexities, the reference data, systems, and processes to support GBA+ require a long-term strategy and solutions. By establishing a clear vision and aligning and coordinating roles and responsibilities of data across the agency, it will be possible to harness data as a strategic asset and make better decisions informed by GBA+.
Management action plan
1.1 Engage relevant branches and seek strategic direction from the Executive Committee (EC) on a long-term vision for GBA+ analysis.
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1.2 Develop a plan to operationalize EC direction, including objectives, methodology, and priority areas for data collection, retention, management, and analysis.
Completion date:
Recommendation 2
The VP of Travellers Branch should, in consultation with key branches, develop and seek executive committee-level approval of a plan, with implementation timelines and change management strategies, to support the future use and integration of GBA+ in the travellers stream and to leverage the results for improvements in travellers processing.
Management response
The VP of Travellers Branch agrees with this recommendation and will work with all VPs mentioned to approve a plan, with implementation timelines and change management strategies, to support the future use and integration of GBA+ in the travellers stream and to leverage the results for improvements in travellers processing. Given that each of the recommendations in the evaluation are mutually supportive, it will be essential for all branches to collaborate on both the overarching guidance in this recommendation, as well as the specific activities to advance GBA+.
It is recognized that due to their complexities, the reference data, systems, and processes to support GBA+ require a long-term strategy and solutions. By establishing a clear vision and aligning and coordinating roles and responsibilities of data across the agency, it will be possible to harness data as a strategic asset and make better decisions informed by GBA+.
Management action plan
2.1 Engage IEB, FCMB (Recourse Directorate, CBSA Complaints), SPB, CTOB, HRB, CTB, and ISTB to develop an operationalization plan in support of the future use, integration, and tracking of GBA+ data in the travellers stream, which includes:
- consultation plan
- change management options
- analysis of data tracking and current SOPs to identify gaps and areas of improvement
Completion date:
2.2 Seek executive committee-level approval of the operationalization plan developed in action item 2.1.
Completion date:
Recommendation 3
The VP of Travellers Branch should, in collaboration with key branches, make the "Processing of Indigenous Travellers and their Sacred Goods" and the "Positive Space at the CBSA" courses, as well as Unconscious Bias Training, mandatory for frontline employees in the travellers stream and create a plan to raise awareness of GBA+ related courses (mandatory and non-mandatory) and resources within the Public Service among all travellers stream employees.
Management response
The VP of the Travellers Branch agrees with this recommendation and will work with all VPs mentioned to convert existing, non-mandatory training to mandatory training, and create new mandatory training to address gaps in current GBA+ knowledge bases. Given that each of the recommendations in the evaluation are mutually supportive, it will be essential for all branches to collaborate on both the overarching guidance in this recommendation, as well as the specific activities to advance GBA+. Mandatory training will result in raised awareness of GBA+ which will enable better data collection and GBA+ implementation across CBSA business lines.
HRB has already begun work in the development of content for the new anti-racism training, for all CBSA employees. This training will include content on unconscious bias and other subjects related to race. The target is to launch a pilot this fall 2021, with a wider launch in Q4 2021-2022.
The recommendation indicates this mandatory training should be for "frontline employees in the travellers stream." However, this mandatory training may not apply equally to all frontline operations groups. Consideration will be given to separating the training requirements as follows:
- training applicable only for Border Services Officers (BSO), Superintendents (Supt), Chiefs (POE), Criminal Investigators (CI), Enforcement Case Officers (ECO), Intelligence Officers (IO), Inland Enforcement Officers (IEO):
- Processing of Indigenous Travellers and their Sacred Goods (S7189-P) for frontline
- training for all frontline groups:
- Positive Space at the CBSA (H1016-P)
- Preventing Racial Profiling Frontline (H1015-P)
Management action plan
3.1 Seek agreement for training policy changes from HRB, IEB, SPB, CTOB, and CTB to:
- identify relevant travellers stream personnel to receive new mandatory and/or function-specific or professional development training
- add the "Processing of Indigenous Travellers and their Sacred Goods," the "Positive Space at the CBSA" and "Introduction to Gender Based Analysis Plus" courses, as well as "Unconscious Bias" training to relevant mandatory training curricula
- expand the target audience to the "Preventing Racial Profiling at the Frontline" mandatory course to include other groups with indirect communication with the public
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3.2 Request that the Training and Development Directorate (TDD) amend applicable National Training Standards (NTS) with the new mandatory and function-specific or professional development training course information.
Completion date:
3.3 Communicate new mandatory and function-specific training requirements to implicated operational travellers stream staff and begin training implementation.
Completion date:
3.4 Create a plan to raise awareness of GBA+ related courses (mandatory and non-mandatory) and resources within the Public Service among all travellers stream employees.
Completion date:
Recommendation 4
The VP of Travellers Branch should, in collaboration with the VP of Human Resources Branch and the VP of Chief Transformation Officer Branch, develop and implement a plan to improve the awareness and reporting of mistreatment and discrimination of travellers witnessed by CBSA personnel, without fear of reprisal.
Management response
The VP of Travellers Branch agrees with this recommendation and will work with HRB and CTOB, and will consult with the Internal Audit and Program Evaluation Directorate (i.e. Senior Officer for Internal Disclosure) and others, in the development and implementation of a plan that improves the awareness and reporting of mistreatment and discrimination of travellers witnessed by CBSA personnel, without fear of reprisal. Given that each of the recommendations in the evaluation are mutually supportive, it will be essential for all branches to collaborate on both the overarching guidance in this recommendation, as well as the specific activities to advance GBA+.
Management action plan
4.1 Identify representatives from TB, HRB, CTOB, FCMB, IAPED (i.e. SOID) and CIU stewards/staff and establish a working group to identify causes for reporting hesitancy.
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4.2 Create and launch a travellers stream staff survey.
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4.3 Develop a plan to improve awareness and reporting of mistreatment and discrimination of travellers.
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4.4 Seek executive committee-level approval of the plan developed in action item 4.3.
Completion date:
4.5 Develop informational materials and tools, and begin the execution of the approved plan.
Completion date:
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