Canada. Dept of National Defence. Chief Review Services : The mission of the Chief Review Services (CRS) is to perform review services on behalf of the Deputy Minister and the Chief of Defence Staff (DM/CDS) to promote improvements in the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces (DND/CF) policies, programs, operations and activities, and to enhance the abilities of members and employees to perform their duties to the highest ethical standards.
CRS provides an independent assessment of military operations to confirm the operational capabilities stated in departmental plans and to provide independent assessments of organizations selected for deployment. This type of review focuses on five key areas: personnel, equipment, collective performance, sustainability and deployability.
The role of the Director Special Examinations and Investigations (DSEI) is to plan and conduct special examinations and inquiries into allegations or instances of impropriety, mismanagement and/or other irregularities in the DND and CF. The primary objective of DSEI is to establish the facts with respect to causes, events and outcomes related to each incident, or alleged incident, through an in-depth examination of the relevant circumstances and to provide appropriate recommendations. DSEI staff inquire into the complete circumstances surrounding an incident, including the adequacy and effectiveness of the existing departmental and CF policies and procedures as they relate to the circumstances under investigation.
CRS manages the Defence Ethics Program. The role of the program is to cultivate an ethical mind set among all Defence Team members, to develop awareness of ethical vulnerability, to improve ethical reasoning ability and to contribute to the enhancement of an ethical Defence culture.
Another responsibility of this area is to administer the Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for Public Office Holders. The purpose of the Code is to enhance public confidence in the integrity of public office holders and the decision-making process in government.
CRS is the Office of the Auditor General's(OAG) formal point of contact within DND for the purposes of coordination and ongoing liaison. The OAG notifies CRS of all new audits and examinations involving DND and keeps CRS informed about their activities within the Department. In turn, CRS keeps senior management informed by monitoring the progress of each audit.
It is CRS' responsibility to provide advice and guidance to departmental staff to ensure that the Department complies with the requirements of the Auditor General Act. It is also CRS' responsibility to arrange briefings at the departmental level to facilitate discussion of the scope and objectives of new audits and to present the results and conclusions of completed audits. CRS also plays an active role with respect to the clearance of OAG audit reports by coordinating departmental responses and staffing submissions for sign-off by the Deputy Minister (DM) and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
Once an OAG report is tabled in Parliament, CRS is responsible for keeping the DM and CDS apprised of the Department's progress in meeting commitments made to the OAG by monitoring departmental action plans through to completion.
