PPSC National Committees

The PPSC has created a number of national committees to ensure appropriate governance and stewardship over how it delivers on its mandate, achieves its corporate priorities and conducts its operations.

Committees on Legal Issues

These committees deal with the legal issues that arise in the course of conducting prosecutions or providing legal advice to federal investigative agencies.

The most experienced prosecutors from every region sit on these committees and assist the PPSC’s Law Practice Management Division in ensuring nation-wide consistency in the delivery of the PPSC’s legal mandate.

There are three legal committees:

• National Prosecution Policy Committee – acts as a sounding board on significant legal issues and policy advice on matters that affect the PPSC nationally. It also makes recommendations on AG Directives issued under s.10(2) of the DPP Act, DPP Guidelines used under s. 3(3)(c) of the DPP Act and other memoranda or advice to federal prosecutors on legal issues that require national consistency;
• National Litigation Committee – makes recommendations on appeals and interventions in the Supreme Court of Canada;
• Major Case Advisory Committee – reviews prosecution plans for high profile and legally significant cases and monitors emerging legal trends in federal prosecution practice.

National Management Committees

The PPSC has ten national management committees. These committees are: Executive Council, Senior Advisory Board, Resource Management Committee, Committee on Results and Evaluation, Security Knowledge and Digital Committee, Mental Health and Wellness Steering Committee, National Occupational Health and Safety Policy Committee, National Labour Management Consultation Committee, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and Official Languages Committee.

The following four national management committees are mandated by legislation or by central authorities in the federal government. They are chaired by national champions who tend to be from the management ranks of HQ and regional offices.

These committees are:

• National Occupational Health and Safety Policy Committee;
• National Labour Management Consultation Committee;
• Diversity and Inclusion Committee; and
• Official Languages Committee.

The committee members are experienced employees from across the country with a particular interest in the committee’s objectives and mandate.

Membership in the remaining six management committees has traditionally been from the most senior levels of management, which typically included Chief Federal Prosecutors (CFPs) from the PPSC’s regional offices and HQ management at the executive level.

These committees are:

• Executive Council - sets the strategic priorities and directions of the PPSC on legal, policy, corporate management, and law practice management issues;
• Senior Advisory Board - discusses trends and issues, identifies priorities and risks and shares information and coordinates current developments on substantial management and legal issues;
• Resource Management Committee - oversees budgeting, spending, and HR management, and ensures compliance with legislative and federal policy authorities;
• Committee on Results and Evaluation - supports the deputy head in establishing and maintaining robust performance measurement and evaluation functions;
• Security Knowledge and Digital Committee - supports the deputy head in the effective management of security, information technology and knowledge management to support program and service delivery of the PPSC; and
• Mental Health and Wellness Steering Committee – is co-chaired by one senior management representative and one bargaining unit representative. The Committee provides advice and guidance to the PPSC on strategies, programs, initiatives and employee communication and engagement in order to create a culture that enshrines psychological health, safety and well-being in all aspects of the workplace through collaboration, inclusivity and respect.