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Archived Document
Audit of the Permanent Delegation of Canada to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Paris
(June 2004)
- Executive Summary
- Overview
- Management of the Mission
- Staff
- The 35-hour Work Week
- Hospitality Expenses
- Official Residence
- Appendix A - Delegation Resources
1. Executive summary
1.1 An audit of the Delegation of Canada to UNESCO in Paris was carried out between January 20 and February 3, 2003. The last audit of the Delegation had been conducted in 1994. An audit of the other Canadian missions in Paris, the Embassy and the Delegation of Canada to the OECD, was carried out at the same time.
2. Overview
2.1 The Permanent Delegation of Canada to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has its office at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The Delegation's work is relatively technical and involves participation by various committees to represent the interests of Canadian institutions working in the fields of education, science and culture.
2.2 The Delegation has established good working relations with various federal and provincial stakeholders and has efficiently managed ministerial visits and the flow of visitors. The Embassy sometimes provides assistance.
3. Management of the mission
3.1 The Delegation is managed by a Head of Mission, assisted by two locally-engaged staff: a political assistant (LE-9) and an assistant (LE-5). All of the employees are highly qualified and carry out their duties to the HOM's satisfaction. The HOM also has a driver and two employees at the residence.
3.2 The Delegation's work, both that of the HOM and that of the locally-engaged staff, is highly valued by Headquarters. There is a good work atmosphere and an obvious sense of team spirit.
3.3 Management of staff, finances and physical resources is shared between the Delegation and the Embassy in Paris . Relations with the Embassy are not governed by a memorandum of understanding for administrative services. This memorandum of understanding should cover all services provided by the Embassy and the roles and responsibilities of each, and should contain service standards. It should be reviewed and updated periodically.
Recommendation for the Delegation and the Embassy
3.4 A memorandum of understanding should be established between the two missions to formalize the sharing of responsibility for administrative services.
Action plan and time frame
3.4 A memorandum of understanding between the two parties concerned, modelled on our memorandum with our OECD mission, is being drawn up and will be signed shortly.
4. Staff
4.1 Canada hopes to be elected to UNICEF's executive board in the elections to be held by October 2003. If Canada is elected, the Delegation will require staff support to handle the extra work load resulting from Canada's membership on the executive board. This level of representation will require increased liaising and generation of a larger number of reports. The creation of a new political affairs assistant position at the LE-6 level will address this need. The Delegation can also occasionally rely on interns to help meet additional needs.
4.2 The secretary/assistant position is currently occupied by an acting employee. In addition to performing secretarial duties, she handles certain administrative aspects such as paying invoices. This position was originally occupied by two employees who were both working half-time. One of the two employees resigned and the other ***, we feel that it is important that appropriate action be taken as quickly as possible and that solutions be found to ensure that the Delegation's productive work pace is not disrupted.
Recommendation for the Embassy and the Delegation
4.3 The Embassy and the Delegation should communicate with the employee involved *** to determine her intentions and should begin immediately to consider various possible scenarios in order to minimize disruption to the Delegation's productive work.
Action plan and time frame
4.3 The employee occupying the position resumed work in May 2003.
5. The 35-hour work week
5.1 On the whole, implementation of the 35-hour work week in compliance with French law went smoothly. The Embassy kept employees informed throughout the process and information sessions for locally-engaged staff were held. In conclusion, the employees confirmed their satisfaction with the Embassy's consultative approach and the HOM's efforts to keep staff informed of the conditions and procedures planned. As regards the two employees at the residence, some adjustments were necessary in view of the reduction in work hours from 40 to 35 hours per week.
6. Hospitality Expenses
6.1 Examination of some of the Delegation's hospitality expenses revealed that tighter administrative control is required to ensure that the details of the events are recorded in the expense journal kept for that purpose and that the expenses submitted for reimbursement are accompanied by supporting documentation and not just bank statements. Per capita spending limits for the HOM's hospitality expenses should be reviewed, since the existing limits date back to 1999, before the introduction of the euro.
Recommendation for the Embassy and the Delegation
6.2 The Embassy, in consultation with the Delegation, should update the spending limits for hospitality expenses and exercise better audit control of the hospitality expenses submitted. All financial documents (EXT. 904 and 52) should be forwarded to the Embassy with original supporting documents for settlement and retention.
Action plan and time frame
6.2 The proposed action, which has already been taken by the Embassy, applies to our mission to UNESCO.
7. Official Residence
7.1 The official residence has been rented by the Crown for several years. The residence, which is in keeping with the department's representation criteria, is a fitting venue for organizing the official receptions given by the HOM. Its location and layout enhance the qualities of this official residence and justify its purchase. The Embassy has been negotiating for several months with the owners to purchase the premises, but the parties have not yet reached an agreement.
Appendix A - Delegation Resources Fact Sheet
Human resources (FTEs)
| Delegation | CBS | LES | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| HOM (plus driver and employees at the residence) | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Administrative and program staff | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Total | 1 | 5 | 6 |
Physical and material resources
| Category | Owned | Rented |
|---|---|---|
| Chancery | 1 | |
| OR | 1 | |
| Vehicles | 1 |
Financial information (2002-2003)
| Canadian employees' salaries | $107,629 |
| LES salaries | $271,509 |
| Operations | $225,176 |
| Capital | $43,000 |
| Total | $647,314 |
