Briefing Book – To the attention of the Commissioner of Canada Elections

Welcome Letter from the OCCE Team

Welcome to the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections (OCCE)!

On behalf of everyone at the Office, we would like to extend our warmest greetings and congratulate you on your recent appointment as the Commissioner of Canada Elections (CCE).

As the independent officer responsible for ensuring that the Canada Elections Act (the Act) is complied with and enforced, you will play a key role in safeguarding the trust that Canadians hold in our federal electoral system and democratic process. You will also be leading a team of dedicated investigators, paralegals, lawyers, communications specialists, administrative personnel, compliance officers, analysts and IT specialists. Our small team is comprised of approximately 50 employees and independent contractors who work closely together in supporting the organization’s mandate and culture.

As we will become better acquainted, you will see that some of our team members are seasoned employees of the federal public service with extensive experience, and other employees provide the office with innovative ideas and fresh eyes on trends in the workforce. Overall, our diverse backgrounds, experience, and paths form part of our team’s strength, and it goes without saying that we all take great pride in working in one of the top-rated organizations of the federal public service. But you don’t have to take our word for it when we say that the OCCE is a great place to work – our Public Service Employee Survey results from the last several years speak for themselves, with employees reporting that they feel valued, recognized, and supported at work, as well as feeling that their wellness and mental health were a priority for the organization.

As for the work we have accomplished over the last several years, the OCCE faced a number of significant developments and events, including several pieces of legislation introducing amendments to the Act, a few general elections and by-elections, increasingly complex investigations, the addition of a regime of administrative monetary penalties, an ever-growing workforce, a pandemic that drastically shifted the way we work, and an organizational review to better align our functions and work with our current reality.

To help ensure a successful transition into your new role as Commissioner and to provide you with the necessary context to fulfill your mandate, we have designed the following briefing book to give you an overview of our organization, our work, and priorities. Over the course of the following days and weeks, we will also be pleased to bring you up to speed on specific files and issues.

We are very eager to learn about you, your interests, and your plans for our organization. We wish you the very best in your new role as Commissioner of Canada Elections.

Sincerely,

The OCCE Team

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