Taking the Accord Forward: The First Report to Canadians on Implementing An Accord Between the Government of Canada and the Voluntary Sector

Background Paper: Government of Canada Implementation

About this Paper

Some context

When An Accord Between the Government of Canada and the Voluntary Sector was signed in December 2001, it committed the two sectors to reporting annually about their progress in implementing the Accord. Taking the Accord Forward: The First Report to Canadians on Implementing An Accord Between the Government of Canada and the Voluntary Sector fulfills that promise, providing a joint assessment of government and voluntary sector accomplishments from October 2002 to September 2003. The report serves another purpose as well, identifying the sectors’ joint priorities as they move forward to build a revitalized relationship through the implementation of the Accord and Codes of Good Practice on Policy Dialogue and on Funding. (Taking the Accord Forward is available on the Voluntary Sector Initiative Web site: www.vsi-isbc.ca)

Purpose, scope and organization

This is one of two background papers to Taking the Accord Forward. As a resource for those wishing more in-depth information about the Government of Canada’s activities in this area, it provides a detailed accounting of progress and plans for putting the Accord and Codes of Good Practice to work in federal departments and agencies. While it may appear that much focus is on processes, it is important to remember that addressing process is a necessary foundation for changing culture. Taking the Accord Forward, Section A of this paper describes key accomplishments in the five activity areas set out in the Accord:

• A solid foundation: setting up organizational structures in the federal government and the voluntary sector to put the Accord into action
• Awareness is key: raising awareness of the Accord within the voluntary sector and the federal government, as well as among Canadians
• Putting the Codes to work: developing codes of good practice to help guide interactions between the two sectors
• Tracking our progress: establishing processes for monitoring the Accord, reporting to Canadians about progress and moving forward on priorities
• A shared journey: holding regular meetings between ministers and sector representatives

Section B of the paper looks ahead, setting out the priorities that will guide the federal government’s work over the coming year.

For more information...

A companion document that outlines the voluntary sector’s recent progress and priorities for the future is also available on the Web site noted above. To find out more about these reports, the Accord and Codes of Good Practice or the Voluntary Sector Initiative (VSI), contact the Non-Profit and Voluntary Sector Affairs Division , Social Development Canada, 140, promenade du Portage, Gatineau, Quebec, K1A 0J9, (819) 956-6715.