Mandates & Roles

Government Policy

All agencies will have clearly articulated roles and responsibilities. This will occur through formalized mandates and roles documents that describe:

  • the mandate of the agency
  • the roles of government and the agency
  • the accountability chain
  • a process for annual reaffirmation of mandate documents
  • how the renewal of mandate documents will occur

Discussion

Common understanding of all parties’ roles and responsibilities is the primary governance issue for agencies and government.

The minister is ultimately responsible to the public for how the work of the government is accomplished; the authority to conduct government business flows from the minister through to the agency, and some level of accountability must flow back.

Once a responsibility is given to an agency, the agency must be able to exercise discretion within the bounds of its mandate while being held accountable for its results. Clear statements about roles and responsibilities that are reviewed and regularly accepted by the highest levels of the agency and ministry are essential for good governance.

Copies of the mandate and roles document for all agencies will be filed with the responsible ministry, the agency and the Agency Governance Secretariat. In support of transparency, this document should also be easily available to the public, where appropriate.

Mandate and Roles Document

Mandate and roles documents will build on the business case and legislation to provide further clarity and direction between the government and agencies. The mandate and roles document is not meant to duplicate existing legislation or agreements, but rather address how the legal framework will be put into practice. In some cases, they may be adapted from existing Memoranda of Understanding.

Created cooperatively between the minister and chair, each document’s purpose is to provide high-level understanding of the role of the agency within the government structure, and to outline the goals and performance expectations of the minister. It is not a control document, but rather it provides an opportunity for ministers and chairs to develop communication channels, express concerns and share successes.

Mandate and roles documents will vary between agencies. While the details in a mandate and roles document may vary from agency to agency, each document will at minimum address the following:

  • mandate of the agency, including its classification;
  • high-level roles and responsibilities of the agency and government;
  • expected outcomes (including related timeframes);
  • an overview of any financial, staffing or administrative support to be provided to the agency by the department;
  • remuneration; and
  • interactions between the agency and the department (if any).

Agencies that are not classified as purely advisory must also include, where not set out in legislation:

  • a statement on accountability relationships (i.e., who is accountable to whom for what);
  • financial (including funding), staffing (including staff status under the Public Service Act), and administrative arrangements;
  • reporting requirements (including business plans, annual reports, financial reports, and other reports required by the minister in fulfilling his/her responsibilities);
  • audit requirements and arrangements (if any);
  • periodic agency reviews; and
  • applicability of Cabinet directives and other legislation (e.g., Financial Accountability Act, Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, etc).

Every mandate and roles document will include provisions stating that it:

  • is in effect for not more than three years;
  • must be renewed or revised by the expiry date; and
  • must be affirmed annually or on a change in either the minister or the agency chair.

Downloads:

Note: Sample documents have been developed by the Agency Governance Secretariat for informational purposes only and are not Government of Alberta standard or required documents or templates. Agencies are encouraged to utilize and adapt the information contained in the sample documents to meet their needs.

Additional comments

Adjudicative agencies may wish to highlight how the agency-government relationship will respect the principles of judicial independence.

Agencies whose directors represent constituencies may wish to address how the role of representative is reconciled with the obligation to work in the best interest of the agency.

The Agency Governance Secretariat can provide advice, templates and other tools to assist in the development of mandate and roles documents.