The problem is so serious that the RCMP are even warning that the public faces an increased risk of "injury or death" because of outdated information technology that police rely on for their radio systems.
As well, the Parliament Buildings are in such a state of disrepair that the House of Commons and Senate could be forced to shut down or limit their operations, Auditor General Sheila Fraser said in a report tabled Tuesday.
Together, fixing the twin problems of old computer systems and a crumbling Parliament could cost taxpayers billions of dollars.
Fraser's office examined the information-technology systems of five departments and agencies: the Canada Revenue Agency, Public Works and Government Services Canada, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, the RCMP and Citizenship and Immigration.
In all five cases, officials said aging computer systems pose a "significant risk" to their operations.
"Many of these systems are aging, and several are at risk of breaking down," Fraser told reporters at a news conference.
"Even if systems are currently working, a breakdown could have severe consequences. At worst, some government programs and services could no longer be delivered to Canadians."
At the Canada Revenue Agency, for example, the system that processes tax returns and benefit payments to Canadians was built in the 1970s. The agency's data centre is housed in a 40-year-old complex, and the programming language used to store the data is being phased out.
The audit also found significant risks to the system run by Human Resources that pays out $16.3 billion a year in employment insurance benefits to jobless Canadians.
Meanwhile, the RCMP report that they are using old radio technology that could increase the risk of "injury or death" to both police and the public.
The audit also found aging IT in the general payment system used to issue cheques for Old Age Security and the Canada Pension Plan, although the system appears to be running well.
The government's computer systems are supposed to be overseen by Treasury Board, the central department that sets policy guidelines across government. Fraser found that both individual departments and Treasury Board knew about the risk of aging systems more than a decade ago, but Treasury Board officials haven't provided any "strategic direction."
Fraser estimates it would cost $4 billion to $5 billion to renew the systems at the five departments. She recommends that Treasury Board take charge and develop a government-wide IT strategy.
Senior cabinet minister Stockwell Day said Treasury Board has asked individual departments to come up with plans for modernizing their computer systems, and to estimate how much it will cost.
"We've said 'look, we want you to finish up your plans, bring forward the amount you think it's going to take.' We'll put together a master plan from that," said Day, the Treasury Board president.
The audit found that Canada's iconic Parliament Buildings face "serious risks" that could affect the eventually force some of the buildings to shut down for an extended time.
In particular, many key building systems in the West Block of Parliament, such as heating, cooling and electrical, are at risk of "total failure," while the Centre Block could reach that stage in a decade.
Fraser's office also discovered that the heritage character of the buildings is threatened—cornices are crumbling and stone carvings are being eroded — and the health and safety of its occupants could be at risk.
Both the Senate and the House of Commons have made it clear their needs are not being met by the buildings in their current state.
However, Fraser said decision-making governing the rehabilitation of the Parliament Buildings is "fragmented" across a number of federal departments, making it hard to find consensus and implement long-term plans.
The total cost of the rehabilitation has been estimated at $5 billion over 25 years, but Fraser notes the government has so far declined to commit that level of funding.
The auditor general recommends transferring decision-making authority over the project directly to the House of Commons and Senate.
Other findings of the audit include:
- Canada Post is lacking funding for a $3.1-billion plan to replace outdated facilities and transform its operations, putting at risk universal mail service, not to mention the "future sustainability" of Canada Post.
- Legislation introduced in 2003 to modernize some aspects of the public service, including improvements to labour-management relations and conflict resolution, is being implemented, but there is not enough information abut whether it is working.
- The government is failing to address cumulative environmental impacts of development in Canada's Arctic region, leaving a gaping hole in the government's northern strategy to create sustainable jobs and highlight the region as a part of the country's national identity.
- The government needs to do a better job of managing research projects in the agricultural sector, and do more monitoring and analysis of the work done by its own scientists.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Andrew Mayeda, with files from Mike De Souza
Quelle/Source: Global News, 20.04.2010
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