The Ministry of Seniors and Community Supports includes: the Department of Seniors and Community Supports, the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta, the Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities and the Persons with Developmental Disabilities Community Boards.

The executives of the individual entities within the Ministry have the primary responsibility and accountability for the respective entities. Collectively, the executives ensure the Ministry complies with all relevant legislation, regulations and policies.

Ministry business plans, annual reports, performance results and the supporting management information are integral to the government’s fiscal and business plans, annual report, quarterly reports and other financial and performance reporting.

Responsibility for the integrity and objectivity of the consolidated financial statements and performance results for the Ministry rests with the Minister of Seniors and Community Supports. Under the direction of the Minister, I oversee the preparation of the Ministry’s annual report, including consolidated financial statements and performance results. The consolidated financial statements and the performance results, of necessity, include amounts that are based on estimates and judgments. The consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with Canadian public sector accounting standards. The performance measures are prepared in accordance with the following criteria:

• Reliability – Information agrees with the underlying data and the sources used to prepare it.
• Understandability and Comparability – Current results are presented clearly in accordance with the stated methodology and are comparable with previous results.
• Completeness – Performance measures and targets match those included in Budget 2010.

As Deputy Minister, in addition to program responsibilities, I establish and maintain the Ministry’s financial administration and reporting functions. The Ministry maintains systems of financial management and internal control which give consideration to costs, benefits, and risks that are designed to:

• provide reasonable assurance that transactions are properly authorized, executed in accordance with prescribed legislation and regulations, and properly recorded so as to maintain accountability of public money;
• provide information to manage and report on performance;
• safeguard the assets and properties of the Province under Ministry administration;
• provide Executive Council, Treasury Board, the Minister of Finance and Enterprise and the Minister of Seniors and Community Supports any information needed to fulfill their responsibilities; and
• facilitate preparation of Ministry business plans and annual reports required under the Government Accountability Act.

In fulfilling my responsibilities for the Ministry, I have relied, as necessary, on the executive of the individual entities within the Ministry.

[Original Signed]

Robert Bhatia
Deputy Minister of Seniors and Community Supports
May 30, 2011