Introduction

Home | Minister's Message | Foreword by the Chair | Introduction | Overview of CCRA Operations | The Context for New Directions | Strategic Direction | Corporate Objectives | Making it Happen | Resource Management | Measuring our Performance | Survey

Before providing an overview of our objectives and business strategies, it is important to state why agency status matters. The core of our mission is to contribute to the economic and social well-being of Canadians. In doing so, we are guided by our values: integrity, professionalism, respect, and co-operation. These values are about earning the trust and confidence of Canadians. Without that good standing, our jobs become much more difficult.

Maintaining the public's trust and confidence means that we must keep pace with the changing needs and expectations of the people and the organizations that we serve. Canadians are looking to us to conduct our business in ways that make it easier for them to conduct theirs. They want processes that are fair, easy, quick, and convenient. By making it easier to comply with tax laws, to import and export goods, to make payments and collect benefits, and to cross the border, we help improve the competitiveness of Canadian industry and contribute to enhancing the quality of life of Canadians.

As an agency, we have more flexibility to do this work and do it better. We can be more innovative -- using new technologies and finding better ways to improve our capacity to protect Canadian sovereignty and safety at the border, getting benefit payments to Canadians more quickly, and promoting compliance with our tax and trade laws. We can expand our partnerships with the provinces and territories, and other levels of government. We can reduce the number of times individuals, organizations, and businesses have to provide the same information to different levels of government. We can improve our internal operations and the way we manage resources to support our employees and build a better working environment, including a co-operative labour relations climate, so that we can keep improving the service we provide to our clients.

While we must continue to maintain the highest standards for protecting the privacy and security of the information entrusted to us, earning the trust and confidence of Canadians also demands greater openness and transparency. Canadians have the right to know how we intend to meet their expectations. This document sets out what we intend to do. It is our road map for the next three years, against which the public we serve can hold us accountable. It is our public statement of business development objectives and strategies -- the first business plan of the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.

Date modified:

2002-01-04