Coordination Effectiveness Measurement Framework
What does the documentary record establish regarding ISED's substantive handling of Paper 1?
The submitted work was formally titled the Coordination Effectiveness Measurement Framework — Predictive Framework for AI Implementation Success, transmitted to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on October 26, 2025 in response to the Government of Canada's AI Task Force consultation window. Its arrival was preceded by a framing note titled "AI Task Force Submission - Coordination Measurement for CDAP/AI Assist," sent on October 23, 2025. Both were addressed to Mark Schaan in his capacity as Associate Deputy Minister of ISED. The paper introduced an empirically validated framework for coordination effectiveness measurement and applied it to two federal AI investment programs: the Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) and AI Assist.
This Record examines what the documentary record establishes about the handling of the paper within ISED between its receipt in October 2025 and the January 7, 2026 closure letter signed on behalf of ISED. The released records establish forwarding within ISED after Schaan's commitment to share the paper. Whether that forwarding developed into substantive engagement, consideration, or use remains unresolved.
Findings
Receipt and Strategy team circulation
- 1
Paper 1 was received at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on October 23, 2025 (framing note titled "AI Task Force Submission - Coordination Measurement for CDAP/AI Assist") and October 26, 2025 (formal working paper titled "Coordination Effectiveness Measurement Framework — Predictive Framework for AI Implementation Success"), addressed to Mark Schaan in his capacity as Associate Deputy Minister of ISED.
- 2
On October 24, 2025 at 5:24 PM, Schaan replied to the author stating:
Will share with the Strategy team assessing the submissions.
The reply carried an internal CC to Strategy team members Jordan Zed and Alexandra Dostal, and to Andréa Rousseau (Chief of Staff to the Associate Deputy Minister).
- 3
On October 29, 2025, Andréa Rousseau internally forwarded the paper and related material from the Office of the Associate Deputy Minister to the ISED AI Secretariat directorate, documented at Bates 000021 of ATIP file A-2025-01446.
The December response and the internal forwarding record
- 4
On December 23, 2025 at 10:23 AM, Schaan stated in written reply to the author:
I can confirm that we have not yet had the chance to engage with your paper given a few time pressures to advance our work on Canada's next AI strategy. We will endeavour to read and understand the concepts in the coming weeks. Thus, I can confirm that none of ISED's activities or policy work is currently build off of your framework.
- 5
On December 24, 2025 at 3:46 PM, the author submitted four numbered clarification questions to Schaan and Rochon. The questions invoked the Department of Industry Act, the Treasury Board Act, the Financial Administration Act, and applicable ministerial-review provisions, and asked whether the paper had been reviewed in light of the fiscal risks the author said it identified. No specific response to the four numbered questions was documented before January 7, 2026.
- 6
On December 29, 2025, Rochon (TBS) directed Macdonald to manage a joint TBS-ISED response, with Schaan and Rousseau on copy.
- 7
Between January 5 and January 7, 2026, Andréa Rousseau participated in the joint drafting chain producing the closure letter. Schaan reviewed the draft and made "tiny changes" relating to StatCan's link to ISED.
- 8
On January 7, 2026 at 4:20 PM, a closure letter signed by Jonathan Macdonald on behalf of TBS and ISED was issued to the author. The letter includes ISED-specific language stating:
Departments such as Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) carry out their responsibilities for program design and policy development in accordance with their mandates and established processes, including engagement with a broad range of evidence and perspectives as appropriate.
The letter responds generically to the December 24 clarification questions through a description of the federal fiscal-responsibility framework. The letter did not specifically answer the author's question whether Paper 1 had been reviewed by ISED under the statutory framework cited in the December 24 correspondence, and declares that TBS and ISED consider the matter closed.
- 9
On January 9, 2026, the Office of the Prime Minister acknowledged the author's December 23, 2025 correspondence and referred the matter to the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry, for information and consideration. The author's detailed factual chronology and framework executive summary was submitted to the Prime Minister's Office and to Minister Joly's office on January 17, 2026.
- 10
No substantive ministerial response is documented within the current Record.
Current documentary state
- 11
ATIP file A-2025-01446 (the primary ISED file) produced a 51-page primary release on February 17, 2026 (32 of which were the author's own submissions returned), a 35-page supplementary interim release on February 23, 2026 documenting the December 29 "put this to bed" internal email, and a 35-page Interim 1 Supplemental release on April 30, 2026 (signed by Anik Meredith, Director, ATIP Services) documenting the January 5–7 joint drafting records. A 1,695-day extension was issued on the remaining scope.
- 12
OIC investigation 5825-04620 reached a preliminary well-founded finding on Allegation 1 (June 9, 2026) concerning the improper hold placed on records within A-2025-01446. Investigation 5825-04751, a parallel investigation on the same file, is active.
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development CanadaRecipient of Paper 1; co-signatory of the January 7 closure letter
- Treasury Board of Canada SecretariatCo-signatory of the January 7 closure letter
- Office of the Prime MinisterAcknowledged the author's correspondence; referred the matter to the Minister of Industry
- Office of the Information Commissioner of CanadaOversight authority; multiple active investigations
Roles reflect positions held during the events documented in this Record; current appointments may differ.
- Mark SchaanAssociate Deputy Minister, ISED
- Andréa RousseauChief of Staff to the Associate Deputy Minister, ISED
- Jordan ZedStrategy team, ISED
- Alexandra DostalStrategy team, ISED
- Right Honourable Mark CarneyPrime Minister of Canada
- Honourable Mélanie JolyMinister of Industry; recipient of the PMO referral
- ?Whether the October 29 internal forward to the AI Secretariat directorate developed into substantive engagement, consideration, or use of the paper within ISED.
- ?The AI Secretariat's handling of the paper between October 29, 2025 and January 31, 2026 — currently not documented in the released records.
- ?The connecting institutional direction between October 24 and October 29, 2025 — the instruction from Schaan to Rousseau to execute the internal forward.
- ?Whether any element of the framework was referenced or considered in ISED's AI Strategy work during the reconstruction window.
- ?Post-January 7 ISED internal handling of the paper between January 8 and January 31, 2026.
- ?Background briefings and contextual materials prepared to support the December 23 response and the January 7 closure letter — identified in the request clarification but not present in the currently released records.