In 1995 the Clerk of the Privy Council established nine Task Forces led by Deputy Ministers. The intent was to explore a variety of issues, identified in the wake of Program Review. The nine task forces and their mandates were:
Service Delivery Models - to examine service delivery issues from a citizen's point of view

Overhead Services - to identify ways to improve management of overhead services on a government-wide level, with an emphasis on cost savings

Federal Presence - to develop an on-going database on federal presence across Canada, examine how that presence may change over time, and identify issues from a geographical or regional perspective

Federal Presence Abroad - to report on programs and Canadian government representation outside Canada, and to determine how Federal government representation overseas could be made more cost-effective

Strengthening Policy Capacity - to review current policy development capacity and to recommend improvements

Policy Planning - to provide an assessment of the policy agenda to date, survey the environment, and provide strategic advice on key policy issues

Managing Horizontal Policy Issues - to develop practical recommendations no the management of horizontal issues focusing on improved coherence, and improved collaboration

Values and Ethics - to examine the relationship between existing and evolving values in the public service, and to consider ways to align values with current challenges

A Planning Tool for Thinking about the future of the Public Service - to identify long-term trends which influence the Public Service, and develop a strategic planning tool