Quote of the week
“A new employment model is not so much a choice as a necessity.”
— Prime Minister’s Advisory Committee on the Public Service
Editor’s Corner
Yesterday the Auditor General released his spring report. The media played up his comments regarding search and rescue operations and the government’s inability to account for $3.1 billion of its public safety and anti-terrorism initiative.
For management geeks, there is a chapter on program evaluation, following up on an earlier audit and timely given that full implementation of the 2009 TBS Policy on Evaluation was expected by the end of last March. (The full report is at http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/parl_oag_201304_e_38212.html)
And any day now, the Clerk of the Privy Council should be releasing the Twentieth Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada. If it follows past ones from this Clerk, it will provide thoughtful insights on, and indications of what is needed for, an improved public service.
His report is usually consistent with the Prime Minister’s Advisory Committee Report on the Public Sector. This committee’s seventh report was released last month, and is a must read. It focuses on the year ahead (“Why 2013 is an important year”) in three areas: service delivery, innovation and risk, and the need for a new employment model.
Some nuggets:
On service delivery: “…not every dollar invested in technology returns a dollar in savings – sometimes you need to invest just to meet the changing needs and expectations of Canadians.”
On innovation and risk: “Controls are fine so long as they are the right controls.” … “Public servants must be empowered to serve as responsible risk takers.”
On a new employment model: “Now is the time to be thinking about building the workforce and workplace of the future.”
This twelve page report is probably the pithiest and powerful summary of what we need to transform the public service. Read it at http://www.clerk.gc.ca/local_grfx/docs/pmac-ccpm/7-2013-eng.pdf.
