Quote of the week
“The IPAC DM/CAO survey…provides insight into your concerns as a leader.”
— IPAC
Editor’s Corner
IPAC will be sending out the newest version of its annual DM/CAO survey shortly, an effort that is co-sponsored by CGE.
The survey will set a benchmark for further studies, assessing views of deputy and municipal heads both on general matters related to the public sector and more specific ones focusing on their own organizations.
On general issues, the survey asks about their views on citizen perceptions of public servants and asks whether they would recommend the public sector as a career choice. In a timely move, the survey will determine how well they think the political/public sector interface is working.
Related to their organization, it asks the heads to assess whether risk is managed well and whether effective performance and accountability regimes are in place.
One hopes that public sector leaders across the country take the survey seriously. This information, particularly in areas focused on perceptions of the public sector in general and the political interface, will be useful for those looking out for the future of the public sector in Canada.
On the questions on risk and performance, it will be interesting to see whether any head admits that his or her organization isn’t doing a great job. Heads may find it tempting to be positive about their own organizations, assuming that the problems lie elsewhere.
Still, this is a good initiative. CGE will be reporting in detail on the results in October.
