Government built for continuity
This year is proving to be an interesting one for all of us working in and with the governments across the country. On top of the inexorable and unrelenting pressures government executives face in carrying out their daily policy, regulatory and operational roles, this year we will see even more challenges caused by other factors....
2018 Public Service Resolutions
It’s that time of year when some of us think reluctantly about new year’s resolutions – which in most cases revolve around big life goals – like diet and exercise, work and life balance, mindfulness, productivity and so on. For public servants at all stages of their career, it’s a superb time of year to...
In a rather unusual, quiet manner this past summer, a new report has emerged from the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford and the UK’s prestigious Institute for Government – the International Civil Service Effectiveness InCiSE Index 2017. This report ranks the overall civil service effectiveness of 31 countries and is the...
What would you like to see in CGE?
For over 20 years, Canadian Government Executive (CGE) has been a staple in government offices from coast to coast to coast. CGE has been coming into our places of work, has been a travel companion and indeed has adorned our waiting rooms. But beyond that, CGE has been an important way for us to stay...
Meet George Ross, Downsizing the Canada.ca project and get ready for TechGov
In this episode of CGE Radio, J. Richard Jones is joined by George Ross, the new editor-in-chief of CGE. Hear more from George about his vision for CGE and some of the initiatives that he has coming up in the next 90 days. Also, TechGov is growing rapidly to become a must-attend event for public...
The Endless Pursuits of Results in the Age of Program Evaluation
One of the writers in this month’s issue started a note by saying “Did you know that some of the world’s most interesting analysis of employment programs is being conducted in Canada?” It struck me as a strange line. It had a familiar, if odd, lacquer; a mix of pride and frustration. I call it...
CGE appoints a former deputy minister as new editor-in-chief
Canadian Government Executive Media (CGE) announced last Friday, that George Ross has been selected as editor-in-chief of Canadian Government Executive magazine. Ross, a former deputy minister brings with him a wealth of experience from his service as a deputy minister and senior public servant. “We are elated to have George join our team. It’s a...
Faithful readers will remember that the cover story on last month’s issue was on the Institute for Citizen-Centred Service’s new study, Taking Care of Business. A few weeks ago, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) published a study of its own entitled Obstacles and Opportunities: The Importance of Small Business in Ontario. The publication of...
Service Improvement to Businesses as Mission #1
In the recent June issue, we published a captivating piece by Christopher Lau on what governments need to do to attract more foreign companies to settle in this country. His conclusion, drawn on what is happening in the United States and Canada, was that governments need to “sell” the quality of the workforce, the education...
Almost exactly mid-way in writing his How to Run a Government So That Citizens Benefit and Taxpayers don’t Go Crazy (2015), Michael Barber put down his pen and savoured a moment. He then wrote the passage where he describes the scrambling around 10 Downing in anticipation of the first campaign for re-election in 2001. The...
