Canadian Government Executive - Volume 24 - Issue 07

46 / Canadian Government Executive // February/March 2019 tive technologies lead to unemployment, whether temporary or prolonged, as jobs become redundant because of automation. Canadians have long expected governments to mitigate the negative effects of a wide range of disruptions, not only those triggered by technological advancements but also those caused by weather, stock market crashes, terrorist attacks, and politi- cal events. In the last couple of years alone, global politics has been disrupted by political shifts toward protectionism, unilat- eralism, and nationalism. The results of the Brexit referendum in 2016 continue to cause chaos and uncertainty in the UK and in the European Union, as the date for withdrawal – March 29, 2019 – fast approaches. Prime Minister Theresa May lost a criti- cal vote in the House of Commons in which she sought support for her government’s proposed Brexit deal. Meanwhile, south of our border, President Donald Trump has presided over the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, largely due to a stalemate over the President’s demands for funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The civil service itself bore the brunt of the shutdown, with 380,000 employees left unable to work or be paid. Public servants have always been “disruption managers.” It is their role to foresee risk and advise the government of the day on how to deal with it. Also, public servants are on the front line with Canadians when it comes to communication and ser- vice delivery. They are the point people in supporting the public through disruptive change. Disruption itself is not new, and so the current wave of it could be seen merely as a continuation of history. However, experts warn us that neither the government nor businesses are truly prepared for the level of change that is coming towards us – and it’s coming sooner rather than later. Governments can coordinate disruption preparedness among public and private partners. Education and training are key to this process. We need to rethink our approach to education by providing support and opportunities for lifelong learning, skills- building, networking, and training. The workforce needs the agility to respond to the needs of the disrupted market. Also, educational institutions – including universities, colleges, and institutes – might have to rethink their approaches to curricu- lum design and educational products, expanding beyond degree programs to embrace certificates, diplomas, and other compe- tency-based credentials. Reference: 1. Deloitte. “Age of Disruption: Are Canadian Firms Prepared?” Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/ content/dam/Deloitte/ca/Documents/insights-and- issues/ca-en-insights-issues-future-of-productivi- ty-2015.pdf L ori T urnbull is the Director of the School of Public Administration at Dalhousie University and the deputy editor of Canadian Government Executive. THE LAST WORD Governments can coordinate disruption preparedness among public and private partners. Education and training are key to this process.