Veterans’ benefits lead in supplementary spending ask of nearly $5-billion
The federal government’s budgetary spending is up 7.3 per cent so far this fiscal year over last, as laid out in the recently released first supplementary estimates of 2019-20. The supplementary estimates (A) for this fiscal year were tabled by new Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos (Quebec, Que.) on Dec. 5. These estimates, the first […]
In Speech from the Throne, a nod to Western alienation, promise to enshrine Indigenous rights
SENATE CHAMBER—In an effort to strike a conciliatory note after being reduced to a minority, the Liberal government is promising to “apply a spirit of collaboration” as it works to carry out its priorities, including introducing a middle-class tax cut as its “first act” and setting Canada on the path to carbon neutrality by 2050, […]
Liberals’ Anthony Rota elected Speaker of the House
In an upset, Liberal MP Anthony Rota was elected Speaker of the House, beating incumbent Speaker, Geoff Regan. He was elected by his peers in a preferential ballot system. Mr. Rota (Nipissing-Timiskaming, Ont.), the former assistant deputy speaker, was one of five candidates running for the job. The others were: Liberal MP Geoff Regan […]
Continuing to champion ‘resilient digital government’ could be greatest legacy of new minister, says expert
Given the scope and complexity of the challenges surrounding the development of a resilient digital government, one expert says that realistically, “it does need to be someone’s job that they wake up to every morning and are focused on.” Following the Oct. 21 election that saw the Liberals returned to government in a minority Parliament, […]
Transition teams must be prepared for ‘unpredictable outcomes’ in minority situation, say former senior bureaucrats
Former senior bureaucrats say they hope Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer’s transition team is “already plugged into the Privy Council Office,” and that both the Liberal and Conservative transition teams should be “prepared for unpredictable outcomes” at this point in the campaign. According to CBC’s poll tracker, updated on Oct. 14, the Conservatives were in the […]
Savoie’s new ‘magnum opus’ book argues federal public service has been ‘knocked off its moorings’
Although he says he didn’t plan for the release of his “magnum opus” in the final weeks leading up to the Oct. 21 election, Donald Savoie’s new book, Democracy in Canada: The Disintegration of Our Institutions, argues that if Canadians wish to locate political power, “they should not look to Parliament, political parties, cabinet or […]
‘They simply ran out the clock,’ says PSAC, as feds, union fail to reach deal before election
After six continuous days of last minute bargaining beginning Labour Day weekend, the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Treasury Board Secretariat were unable to reach a new contract agreement. Talks between the country’s largest public sector union and the government, which included discussions around monetary compensation for the problem-plagued Phoenix pay system, are […]
Canadian Digital Service challenged to digitize government by 2025
At just a little over two years old, the growing team at the Canadian Digital Service is busy thinking about an ambitious goal—how to make many government services available online by 2025. Just under a year ago, the federal government convened a group of Canadian industry leaders to establish economic strategies for the country, including […]
Fed’s chief information officer steps down, says new CIO should aim for ‘quick, small’ wins in government reform
Canada’s former chief information officer Alex Benay, who was tasked with heading the government’s transition to digital service delivery as well as lead the way off of the problem-plagued Phoenix pay system, says his successor should celebrate the small steps. “Relentless incrementalism is a perspective that we joked around a lot about at first, but […]
Stop letting the system assault victims of sexual violence over and over
Sexual assault is one of the worst experiences any woman can face. It rightfully attracts strong opprobrium on the part of society. So why are victims often hit by a second assault in the form of avoidable emotional harm inflicted by the officials and institutions they trust when they reach out for help? That question […]
