All posts tagged "Michael Wernick"

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  Letter from Ottawa: diagnosing the elements of Tired Government Syndrome

  Parliament has returned in Canada for what’s likely a final session before the election. If history is any guide, the government will find it hard to make progress before the

  • Posted September 18, 2023
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  Canadian public servants issued guidelines for using generative AI

  The Canadian federal government has rolled out a set of guidelines to help officials use generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools responsibly at work. The preliminary guidelines define generative AI as

  • Posted September 17, 2023
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  Integrity under threat: civil service ethics in the era of populism

  Populism left an indelible mark on the 2010s, and its hold in democracies remains strong. During a Global Government Forum webinar, experts discussed how civil servants can maintain legitimacy at

  • Posted July 27, 2023
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  ‘Now everybody feels the stress across the system’: the impact of the era of permacrisis on public servants

  It is not a surprise that the phrase ‘permacrisis’ has quickly gained popularity in the lexicon. The turbulence that societies have faced in the early years of the 2020s have

  • Posted June 7, 2023
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  ‘There’s a sense parts of the public sector are not working as well as they did’: how can governments become more responsive to citizen needs?

  The 2023 Responsive Government Survey reveals that public servants’ confidence in their ability to respond to the changing needs of citizens is lower now than in 2021. What can be

  • Posted May 17, 2023
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  Letter from Ottawa: Strikes and other storm clouds are on the horizon for Canada’s public service

  From possible strike action by public servants to renewed discussion about the size of the state, the Canadian government is facing a number of questions this spring, says Michael Wernick

  • Posted April 17, 2023
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  Canadian government readies return-to-office mandate in effort to codify hybrid work model

  The Canadian federal government will soon require public servants to work from the office at least two to three days a week. The mandate outlining the new arrangement is expected

  • Posted January 11, 2023
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  Letter from Ottawa: an exhausting year shows the limits of foresight and the comfort of hindsight

  Accountability in government is important – but hindsight must be used to help build resilience and capacity in the public sector, not make politicians and public servants even more risk

  • Posted December 13, 2022
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  Letter from Ottawa: the changing of the seasons – and eras

  Politics is gearing up again in Canada as summer turns to autumn. Michael Wernick, the former clerk of the privy council and secretary to cabinet, sets out the stakes in

  • Posted September 20, 2022
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  Letter from Ottawa: a little perspective on public service problems

  Passport processing delays have prompted debate about service delivery in Canada. Michael Wernick, the country’s former cabinet secretary, warns against catastrophising – and says old ways of talking about the

  • Posted July 18, 2022
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