Public Service Renewal & Branding

In the last few days a couple of articles on the public service have appeared in the paper. The first is not really news to those of in the public sector. The headline in the Globe & Mail (June 10, 2008) read “Bureaucracy aging, says top civil servant”. The article is about remarks by Kevin Lynch where he not only talked about demographics but also (more importantly) talked about increased public expectations for greater accountability by public servants.

The second article appeared in the on-line version of the Globe & Mail (June 10th as well) and was by Michael Cotey Morgan a doctoral candidate at Yale. In this article, Mr. Morgan argued that the public service should take a page out of the military handbook in terms of recruitment. In the ROTC program, the Canadian Forces pay for a person’s postsecondary education in exchange for a set number of years of service after graduation. This is an interesting idea, as it would also include summer employment with government during the participant’s time at University.

A car that runs on AIR!!!

Have you heard about the car that runs on Air?

Yes, that's right....your eyes are not betraying you - AIR. This car runs on AIR. Here is the BBC report from February of this year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/avdb/news/world/video/151000/bb/151932_16x9_bb.asx?ad=1&ct=50

If this works, is it bye-bye internal combustion engine that uses petroleum? Does this help solve our climate change problems? Is it good bye tar sands and OPEC?

Robert F. Kennedy

Forty years ago, on June 5, 1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles, just a few hours after winning the California primary. His campaign for the Democratic nomination for President of the USA galvanized the younger population in 1968. Listening to his speeches, 40 years later, one wonders how much better the world would have been had he not died that night. His speeches still resonate today.

This speech on the “Mindless Menace of Violence” by Robert F. Kennedy was given on April 5, 1968 at the City Club of Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio. Listen to the words and think about recent events around the world. The soundtrack is from the movie "Bobby", if you haven't watched it, rent it today, it is a wonderful production.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_Vll-t0H6A

Kennedy's campaign was one of hope and of a better future for all Americans and for all citizens of the world. Looking back at the videos from 40 years ago you see the incredible enthusiasm of the crowds. Watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ReAG6jNVs4

It’s called Question Period not “Answer Period”

I just got the latest issue of Policy Dialogue from the Saskatchewan Institute of Public Policy. Among the many interesting articles was one by Heather MacIvor entitled “Question Period – More sound than substance?”

In this article she traces back the history of Question Period. Did you know that the first recoded question by a British parliamentarian was in 1721 in the House of Lords? Around the 1850’s the practice of setting aside time for MP questions was established with Standing Orders established in 1902 that prescribed oral responses to written questions. That’s right, questions had to be submitted in writing. In the UK, questions to the PM were limited to two 15 minute periods a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) as a “concession to Winston Churchill’s declining health.” In 1997, Tony Blair changed this to one 30 minute session per week. Ms. MacIvor notes that “until recently, British MPs had to provide written notice of oral questions.” That is not a lot of time to ask questions of the PM, especially as compared to the practice in Canada.

I remember a Minster saying to me once that this was called “question period” not “answer period”. It seems that though QP can be a significant accountability mechanism in Canada, QP has devolved into something more akin to a verbal sumo match. Each side is trying to score political points. The questions are really statements to the effect that the government is either incompetent or corrupt, with a “don’t you agree?” at the end to make it a question. Similarly, responses are usually about what the opposition did when they were in power however many years ago (though that starts to get stale after a while). No one really answers questions. It is not really a forum for a civilized debate that could possibly change public policy. Was it better before the advent of television? I guess, both questioners and respondents did not have to worry about the 20 second sound bite. There was probably more mingling between the political parties in those days than there is now. Have we devolved in extreme partisanship and polarization, where real debate and consensus cannot be achieved? I hope not. The best ideas are generated through civilized discourse and where a consensus is reached.

Arthur Kroeger - the passing of a dedicated public servant

Yesterday we received an e-mail from Alix Kroeger, informing us of the death of her father, Arthur Kroeger. For those involved in public administration in Canada and around the world, this news brings great sadness. Mr. Kroeger was a dedicated public servant, who served in many capacities. Among many memories, I remember him as my father's Deputy Minister at Transport Canada. He exemplified the best of public service in Canada, he was a legend and will be truly missed Below is the e-mail from his daughter, Alix.

This is to let you know that Arthur Kroeger died last night, Friday 9 May. He had been ill with cancer. Until a short time ago, we were all hoping he would be able to regain enough strength to begin chemotherapy at the National Institutes of Health in the United States, where he had been accepted into a clinical trial. However, his condition deteriorated rapidly over the past 10 days, and on Thursday we moved him to the palliative-care unit at the Centre Elisabeth-Bruyere in Ottawa.

We were all at his bedside when he died: his partner, Huguette Labelle; his two daughters, Kate and myself; and his stepdaughter, Chantal Labelle.

The funeral will take place in Ottawa in the next week or so. Please watch the papers for an announcement of the arrangements. My father had expressed a wish in his will that a scholarship should be set up in his name at Carleton University. In lieu of flowers, we are asking people if they would be willing to make a donation. Cheques should be made payable to Carleton University, in envelopes marked for the attention of Denise Mayer, 510 Robertson Hall, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K15 5B6. People can also give online atwww.carleton.ca, under "Giving to Carleton", and earmark their donation for the scholarship fund.

He will be much missed, by those who were lucky enough to know him, but also by the many Canadians who benefited from his life`s work and his sense of public service.

Alix Kroeger