Retiring former Clerk to Canada’s Privy Council, Janice Charette says the nation’s Public Service has not kept pace with what citizens need in a digital world.
“The Public Service is still working in what I would describe as kind of analogue ways and the world has moved on,” Ms Charette (pictured) said.
“You can make a dinner reservation, you can book a cruise, you can move money in and out of your bank account — it’s remarkable the things you can do in a digital world — but the Public Service, and our service delivery infrastructure, has not kept up with that.”
She said the gap was on display when the Public Service couldn’t deliver services such as passport applications and renewals once COVID-19 restrictions were lifted.
“In all humility, we know we have to do a better job there,” Ms Charette said.
Ms Charette, who refers to her job as being “steward of one of the most important institutions in our democracy”, has retired after nearly 40 years in the Public Service, including stints as Clerk for Prime Ministers, Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau.
“One of the things I completely believe about the Public Service is that in a crisis we can be magnificent,” she said.
“Decisions had to move quickly, benefits had to move quickly. The challenge is, how do you maintain that going forward?”
Meanwhile, the Government has approved renewed collective bargaining agreements with four Public Service trade unions, bringing to an end long-running industrial action that saw officials strike for 12 days in April.
The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat formalised the tentative agreements reached between the Government and unions on 1 May, after they were approved by union members.
The deals include a 12.6 per cent pay rise compounded over the life of the agreement, from 2021-to-2024.
Ottawa, 30 June 2023
