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Saturday, October 27, 2007
"Bureaucrats afraid to take action for fear of breaking new rules, think-tank says..."
Right. Because our federal bureaucrats were such bold risk takers under the old rules.
"The rules-laden Federal Accountability Act is backfiring and creating a bureaucracy of risk-averse "Dilberts" who keep their heads down, don't trust anyone and put process ahead of getting things done, warns a report by Ottawa think-tank Public Policy Forum.
The newly-released report, which draws on interviews with 50 leaders in the public and private sectors, including former prime ministers Joe Clark and Paul Martin, concludes that the Conservatives' signature legislation went so overboard with rules, regulations and parliamentary watchdogs looking over bureaucrats' shoulders that it is killing morale and stifling innovation, creativity and effective leadership."
As "innovation" is bureaucratic code word for new regulations and controls, the Accountability Act may be another Harper masterstroke. One of the ways in which Reagan slowed the growth of government was by allowing for massive budget deficits. As a result there was simply no money left over for new government programs. In attempting to make the federal Public Service more accountable - and so in theory more effective in "helping" Canadians - he has also increased its paralysis and thereby limited its effectiveness in controlling Canadians lives. Or maybe I'm just thinking wishful here.
Continue reading at The Gods of the Copybook Headings
Posted by Richard Anderson on October 27, 2007 | Permalink
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Comments
No, it's not wishful thinking, I hope and trust.
As a former Public Administrator ( AKA Civil Servant) I can attest to the fact that the process was the be-all and end-all of everything that went on-NOT the result.
There is NO accountability in the Public Service.
Only mid-range, petty little buraucrats spending the funds alloted to them in the most destructive ways in order for them to get equal or more funds in the ensuing fiscal year. I have horror stories that can attest to that.
Posted by: Atric | 2007-10-27 4:59:30 PM
"There is NO accountability in the Public Service.
Only mid-range, petty little buraucrats spending the funds alloted to them in the most destructive ways in order for them to get equal or more funds in the ensuing fiscal year."
Is this any different from any other union sphere - private OR public?
Posted by: obc | 2007-10-27 5:08:13 PM
"watchdogs looking over bureaucrats' shoulders that it is killing morale and stifling innovation, creativity and effective leadership."
What innovation?
What creativity?
What leadership?
Hacks all!! Over paid and overfed!
Good riddance.
There is a successful backlash on against Liberalism and this is part of it.
It won't happen over-night, but ... Watch for more self-reliant, productive society coming to a country near you.
A warning to the less motivated AKA less-fortunates AKA disadvantaged AKA Lazy idiots. The trough is going to dry up and you will need to grow up now.
Posted by: John | 2007-10-27 6:15:34 PM
If P.M. Harper wants to guarantee winning a majority government, he should run with this policy:
All federal bureaucrats who retire or die on the job will NOT be replaced. Attrition should lower the total amount of useless employees until they arrive at a number that can handle what needs to be done.
Posted by: obc | 2007-10-27 7:16:10 PM
They need to start serious downsizing. There are far too many different departments which are redundant. As to creativity (do not even mention productivity) within the public service, dream on. Add to this top heavy administration and the virtual impossibility of firing incompetent civil servants it amounts to a huge waste of tax dollars.
Posted by: Alain | 2007-10-27 8:33:35 PM
Most Federal bureaucrats particularly in the regional development agencies, Industry Canada
and the pork dispensers like ACOA and Western Diversification are working against the policies of the New Conservative Government -the agencies like
Environment Canada, DND and Public Works and Government Services are staffed with Liberal Political appointees -the bastards in Environment Canada undermined Minister Ambrose constantly.Harper must clean house, here we have Peter the Pumpkin
Eater Minister of National Defence and also responsible for the patronage ridden ACOA which
is clearly a conflict of interest - the Conservative has allowed ACOA bureaucrats to determine the scope and content of Industrial Regional Benefits (Offsets) directly generated by large scale DND Crown Projects, which has resulted in a debacle involving some $45 million in Federal
Industry Offsets being pumped into a company in the middle of nowhere Cape Breton which wants to send "tourists" into space -that little fart Dion would make an excellent first passenger-he and his little doggie, now called "Rover" -Macleod
Posted by: Jack Macleod | 2007-10-28 3:02:00 PM
Right you are Jack Macleod! You really don't like Peter Mckay and I do like him but you like the Prime Minister - I admire the PM way more than Pete so I've no axe to grind on the Pete thing.
I would further like to comment that bureau crates up here in the Yukon were all appointed and sent up here - expenses paid - by the Liberal outfit to rein in all the free enterprisers and get rid of them. Cretian said Aline could have a park in the Yukon - the whole territory - that it is! This is a luxury welfare state that Cape Breton island could only dream about. High wages, tax subsidies, two free trips per year per govee, outside for the wole family, N living allowance, isolation pay....(lowest gov't wage is $21.00 per hour for a dishwasher or floor sweeper)
Almost all people living here work for the government - those who don't rely on gument indirectly. The territory has two govees, per person, to regulate. The rest of us are shredded with regulator inquiries.
Posted by: jema54j | 2007-10-28 3:22:14 PM
I agree with you, about the Liberal Patronage ship which operates the Territories. Our partners and associates do not know Peter MacKay, but I know his father Elmer who was along with Stevens and Mazenkowski the smartest guys in Mulroneys; government.Minister Peter MacKay should be smart enough to realize he is in a conflict of interest with his two important portfolios, but the Greens and Socialist Horde will be after his ass. Stephen Harper is the best PM in my lifetime and I was a teenager when MacKenzie King was PM. Canada is fortunate that Stephen Harper is our Prime Minister. Political reality however demands house cleaning and certain controls. We would abolish ACOA tomorrow at 10:110 am EST without blinking an eye. That fat slob Beck whom Premier Ghiz has been
stuck with who can't keep his hands off young women was a VP of ACOA appointed by Chretien's flunkies. Ghiz will have continuing problems with this incident as the local media and the CBC turn up the heat -Ghiz of course was a flunkey in Chretien's PMO, and is about to get a hard lesson
in Island Politics - MacLeod
Posted by: Jack Macleod | 2007-10-28 3:58:09 PM
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