The office of the Auditor General and public service reform: an insiders perspective
By: Holmes, John W.
Material type:
ArticlePublisher: 1996Description: p.524-34.Subject(s): Administrative reform
In:
Canadian Public AdministrationSummary: This article discusses the position and role of the Auditor General of Canada in relation to public service reform. It presents a view of the strategy of the Office of the Auditor General respecting Public Service 2000 (PS 2000), the major public service renewal initiative undertaken by the federal government in 1989. In view of the current imperative of reform and renewal as portrayed in the recent report to the prime minister by the head of the public service and in work under way for the forthcoming report of the auditor general, it is hoped that a clear understanding of past actions of the office will prove useful to readers in interpreting its future actions. The article reflects my personal perspective as a principal in the office - as an "insider" - who has been involved, centrally or peripherally, in much of the office's reform-related work since 1989 and whose responsibilities previously involved tracking the progress of PS 2000 on behalf of the auditor general. The article does not represent an office position. While it does cite a number of statements by the auditor general, the interpretation is mine and, for this and other reasons, the article should not be construed as necessarily reflecting his position on the matters discussed. As this article will show, I believe that within the confines of his mandate, the auditor general has sought to nurture and sustain renewal and that his strategy - to be the "conscience" of PS 2000-mirrored that intent. This interpretation reflects my understanding of the objectives of PS 2000 and the mandate of the office, among other factors. Given that reform and renewal of the public service and, indeed, many of the specific matters that PS 2000 sought to address (if not to confront) are important still, in the closing section of the article I highlight a critical issue: the need for a more constructive dialogue among stakeholders on public service management issues. - Reproduced
| Item type | Current location | Call number | Vol info | Status | Date due | Barcode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Articles
|
Indian Institute of Public Administration | Volume no: 39, Issue no: 4 | Available | AR35735 |
This article discusses the position and role of the Auditor General of Canada in relation to public service reform. It presents a view of the strategy of the Office of the Auditor General respecting Public Service 2000 (PS 2000), the major public service renewal initiative undertaken by the federal government in 1989. In view of the current imperative of reform and renewal as portrayed in the recent report to the prime minister by the head of the public service and in work under way for the forthcoming report of the auditor general, it is hoped that a clear understanding of past actions of the office will prove useful to readers in interpreting its future actions. The article reflects my personal perspective as a principal in the office - as an "insider" - who has been involved, centrally or peripherally, in much of the office's reform-related work since 1989 and whose responsibilities previously involved tracking the progress of PS 2000 on behalf of the auditor general. The article does not represent an office position. While it does cite a number of statements by the auditor general, the interpretation is mine and, for this and other reasons, the article should not be construed as necessarily reflecting his position on the matters discussed. As this article will show, I believe that within the confines of his mandate, the auditor general has sought to nurture and sustain renewal and that his strategy - to be the "conscience" of PS 2000-mirrored that intent. This interpretation reflects my understanding of the objectives of PS 2000 and the mandate of the office, among other factors. Given that reform and renewal of the public service and, indeed, many of the specific matters that PS 2000 sought to address (if not to confront) are important still, in the closing section of the article I highlight a critical issue: the need for a more constructive dialogue among stakeholders on public service management issues. - Reproduced
There are no comments for this item.