Scott Brison warned over turtle's pace of public service

Canada's new TreasuryBoard president was warned about the efficiency and opennessof the federal public servicewhen he took over the job as itstop employer, according to documentsobtained by CBC News.

Briefing notes prepared for Scott Brisonin November warnthepublic service will have to undergo a "cultural change" if the reigningLiberals wantto deliver on their promise of open government.

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The documents,obtained under the Access to Information Act,describeapublic service used to "limited disclosure"and"insular policymaking."

WhenBrison took over the cabinet position in November, he was tasked with reforming Canada's access to information laws, making the government "open by default,"improving the government's communications policyand bettering government services.

"Some of these changes are not easy. They areradical departures from how the government has operated over the last decade," the documents read.

Government services needa 'reset'

Brison was reminded the "government is not doing a good enough job of meeting the needs and expectations of citizens for quality, accessible services." The notes say only 45 per cent of Canadians have a positive perception of federal services.

That was illustratedwith a stock image of an exasperated worker, his telephone raised high in the air.

At one point, the briefing notes used an image of a turtle to emphasizehow slow Treasury Board is atimplementingbudget decisions. (It takes an average of 15 months for projects to receive funding.)

The documents note that while "the government can rely on a dedicated, high-performing and well-managed public service ... there is room for improvement."

'Intelligent risk-taking' wanted

For the Liberals to reach their promise of "real change," there will need to be a"reset" of how the government delivers results to Canadians, warnthe briefing notes.

Brisonsaidhis government plans to shake things up in the public service.

"That means,among other things, breaking down some of the hierarchies within the public service around decision making,"he said, pointing out that theaverage age of new hires in Canada's public service is 37yearsold.

"If we're going to attract the best and brightest to the public service, if we're going to attractmillennials to the public service,we have to modernize it, including flattening hierarchiesthat have acted to stiflecreativity and good decision making."

Brison says accountability shouldn't be used as an excuse to quash creativity and entrepreneurial thinking.

"We want intelligent risk-taking within the publicservice."

PSAC agrees

ChrisAylward,national executive vice-president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, saiddespite the connotations in the documents, he's not offended by the warning.

"When they're talking about the quality of service, they're absolutelyright. When you make serious cuts to vital servicesthat theConservatives made, well obviously that's going to affect the quality of service," he said.

"So we don't get offended when they talk about the quality of service because we agree ... That's not to say that those who were left behindto do the work are not dedicated, are not competent. They very much are."

Government is not doing a good enough job of meeting the needs and expectations of citizens for quality, accessible services.- TreasuryBoard briefing notes

The briefing notes provided recommendations on how the new government can accelerate its open government plans, but they were redacted.

The documents did recommend the government modernize its communication policies so federal departments could release more information.

Access to information

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came swinging into power on apromise of making the government more open and transparent. But when it comes to making information more readily available, the briefing memos note the public service is bogged down.

More businesses, the publicand media are using the Access to Information Actto obtain information, butgovernment institutions are "straining" to meet the demands.

A page outlining the keyissues facing Canada'saccess to information laws was redacted.Aylwardcalled the rules around thoselaws "ludicrous."

"Theredefinitelyneeds to be a cultural shift. We certainly agree withthat.The last 10 years have been demoralizing for public sector workers.There's been a culture of fear andsuppression," he said.

Aylwardsaid the public service's relationship has changed with a switchin government, but he would still like to see more people hired.

Contact the author atcatharine.tunney@cbc.ca