Time for a Reboot: Nine ways to restore trust in Canada’s public institutions

CPPFCanada’s Public Policy Forum has put together a very useful report: Time for a Reboot: Nine ways to restore trust in Canada’s public institutions. It identifies a number of problems with how our public institutions have eroded over time and a series of recommendations to combat this erosion and restore a healthy balance of power.

The reality: Reform is necessary

The report highlights how changes in technology and global politics has resulted in the erosion of our political institutions:

– centralization of power in the premier’s office

– the erosion of influence of the cabinet

– the increasing role of the political service, supplanting the public service

The good news: Renewal is possible

A series of nine recommendations provide a framework for beginning to restore the balance of power envisioned for parliamentary democracy. The report emphasizes four areas of reform:

– strengthening parliamentary committees

– restoring cabinet governance

– letting the public service fulfill its intended role

– building more accountability into the political service

 

This report is a must-read for anyone engaged in making government better for the people it represents.

Time for a Reboot: Nine ways to restore trust in Canada’s public institutions