A vital national institution? : Report of the national roundtable series on the public service of Canada

A greater focus on performance and productivity—both in terms of the delivery of programs and services to Canadians and the performance and productivity of public servants—could be doubly beneficial, as it would increase the efficiency of the public service and quality of the results while shifting the emphasis from hindsight (i.e. [...] There is also a perceived lack of clarity about the roles and responsibilities of Ministers and their Deputies, as well as the role of the public service as an instrument of government on one hand and as steward of the public interest on the other. [...] The National Roundtable Report will be used to inform the final description of and prescription for the public service in the 21st century that will produced in the spring of 2008. [...] In this regard, participants were reminded of the roles and functions of the public service, given facts, figures and perspectives about its workforce and environment, provided with an analysis of the trends shaping the country and the implications for the public service, and offered a vision of the future role of government, including the corresponding characteristics of an effective public servi [...] Despite the difficulties in putting a “face” to the public service, connecting with the public must be a priority and the public service will have to be more innovative in getting the message out.