This is ridiculous.
Every new federal civil servant from coast to coast is being sent to Ottawa on a two-day, all-expenses paid trip to give them a “big picture” understanding of how government works.
The trip is mandatory for all new employees as well as anyone contracted to the federal government for more than six months — everyone from mailroom clerks and agricultural ministry workers to new Mounties.
The first trips are scheduled to start in three weeks, organized under a government branch called the Canada School of Public Service.
What isn’t mentioned in the article is that the ridiculousness is just “business as usual” for the civil service. Bureaucracies across all levels of government seem addicted to the practice of transporting government employees long distances at taxpayer expense to gather together before centralized sheets of paper.
update – In the comments, Bruce clarifies;
This lunacy was brought in by the Martin government, finalized by Treasury Board prior to November 28, 2005. Follow the link.
update 2 – Looks like there’s a pretty good chance the program will be axed under the Conservatives. Liberal MP Hedy Fry seems unhappy about that. A very good observation by NDP MP Peter Julian;
Julian said government would be better off spending money to send senior decision makers in the civil service out to the regions to see how their policies affect the public, “rather than have new members of the public service going to Ottawa where they are essentially inculcated into the kind of atmosphere we have in Ottawa,”
Well said.
CAW:
Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad if it was mostly the people from Ottawa/Hull, but the federal public service is not that centralized. Look at Victoria, for example: DND, CCRA, Fisheries, Coast Guard, NRC, etc. Somewhere around 4000 federal government employees.
As for the highways, on second thought it was probably not the best example because of all the variables in traffic and weather. Two better examples: the decline of service when the province turned over the administration of MSP and Pharmacare to Maximus; and, the increase of major accidents after BC Rail waa sold to CN.
The private sector has the potential to provide services that are either better or cheaper, but usually not both at the same time.
Hedy Fry has her knickers in knots? Good for her/him.
Was Julian/NDP referring to the atmosphere da Volpe, Joe, da wanna-be Ldr da Libs? Volpe da Pizza Man.
Or, the atmosphere of Dingwall, the Mint Man, by GUM @ $1.29/cud? Staff dinner @ $5,693.00 (No Tip). Cheapskate. …-
Joe’s atmosphere is here:
http://www.youthforvolpe.no-libs.com/
News Releases – 8th Annual Teddies Waste Awards
Volpe also spent $138 on pizza for two one night and $207 a few nights later on pizza … a Mint-staff dinner at a swanky Ottawa restaurant that cost $5693) …
http://www.taxpayer.com/main/news.php?news_id=2223 – 26k –
To state that delivery and quality of care in US private hospitals is better than that of state hospitals is not “disingenuous”. It is a fact. You cannot argue that their system is inferior because patients have to pay for care, then argue that the better quality of care is only because patients pay for it!
In Canada, all we have are “state hospitals”. And contrary to the mythology you embrace, the owners make lots of money, as they do in any “not-for-loss” system.
Unlike a system where failing your customers – the patient – can put you out of business, in Canada everyone who works in the health care system is guaranteed a profit, no matter how poor their performance.
And so poor performance we get. And I’ve witnessed it first hand.
BTW – we’re breaking my own comments policy here. This is off topic, so we’ll have to agree to disagree.
I’m wondering if they were also paying for a companion/family member to go along for the ride? I know some levels of government do similair things, not sure of guidelines. Ex. convention in Newfoundland last spring for M.D.’s, County, etc., councillors could take along spouse.
Thanks George for info on Air Canada.