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Articles by Karl Salgo
Most of the public service cuts haven't been truly strategic | Opinion Original
Most of the public service cuts haven't been truly strategic | Opinion Has the government taken a “measured and strategic approach” when it comes to shrinking the size of the federal bureaucracy? The federal government said it would take a "strategic" approach to job cuts. Photo by Jean Levac /Postmedia When the federal government announced a 10 per cent cut to the size of the public service in its budget last fall, it positioned the initiative as both a fiscal measure and a step to modernization.
Was Christiane Fox really in a conflict of interest? | Opinion Original
Was Christiane Fox really in a conflict of interest? | Opinion The deputy minister's actions don't amount to what most people would think of as a conflict of interest. Last updated 30 minutes ago You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. Christiane Fox, the deputy minister of the Department of National Defence, speaks at a Commons committee hearing on April 13.
Was Christiane Fox really in a conflict of interest? | Opinion
The deputy minister's actions don't amount to what most people would think of as a conflict of interest. Published Apr 16, 2026 • Last updated 1 day ago • 4 minute read You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. Christiane Fox, the deputy minister of the Department of National Defence, speaks at a Commons committee hearing on April 13.
New return-to-office mandate for federal public servants could become issue in Ottawa's next municipal election | Opinion Original
New return-to-office mandate for federal public servants could become issue in Ottawa's next municipal election | Opinion With Ottawa city councillors and the mayor staking out positions on the issue, it could be debated by candidates next fall. Last updated 16 minutes ago You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. The federal government's new return-to-office policy could become an issue in Ottawa's next municipal election.
New return-to-office mandate for federal public servants could become issue in Ottawa's next municipal election | Opinion
With Ottawa city councillors and the mayor staking out positions on the issue, it could be debated by candidates next fall. Published Mar 25, 2026 • Last updated 3 days ago • 4 minute read You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. The federal government's new return-to-office policy could become an issue in Ottawa's next municipal election.
What a decade of Phoenix tells us about the public service | Opinion Original
What a decade of Phoenix tells us about the public service | Opinion There is much Prime Minister Mark Carney can learn from the pay system fiasco in his goal to make government more efficient. Last updated 10 minutes ago You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. The Phoenix pay system is still impacting public servants 10 years after it was launched.
If public servants are going to be sent back to the office full time, it needs to be for the right reasons | Opinion
Skip to Content Optics have been a major driver in the government's past changes to remote work policy. Public servants may be sent back to the office full time as early as 2027, according to reports. /POSTMEDIA During a recent “breakfast chat” with Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke briefly about the government’s plans for the federal public service.
If public servants are going to be sent back to the office full time, it needs to be for the right reasons | Opinion
Optics have been a major driver in the government's past changes to remote work policy. Published Dec 12, 2025 • Last updated 3 hours ago • 4 minute read You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. Public servants may be sent back to the office full time as early as 2027, according to reports.
Why are some government workplaces better than others?
The countless layers of process and rules within government can make anyone who comes into contact with the federal bureaucracy roll their eyes in frustration. Well, it looks like even bureaucrats are happier with less bureaucracy. I’ve written before about the underlying frustrations many federal public servants have, despite being seemingly happy in their jobs, according to the most recent Public Service Employee Survey (PSES).
Why are some government workplaces better than others?
Advertisement 1 Despite clichés about disengaged bureaucrats, this ranking is evidence that the happiest public servants are in workplaces where they can focus on a mission. Article content The countless layers of process and rules within government can make anyone who comes into contact with the federal bureaucracy roll their eyes in frustration. Sign In or Create an Account Article content Well, it looks like even bureaucrats are happier with less bureaucracy.
Salgo: Trump may fire government officials, but in Canada it's not so easy Original
Skip to Content Advertisement 1 Legislation has created arms-length agencies and commissions for a reason. And in Canada, politicians mostly understand they shouldn't interfere. Article content It’s no secret that the U.S. president would like to fire the chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, but, facing opposition from pretty much everyone, he appears to be settling for one of the Reserve’s governors.
Salgo: Trump may fire government officials, but in Canada it's not so easy
Skip to Content Advertisement 1 Legislation has created arms-length agencies and commissions for a reason. And in Canada, politicians mostly understand they shouldn't interfere. Article content It’s no secret that the U.S. president would like to fire the chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, but, facing opposition from pretty much everyone, he appears to be settling for one of the Reserve’s governors.
Salgo: Public service cuts — we've seen massive reductions before Original
Advertisement 1 Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin slashed the bureaucracy by almost 20 per cent. But what's the best formula for the current government to shed federal workers? Article content As he prepares his first budget, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne has asked federal ministers to find program spending cuts that will rise to 15 per cent by 2028-29.
Salgo: Public service cuts — we've seen massive reductions before
Advertisement 1 Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin slashed the bureaucracy by almost 20 per cent. But what's the best formula for the current government to shed federal workers? Article content As he prepares his first budget, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne has asked federal ministers to find program spending cuts that will rise to 15 per cent by 2028-29.
Salgo: Public servants are happy in their work. But can they meet Carney's new demands?
Advertisement 1 According to the latest Public Service Employee Survey, 77 per cent of public servants responded positively to the statement 'overall I like my job.' That's a good start. Is it enough? Article content Earlier this year, I suggested in an Ottawa Citizen column that a tough economic and fiscal environment might not make this the best time for public servants to whine about their jobs.
Will Michael Sabia really 'kick ass' in the public service? Original
Advertisement 1 Both the prime minister and the new clerk of the Privy Council are used to being the smartest guy in the room, notes Karl Salgo. Can their dynamic produce real change? Article content “No man should be viceroy of India for whom the position is an honour,” the early Victorian historian and politician Thomas Macaulay reportedly said.
Salgo: Is the federal government treating its term workers fairly?
Skip to Content Advertisement 1 The public service may be creating second-class public servants with very little job security because others have too much. Article content Prime Minister Mark Carney’s promised program review hasn’t even begun but the public service is already shedding staff, mostly contract employees with terms of up to two years.
Salgo: Don't expect a radical overhaul of the public service under Carney
The Liberal platform that will guide the PM is a surprisingly status quo document that leans towards expansive, albeit more businesslike, government. Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives to address supporters on election night. He's unlikely to do a big shakeup of the bureaucracy at this time, says Karl Salgo.
Salgo: Don't expect a radical overhaul of the public service under Carney
Advertisement 1 The Liberal platform that will guide the PM is a surprisingly status quo document that leans towards expansive, albeit more businesslike, government. Article content Canada’s federal bureaucrats are likely breathing a sigh of relief, at least for the time being, not just for their jobs but for the largely recognizable landscape they can expect to face in the immediate future.
Salgo: Caretaker government — What happens in a Canadian election?
Restraint is the watchword for the government and bureaucracy during a federal election — and sometimes their caution goes too far. • • You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. Article content I have heard (possibly from myself) that Prime Minister Mark Carney named a “caretaker cabinet” last Friday.
Salgo: Federal public servants aren't really politically neutral, are they?
Recently, I wrote about Donald Trump’s quest to install more party loyalists in the U.S. civil service and whether something similar could happen here. Afterwards, I heard back from several quarters that Canada’s public service is already politicized — either because government unions openly support particular parties, or because many federal bureaucrats are reputedly more sympathetic to one governing party than another.
Salgo: Could Trump-style politicization of the public service happen here?
Advertisement 1 Not likely, based on how Canada's public service is structured — but we could inch in that direction. • You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. Article content The unprecedented upheaval in the American federal civil service, spearheaded by “special government employee” and sometime spaceman Elon Musk, has shocked the world.
Salgo: Trudeau missed his chance to reshape the public service
Justin Trudeau will depart largely unlamented by a public service that he expanded but did not reform. Published Jan 13, 2025 • Last updated 12 hours ago • 4 minute read Then-prime minister Stephen Harper wasn't popular in the public service; Justin Trudeau, in the early days, was. Photo by Patrick Doyle /THE CANADIAN PRESS Article content When Justin Trudeau came to power in 2015, the mood of the public service bore some comparison to the liberation of Paris.
Salgo: Trudeau missed his chance to reshape the public service
Advertisement 1 Justin Trudeau will depart largely unlamented by a public service that he expanded but did not reform. • • You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. Article content When Justin Trudeau came to power in 2015, the mood of the public service bore some comparison to the liberation of Paris.
Salgo: What if Canada's public service is actually too accountable?
Advertisement 1 Certainly public servants must be held responsible for their work — but they are subjected to the wrong kinds of rules, paralyzing innovation. • • You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. Article content Canada’s auditor general recently reported major oversight problems with the government’s business-loan program during COVID.
Salgo: Number of political staffers in Ottawa has grown rapidly — and that might be a problem
Advertisement 1 The increase poses two risks: more potential interference in public servants' work; and more control from the Prime Minister's Office. • • You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. Article content In a recent article in the Citizen, I asked whether Canada really needed the extra 100,000 or so public servants the federal government has picked up during the recent years of its tenure.
Salgo: How many public servants does Canada actually need?
The Canadian government doesn’t really know whether all those additional public servants are doing proportionately more work. A deeper dive is warranted. • • You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account. Article content Canada’s public sector has grown at a stunning pace in recent years but are Canadians getting better service?
Salgo: How many public servants does Canada actually need?
The Canadian government doesn’t really know whether all those additional public servants are doing proportionately more work. A deeper dive is warranted. Published Oct 29, 2024 • Last updated 16 hours ago • 3 minute read Treasury Board Secretary Anita Anand is seeking answers about productivity in the public service. Photo by Kelly Clark /THE CANADIAN PRESS Article content Canada’s public sector has grown at a stunning pace in recent years but are Canadians getting better service?
Opinion: How many public servants does Canada actually need?
Opinion: How many public servants does Canada actually need? The Canadian government doesn’t really know whether all those additional public servants are doing proportionately more work. A deeper dive is warranted. Published Oct 29, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 3 minute read Treasury Board Secretary Anita Anand is seeking answers about productivity in the public service.
There's a reason the throne speech wasn't more detailed
A speech from the throne, or a throne speech, is a highly ceremonial element of the parliamentary process, the centrepiece of the opening of any new session of Parliament following an election or a prorogation. The Governor General, as the representative of the Queen, reads the speech on behalf of “her” government, in which the latter seeks the support of parliamentarians for its legislative agenda for the session.
The role of mandate letters in setting the government's course The views, opinions and positions expressed by all iPolitics columnists and contributors are the author’s alone. They do not inherently or expressly reflect the views, opinions and/or position
The prime minister and his thoroughly shuffled cabinet are now in place and already getting down to work, sending signals about what this mandate will be about. The government clearly intends to double down on climate action with the appointments of Steven Guilbeault as minister of Environment and Climate Change and Jonathan Wilkinson as minister of Natural Resources.
Who will form the next government?
By now most of us have been reminded that, in the apparently likely event that Monday’s election doesn’t give any party a majority (sometimes referred to as a hung Parliament), it’s possible that the party that forms the government won’t be the one with the most seats. If this happens, expect cries of “undemocratic” from the party that does get the most seats. But it’s hardly undemocratic for a party with majority support among the members of our only elected federal body to form a government.
Conduct during elections: the convention of restraint
During federal elections, the fair city of Ottawa experiences an uncharacteristic tranquility, just as the rest of the country contends with intensified political noise. It’s not simply that the politicians have gone on the road (thank heaven for small mercies), but also that the government is doing a lot less than usual (ditto, perhaps). For as soon as “the writ is dropped,” both the ministry and the public service are, by longstanding convention, constrained in what they can do.
PHAC: Where’s Westminster?
Canada’s Westminster institutions appear to be suffering from some form of autoimmune disorder. And public trust in government will probably take a hit in consequence. The government — or strictly speaking, the sometimes quasi-autonomous office of the attorney general — is actually taking the Speaker of the House to court to stop him from releasing unredacted documents to Members of Parliament.
This federal budget could actually hold the government to account
Until recently, it may have come as a surprise to many Canadians that the government isn’t legally required to present a budget each fiscal year. To get authority to spend money out of the consolidated revenue fund, the government need only present its spending estimates and receive the House of Commons’ approval for the requested allocations. Yet in the Westminster system, the practice of preparing an annual budget of the nation’s finances is deeply entrenched, dating back to the 18th century.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s mail-in election is a Canadian first
Newfoundland and Labrador’s upcoming mail-in-only general election will be a Canadian first, and a study in evolving standards of electoral legitimacy. Newfoundland’s election proceeded more or less as expected, until days before the scheduled mid-February election date, when a surge of COVID cases resulted in a series of orders from the province’s chief electoral officer (CEO) that began with postponing the voting in the Avalon Peninsula.
Effective workplaces are run by respectful leaders, not tyrants
The dust is beginning to settle, sort of, on the resignation of the governor general, Julie Payette, following a report (described uniformly by the media as “scathing”) of an environment of toxicity and abuse. This unfortunate crisis is an opportunity to apply a governance lens to the tradition of tyrannical bosses. If we think of governance as the way people organize to reach collective outcomes, it will come as no surprise that one important measure of good governance is effective performance.
After Keystone's cancellation, what we need is a royal commission
U.S. President Joe Biden’s cancellation of the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline expansion brings to mind a similar stark choice in the late 1970s, when the Canadian economy had reached its limits, with visible cracks in its seams, following the post-Second World War boom.
Next GG needs to be properly vetted and accept all duties for this job
While Governors General (GG) have experienced varying levels of success and satisfaction with the job, and early departures are not unknown, there is no precedent for the resignation of a Governor General under the circumstances that have driven Madame Payette from office. With her departure, the Chief Justice of Canada, Richard Wagner, becomes Administrator of Canada under the provisions of the Letters Patent of 1947, which constitute the modern office of Governor General.
Next GG must be properly vetted and accept all aspects of the job
While governors general have experienced varying levels of success and satisfaction with the job, and early departures are not unknown, there is no precedent for the resignation of a governor general under the circumstances that have driven Julie Payette from office. With her departure, the chief justice of Canada, Richard Wagner, becomes administrator of Canada under the provisions of the Letters Patent of 1947, which constitute the modern office of governor general (GG).
Poloz appointments prove need to fill gap in ethics rules
Home Page Election 2019 News Opinion Foreign Policy Politics Policy Legislation Lobbying Hill Life & People Hill Climbers Heard On The Hill Calendar Archives Classifieds Hill Times Events Inside Ottawa Directory Hill Times Store Hill Times Careers The Wire Report The Lobby Monitor Parliament Now Subscribe Free Trial Reuse & Permissions Advertising Log In By Karl Salgo and David Murchison August 31, 2020 No one can claim that Stephen Poloz broke any rules by accepting appointments to corporate...
Technology could enhance our democratic institutions
We should not view technology as a threat to democracy. We should instead embrace it and harness it to strengthen our democratic institutions. Canada has enjoyed relative stability in its recent elections. But our stability and insulation from technological change cannot be relied upon to continue.
Budget 2018 truly a watershed for women
Minister of the Status of Women Maryam Monsef attends the installation ceremony of the 29th Governor General of Canada on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday, October 2, 2017. iPolitics/Matthew Usherwood The 2018 federal budget was remarkable for its focus on gender issues. In addition to new initiatives to promote gender equity, the budget is the first to have every spending item filtered through a gender equity lens, with the promise of legislation to require the same of all future budgets.
Harper’s Accountability Act, ten years on
When the government of Stephen Harper took office on February 6, 2006, “accountability” defined the spirit of the times. The prime minister renamed his ministerial playbook Accountable Government, and the new government’s first order of business was a promised Federal Accountability Act (FedAA). The government described the Act as its signature legislation, and within a year most of its elements were in place. Now, who could be against accountability?
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