The Fourteenth Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada was tabled in Parliament today by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The report by Clerk of the Privy Council Kevin Lynch focused on public service renewal and the importance of ensuring Canada maintains a professional and vibrant federal Public Service. 

“Canada is known around the world for its exemplary Public Service. Canadians must be able to continue to depend upon a Public Service that is well equipped to meet the challenges the country is facing,” said Mr. Lynch. “If we do not commit ourselves to continuing the process of renewal, the Public Service will not remain a creative national institution central to the governance and development of our country.”

The report sets year-by-year priorities and defines realistic goals to measure progress over the next five years. These priorities include better human resources planning, more effective recruitment, more targeted employee development, and the establishment of the infrastructure to support ongoing renewal.

Elements for the longer term agenda, the issues that will be priorities for the Public Service in the future, are also addressed. These include leadership, innovation, risk management and simplification of human resources processes in the federal Public Service.

The first report to the Prime Minister by the Advisory Committee on the Public Service, which was annexed to the Clerk’s report, noted that the first priority for renewal should be improving recruitment strategies. The committee, established by the Prime Minister in November 2006, will submit further reports on core issues for public service renewal such as performance management and leadership.

The annual report is available on the Privy Council office website: 
Fourteenth Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada (2007)

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