“Many reported not knowing how to fill certain new mandatory information fields or interpret cryptic error messages from the CRA’s software that didn’t specify what had gone wrong” #GCdigital https://www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/db3e2546298bc23948fa7ae89abd080550c207b5d8d8df93c294630914e38891/UZVWSGCGF5DINGNXBQDSHVEEAE/
A great piece from Vass Bendar (via @amanjeev): “Are a Handful of Wealthy Tech Bros Bringing DOGE to Canada?” https://thewalrus.ca/are-a-handful-of-wealthy-tech-bros-bringing-doge-to-canada/ #GCdigital #cdnpoli
New blog post! 
“Things that are happening” (on the dismantling of US civil service institutions and technology teams, and consequences for public sector reform elsewhere) https://sboots.ca/2025/03/04/things-that-are-happening/ #18F #uspol #GCdigital
"The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) had set Tuesday as the date for transitioning to #nextgeneration911 The telecom regulator now says it has moved that deadline to March 2027.
In a Friday decision, the #CRTC acknowledged the delay means “Canadians will have to wait longer for the enhancements” the new systems will bring.
"The stated rationale for this centralization was to eliminate unnecessary duplication, inconsistency, and costs in systems, processes, policies, contracts, and services across these functions.
The committee understands and accepts this rationale. However, the committee heard on numerous occasions from personnel at various centers that this centralization had actually reduced efficiency, with suggested values of reduction in the 20–30 percent range.
This can be seen as an unintended but significant consequence of the centralization initiative."
#NASA #gcdigital #centralization
https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27519/nasa-at-a-crossroads-maintaining-workforce-infrastructure-and-technology-preeminence
"The PBO said that in the four departments it studied, IT services provided by outside contractors cost taxpayers between 22 and 25.7 per cent more than they would have if the services had been provided in-house."
"One of these side effects is increased compli- ance costs. We do not know exactly what it costs for departments and agencies to meet the expectations of watchdogs and political overseers, and to maintain the watchdogs and overseers themselves, and how this cost compares to the benefits of intensified control. It is likely, though, that these compliance costs are substantial." -- @alasdairroberts
"rules are a lot more costly than people tend to realize – not just the cost of people who run accountability systems but the time of people who comply with them, who could be doing something more productive instead.
Such costs are particularly onerous for small agencies. No one in the government of Canada knows the full measure of these costs and no one seems to want to."
https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/salgo-canada-public-service-accountable
This piece from @quidampepin is a great read: “State, bureaucracy and power – Reflections of a bureaucrat” https://www.davidpepin.ca/billets/state-power-bureaucracy/ #GCdigital
"As the agency scrambles internally to deal with so-called threat actors, The Fifth Estate/Radio-Canada investigation has found the public is mostly being kept in the dark about the staggering amounts stolen and the gaping flaws in the agency's ability to detect fraud."
"it remains unknown why the CRA paid out refunds to people using fake addresses or why they didn't detect the fact that fraudsters were using the same bank account to get refunds on behalf of unrelated taxpayers"
This is such a good slide. (From Dan Honig at @fwd50.) #fwd50 #GCdigital
"For decades, politicians have loaded the system with controls and watchdogs. Many controls have been proposed in good faith. But no one has looked at the cumulative effect of the entire control regime.
No one has tallied how much it costs for bureaucrats to comply with all these rules, or considered how it affects culture and performance, or calculated whether the costs of compliance exceed the benefits."
A great article from @alasdairroberts
Also if you like procurement reform, you'll love Warren Smith's presentation at @fwd50's online day next week! I'm very stoked for it: https://www.fwd50.com/session/1464/a-public-procurement-renaissance-is-overdue-time-for-action #GCdigital
New blog post! 
Speaking at the Government Operations committee this Wednesday (July 24) #GCdigital https://sboots.ca/2024/07/19/speaking-at-the-government-operations-committee-this-wednesday/
New blog post! “Why we became public servants”
With thanks to Brian, Rebecca, and everyone who was part of this video series! #FWD50 #GCdigital @fwd50
https://sboots.ca/2024/07/03/why-we-became-public-servants/
New from Prof. Amanda Clarke and I! 
“Breaking All the Rules: Information Technology Procurement in the Government of Canada” #GCdigital https://amandaclarke.ca/new-paper-on-federal-government-it-contracting/
Needed to print a government form today, because the government can't build web applications.
Printer doesn't work because Linux.
My phone can print, but the text I've filled in doesn't show up and the form comes out blank.
I head to the nearest print shop.
They're booked and can't print my stuff before closing.
Uber to print shop #2 and stand in line with 3 other people all printing out government forms.
While they're printing my PDFs I make small talk:
"It looks like there are a lot of people who don't have a printer at home huh?" He laughs. "Hardly anyone, but they keep making these forms".
They finally hand over the printed version: someone created the PDF with a mix of letter size and legal size, so parts are chopped off. We print again.
Obviously now I have to sign them and mail them.
All to update a row in what I hope is a proper database and not a spreadsheet.
"Gagnon is based in Montreal and will be working remotely, he will maintain a regular in-office presence in Ottawa “as needed.”
The timing is ironic, given the government’s rush to get public servants back to the office more regularly."
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/governments-new-chief-technology-officer-will-work-remotely
