Public Policy Forum

Economist Stephen Tapp's research finds that government sector labor productivity declined by an average of 0.3% annually over that period, while business sector productivity increased.

As I argued in a 2024 paper for the Public Policy Forum, layers of approvals, outdated technology, and cumbersome processes can consume resources while frustrating public servants and the people they serve.

Boosting state capacity requires changing how it works rather than adding more people.

PSAC President Sharon D'Souza says the union will not let the government find savings on the backs of workers.

And I'm Michael Serapio.

You've been listening to Wonk, a podcast about big ideas and unprecedented times from Canada's public policy forum.

Until next time, take care.

So a lot is riding on this report, uh, for us, and, uh, and I think this is a g- a good way for people to kinda get, uh, ready for the kinds of, uh, recommendations we're gonna have on the panel.

So I thought we could start our conversation today by talking about your recent appointment as a fellow of the Public Policy Forum.

What does a fellow do? [laughs]

The Public Policy Forum is based in Ottawa, and a few years ago they asked me to write a report on reforming employment insurance.

So I wrote that report.

It went well.

Uh, and I've sat on panels, Public Policy Forum events.

So, uh, one day I just asked Carole Leigh, who's the head of the Public Policy Forum here in Atlantic Canada, I said, "How does one become a fellow?" Uh, and she told me there's a process, so I, you know, I went through the process, and then they, they appointed me as a fellow.

You are listening to Wonk, the podcast about big ideas in unprecedented times from Canada's Public Policy Forum.

[upbeat music] Hello, everyone.

I'm Michael Serapio.

Flavio Volpe, the president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association Canada.

And I'm Michael Serapio.

Thank you for joining us on this week's episode of Wonk, the podcast about big ideas in unprecedented times from Canada's Public Policy Forum.

Until next time, take care.

[upbeat music]

The second subject that came under, uh, that One Atlantic Canada approach is workforce.

Uh, your study that you did for the Public Policy Forum was very, uh, informative on that, on that piece.

As you mentioned in that report, you know, we're gonna need 440,000 new workers over the next 10-year period, and they're-- we don't have them right now.

In fact, there's a gap, as you mentioned in the report, of 270,000 people that we have to find from somewhere else.

And I don't think it fell all at once.

The Public Policy Forum, which is an advocacy group, wrote a policy paper called The Shattered Mirror.

It basically outlined the problem and the crisis in the journalism industry and the news industry, and that is the, the moment where governments and, I think, people took a, a real notice.

And after that point, 2016, the conversation changed from the sky is falling to how do we fix it?

As co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Hub and a former senior advisor to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Sean brings deep insight into Canadian policy and politics.

He also serves as a senior fellow at Carleton University the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, and the Public Policy Forum.

Sean, over to you.

Good afternoon, everyone.