# I am the Secret Public Servant



## FSTO (6 May 2021)

I'm putting this in here because I'm pretty sure this person has wafted through the Department of National Defence and if he hasn't he'll be missing some epic stories.









						I Am The Secret Public Servant
					

A federal employee spills the tea on the inner workings of the government




					www.canadaland.com
				




Although this part I find incredulous that the author doesn't know that Tim Horton's is not a Canadian Owned company.

"a similar character who would walk several blocks for a Tim Hortons coffee rather than one from Starbucks (as she didn’t want her _per diem_ going to a U.S. company),"

The first installment:

"My name is F, and I am the Secret Public Servant. Over the coming months, I will share an insider’s view of the federal government: how public servants handle controversy and conflict, what we do well, and what we can do better. Along the way, I’ll share some examples that I wouldn’t believe had happened if I hadn’t been in the room. 

A little about me: I’ve worked in several federal government departments over the past decade, both in Ottawa and elsewhere. My work gives me access to some of the highest-level executives, and to their concerns, behaviours, and motivations. I am known as a problem solver, and so I have been privy to very sensitive information. I have been in many discussions about how to handle issues that may soon become public knowledge. I’ve seen extraordinary examples of public service and selflessness, and I’ve seen eye-watering stupidity. 

In this column you’re going to meet a host of characters: the Minister whose riding office is a toxic mess of recrimination and walkouts, the employee allegedly dealing drugs out of his office, and, one of my favourites, the staff member whose behaviour was so bad that it was decided that she could not be fired, because if she were, the chances would be that much greater that her shenanigans could become public knowledge.

But beyond individual bad apples, we’ll also look at some bigger issues and problems: After the Phoenix debacle — a situation where the entire government pay system failed to pay tens of thousands of government employees — what changes were made to facilitate greater accountability, and what chances have been missed? What really happened in the Governor General’s Office regarding her behaviour, and why do investigations cost so much and take so long? Why does the procurement process favour larger businesses over small enterprises — especially large businesses owned by people with very strong political ties? 

We’ll look at the admirable examples too: The senior public servant I’ve met who refuses to claim overtime as a gesture of respect for the public coffers, a similar character who would walk several blocks for a Tim Hortons coffee rather than one from Starbucks (as she didn’t want her _per diem_ going to a U.S. company), and the Director, so outraged by the behaviour of a perennially insubordinate team member she’d inherited, that she almost lost her job by disciplining him.

It’s reasonable to ask why I’m doing this. After all, public servants take an oath of loyalty that includes confidentiality, so where’s my integrity? And why hide behind anonymity? How can any of this be confirmed? Couldn’t I just be making it up?

Let’s start with the last one: You actually _couldn’t _make up some of the things I’ve seen. But, as a sniff test, I encourage you to share this column with any public servant you know at whatever level. Ask them if what I’ve written, or something like it, could be true from their experience. Dollars to doughnuts, you’ll get a heavy sigh and a burdened “the things I’ve seen” murmur. Just try it.

On integrity: As public servants, we commit to privacy and confidentiality as part of our values and ethics. But we also sign up to the value of “stewardship,” which means being mindful of the long-term financial implications of our decisions. So every time (and they are legion) that a poorly behaved employee is put on a “special project” rather than being disciplined, because management doesn’t have the courage for the fight, it violates our commitment to stewardship. The same goes for every time a contract is awarded to a regular and expensive vendor instead of a promising startup. 

But I fully agree that all conversations in the public service should be private. My aim in this column is not at specific individuals. My target here is a collective culture of complacency that I’ve seen cost the taxpayer millions of dollars and which has enabled unprofessional behaviour to go unchallenged. If this is of interest to you, keep reading. 

And, for the record, I have no political agenda. I am not a member of any political party. I have never run for office, nor have I ever campaigned for anyone. But, likely the same as you, I do vote. And, certainly the same as you, I pay taxes. And so, just like you, I have skin in the game. 

So I am the Secret Public Servant, at your service. Come with me.

_Editor’s note: Canadaland has confirmed the identity of the Secret Public Servant and verified their role in the public service, but we have agreed to grant them anonymity, as they will be sharing information in each column that would directly result in their termination."_


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## Remius (6 May 2021)

Oh god...


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## Good2Golf (6 May 2021)

> We’ll look at the admirable examples too: The senior public servant I’ve met who refuses to claim overtime as a gesture of respect for the public coffers


 
Well, if they’re ’_senior_’ they’ll at least be an EX-01, who doesn’t get paid overtime as part of their executive package.


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## SeaKingTacco (6 May 2021)

this ought to be a an interesting column....


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## OldSolduer (6 May 2021)

This should be good


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## dapaterson (6 May 2021)

There was a series in the Ottawa Citizen a few years ago that read like Yes, Minister.  This will probably be more of the same.

If you want really unbelievable stories, GAC is the place to start.


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## Remius (6 May 2021)

I have plenty of stories.  But I would not be publishing them in a news paper.  Yeah, the last time I think was someone called EX or X.  And was stories about the ex world.


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## daftandbarmy (6 May 2021)

My experience working with people in the federal public service (at a variety of levels) has been inspirational, seeing how many people care so much about what they do and honestly try to do the best job possible, balanced with terrifying, because of the organizational strait jackets they have to wear to get their work done.

As usual, good leaders have the best impact in these types of situations.


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## Kilted (6 May 2021)

Probably won't be too difficult to figure out who this individual is.


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## Blackadder1916 (6 May 2021)

Kilted said:


> Probably won't be too difficult to figure out who this individual is.



Especially when he retires from the PS, takes his pension, outs himself and embarks on his second career of commentary on the foibles of the Mandarins.


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## Good2Golf (6 May 2021)

Blackadder1916 said:


> Especially when he retires from the PS, takes his pension, outs himself and embarks on his second career of commentary on the foibles of the Mandarins.


Well...we have seen that before...up to DM level.


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## Colin Parkinson (6 May 2021)

We had a National Director we called the "Black hole" as issues and documents that were sent to them, never re-appeared, all their superiors knew about it and did nothing. Our excellent National Manager finally said "Screw it" and went to another department, where he didn't have to fly cover for incompetence.


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## daftandbarmy (6 May 2021)

Colin Parkinson said:


> We had a National Director we called the "Black hole" as issues and documents that were sent to them, never re-appeared, all their superiors knew about it and did nothing. Our excellent National Manager finally said "Screw it" and went to another department, where he didn't have to fly cover for incompetence.



I was impressed when some of my clients told me that it took 6 to 8 months to get permission (or not) to travel, which was the core of their job and had to go to the DM level for the thumbs up


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## Ostrozac (6 May 2021)

daftandbarmy said:


> My experience working with people in the federal public service (at a variety of levels) has been inspirational, seeing how many people care so much about what they do and honestly try to do the best job possible, balanced with terrifying, because of the organizational strait jackets they have to wear to get their work done.


I have nothing but respect for the civil service. In the face of suffocating bureaucracy, and an institution that does not seem have their back, at all, they get the job done. I can't put my finger on what exactly to call it -- loyalty, endurance, stoicism -- but I salute them. 

If someone jerked around with my pay to the extent that the Phoenix system did, I'd be out and tending bar somewhere. But instead, there they are, accomplishing the country's business.


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## OldSolduer (6 May 2021)

Colin Parkinson said:


> We had a National Director we called the "Black hole" as issues and documents that were sent to them, never re-appeared, all their superiors knew about it and did nothing. Our excellent National Manager finally said "Screw it" and went to another department, where he didn't have to fly cover for incompetence.


The CAF has a few black holes as well.


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