National Public Service Week - A thank you to all public servants

Omar Alghabra, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (Public Service Renewal)

Canada’s Public Service is among the best in the world. Through good and challenging times, public servants work tirelessly to deliver services and ensure that the government upholds its duties to Canadians. This National Public Service Week is an opportunity for us to celebrate our talented and committed public servants, and thank them for the work they do every day to make our country a better place to live, for everyone.

Over the years, I have had the opportunity, through different Parliamentary Secretary portfolios, to work alongside our incredible, smart, and hardworking public servants. I have seen Global Affairs consular case managers passionately working to find ways to assist Canadians who were caught in difficult situations abroad. I have seen the professionalism and commitment of Trade Commissioners in assisting Canadian business to grow their businesses internationally, make themselves available to answer their questions and help them navigate government resources.

I am now called to serve as the Prime Minister’s Parliamentary Secretary on Public Service Renewal, and to support the Beyond2020 vision of a Public Service that is agile, inclusive and equipped. A vision of a Public Service that empowers people from diverse backgrounds to share their thoughts and ideas, a Public Service that is responsive, and adaptive to the fast changing and complex nature of the world, and a Public Service with the right talent and infrastructure to support Canadians’ needs.

National Public Service Week this year comes at a time when we are all reflecting on the unique challenges added by the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver government programs. The role of the Public Service in supporting the COVID-19 response is an inspiring story.  Not only because of the speed and efficiency of the response, such as through the roll out of the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), but also because it comes at a time when Canadians across the country, including public servants, are experiencing mental health difficulties, while also struggling to keep balance between work, and increased family demands.

As we celebrate and acknowledge the efforts of our Public Service, we should also look to learn from our experience in responding to COVID-19 and to adapt how we go forward. Did we discover that we could adopt new methods that can be more effective and efficient? Are there new ways that we could implement to help empower our public servants? Can we find a new balance that focuses on delivering results while also respecting accountability?

As I go on my daily walks in Mississauga, I am often stopped by constituents who want to thank the government and public servants for being there for Canadians. I look forward to continuing to work with public servants, as they continue to explore new ways to improve on how they can serve Canadians.

On this National Public Service Week, I want to express my deep gratitude to all public servants, including those who serve in municipal, regional, territorial, provincial, and federal governments. Canada is one of the best countries in the world due to their talent and commitment.