Launch of the Blueprint 2020 Vision

June 7, 2013

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Good afternoon. Thank you Daniel. Thank you Linda for your warm welcome. I’d like to acknowledge the support of the Canada School of Public Service in hosting and coordinating this event.

I’d like to thank all of you for joining us today, either in person or by linking in.

It is great to see so many enthusiastic and energetic public servants!

Many thanks Louise for your dedication and leadership.

I almost didn’t make it here on time today, I was meeting with the PM just prior to this launch and we were in the midst of a good discussion. I told him that I had to leave.

When he asked why, I explained it was for the launch of Blueprint 2020, to which he said that he had read up on the initiative and that we had his support. So, I am pleased to be able to convey that to you today.

As the head of the Public Service, I am delighted to be speaking to future leaders of the largest, most complex organization in Canada.

Public Service matters enormously to Canada’s economy and well-being. Canadians depend on a professional, non-partisan, and high performing Public Service.

Together, we are responsible for delivering diverse and critical programs and services that touch the day-to-day lives and business of Canadians, in all regions of the country.

I will start today’s presentation by saying that this is a pivotal time for Canada’s Public Service.

The world in which the Public Service operates is becoming increasingly complex, and we will need new competencies and capabilities to navigate it successfully.

We must keep pace to serve Canada and Canadians, now and in the future.

The Public Service has a solid history of adapting to meet Canada’s needs.

For example, over the past couple of years, we have begun a process to renew and transform the Public Service through the delivery of a dynamic policy agenda and re-engineering many of our internal and external services.

And across the Public Service, we’re improving services to Canadians by leveraging technology and developing innovative solutions.

This is changing the nature of our work and our workplace.

To continue evolving in pace with Canadians and their needs, we need a clear and shared vision of what Canada’s Public Service should become in the decades ahead.

We need to know:

• What are the competencies required for the future?
• What tools should we explore that could help us deliver services more efficiently and effectively?
• How can we better meet the expectations of Canadians in a Web 2.0 world?

At my invitation, over the past year, senior deputies came together to develop a vision of a revitalized and world-class Public Service equipped to serve Canada and Canadians, now and into the future.

Their resulting work, Blueprint 2020 – Getting Started, Getting Your Views, articulates a vision for the Public Service for the long-term, positioning it for continued excellence. It includes 4 guiding principles. These are:

• An open and networked environment that engages citizens and partners for the public good;
• A whole-of-government approach that enhances service delivery and value for money;
• A modern workplace that makes smart use of technologies to improve networking, access to data and customer service; and,
• A capable, confident and high-performing workforce that embraces new ways of working and mobilizing the diversity of talent to serve the country’s evolving needs.

Today, we are launching the engagement process for the Blueprint 2020 vision.

Deputy heads have been asked to broaden the conversation around the Blueprint 2020 vision so that public servants across the country can join in.

Louise will talk about our collaborative approach in a moment.

But I will say this – this engagement is structured around a discussion of the vision and, through discussion and idea generation, the development of an action plan.

While the Blueprint 2020 engagement process is voluntary – I hope you will get involved in the engagement.

We need all public servants, in all regions, to help refine the vision over the course of the coming months and to determine what we need to do together to make it a reality.

This Webinar event marks the launch of the Blueprint 2020 vision and the beginning of engagement efforts and organizational activities across the Public Service, in all regions of the country.

I am particularly pleased that the dialogue around the Blueprint 2020 vision is being launched as part of National Public Service Week.

The theme of this year’s National Public Service Week, “Proudly Serving Canadians”, succinctly captures what public servants across our organization strive for – to serve Canadians with passion, integrity, pride and excellence.

We must build on these strengths. As we reflect on our achievements this National Public Service Week, we should think about what the Public Service can and should be.

The dialogue on the Blueprint 2020 vision is your opportunity to help shape the Public Service of tomorrow.

As a leader, I recognize that we must be open to new ideas and approaches to doing things.

I am delighted that the launch platform for this important initiative is both technology enabled and involves public servants from right across Canada.

I encourage each and everyone of you to become involved, to share your ideas – and help shape a concrete action plan that will help us make progress towards the Blueprint 2020 vision.

Together, we’ll find fresh ways to uphold the tradition of excellence that is the hallmark of Canada’s Public Service.

I challenge you to get involved – join the discussion – share your ideas – this is your opportunity to be heard!

Thank you!

Wayne Wouters