Internal governmental performance and accountability in Canada: Insights and lessons for post-pandemic improvement

Abstract

This article summarizes and expands on the work of one of three dialogue study teams organized by the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS), Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC), and the Canadian Association of Programs in Public Administration (CAPPA). The Internal Accountability Dialogue Study Team explored the rationale and effects of the performance management regime of the Canadian federal government starting the fall of 2021. In particular, the study team wanted to know whether and in what ways the performance management regime provided information and other support to decision-makers during the pandemic, and in what ways the efficacy of the function post-pandemic could be improved. It found that despite promises to bolster accountability and decision-making, and to foster a learning culture within government, it was subject to a strong control orientation reminiscent of traditional public administration (TPA) that obstructed its potential to contribute in effective ways. If anything, practitioners indicated that performance reporting was something to be avoided rather than embraced raising concerns about the usefulness of the function. The article concludes that performance management ought to be revisited with a clear orientation to learning rather than control, which may restore confidence in its relevance for decision-making.