Good government is about getting results

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/01/2018 (3067 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Today’s short attention spans sometimes make people believe it’s better to look good than to actually be good.

Sometimes governments can start to think that way, too. It’s easy to do things for show like cut ribbons and make promises, but finishing projects and keeping promises is a lot tougher.

Manitobans know what kind of government they want. One that keeps its promises. One that understands their priorities. One that gets results.

Every Christmas, I try to read or re-read a few good books over the holidays. This year, one of them is titled: What is Government Good At? A Canadian Answer by Donald J. Savoie. Some people might think that would be a very short book. It’s not. Maybe that’s because the author spends much of the book explaining what governments are not good at. Sadly, Savoie concludes that among other things, governments are good at growing by adding layers of management and bureaucracy. They are also good at placing and avoiding blame.

When I survey government departments and agencies, I can’t help but agree. Innovation and accountability are often lacking.

Before I was elected MLA, I worked in the information technology industry for over 25 years. If there’s one thing the IT industry has in spades, it’s innovation. It’s dominated by companies that led innovation and is littered with the corpses of companies that failed to adapt to change or tried to lead change but failed.

One way I am working to improve government is through my work on the Fiscal Responsibility Committee of Cabinet. Together with seven other MLAs, we are tasked with strategic transformation projects and other innovative initiatives to save taxpayers’ dollars and ensure government departments and agencies are held accountable.

All of these government departments and agencies have hard-working, well-intentioned civil servants. It’s often the structure of the system itself that stifles innovation. Bold changes are needed. This means having the collective will to remove roadblocks and work through the fear of change.

We have all heard stories of government waste. Whether it’s poor management of a construction project or the creation of reports that nobody reads, the examples seem endless. If you know of government waste or have ideas for improving services or reducing costs, please share them with me. You can contact me by e-mail at james@jamesteitsma.ca or call my office at 204-691-7976.

Together, we can build a better Manitoba.