President’s Corner : Reflections on a Government in Transition
August 6, 2025
As I finish my first month at the Institute on Governance, I thought it would be appropriate to reflect on an important governance instrument that was recently released by the Carney Government — his mandate letter to the ministry.
What a year 2025 has proven to be so far. After a first half marked by scrambling to deliver Trudeau Government legacy initiatives, 3 Cabinet shuffles, 2 transitions of government, a federal election and hosting the G-7 in Kananaskis, federal public servants might be forgiven for wanting a moment to catch their breath. And that is without direct reference to the North American relationship. Yet, as summer rolls on, instead of pausing, public servants are busily preparing for what’s next.
As signalled by the Prime Minister’s mandate letter to his ministry, a Carney Government is to be one of “focus, determination and fundamentally different approaches to governing”. It is a common conceit within the public service to state that a government’s agenda is ambitious, even transformative. Such claims should always be checked against delivery. That said, the Carney Government is aiming big. Framed as seven multi-stage and often inter-connected missions covering the breadth of intractable social (immigration, housing), economic (prosperity, internal trade, regulatory reform, productivity, size of government, national projects), international (Canada-US, multilateral trade) and security (armed forces, policing and border security) challenges, this is not an agenda for the faint of heart — or those wanting to catch their breath. Rather, it is an agenda of urgency that is consistent with the mandate the Prime Minister sought and won during the 45th general election. It is an agenda that says buckle up, pull together and no passengers.
It is also an agenda that would appear to require different approaches to governing. Whether it is gaining agreement with provinces to drop their trade barriers and work to reinforce the internal market; gaining consent of Indigenous groups on national projects; or shifting commercial relationships to generate new trade flows, the Carney Government will need not only “purpose and force”, but also goodwill, creative engagement and leaning in throughout Canadian society. Being able to maintain common purpose, even as trade-offs and sacrifices are required will be a fundamental test not only of the Government but also the country. On this, the last two words of the mandate letter are telling. The Prime Minister concludes his mandate letter with the phrase “in partnership”.
Finding practical, workable ways for institutions to better address citizen needs by evolving to changing circumstances (while maintaining their core principles) has been a central focus of my public service career. It is a major reason why I decided to continue my governance journey with the Institute on Governance. At the IoG we are also gripped and inspired by the challenges facing the country and the necessity for new approaches to governing. Whether you work in the government at the municipal, provincial or federal levels, in Indigenous organizations, think tanks or other parts of civil society, the IoG is here to provide you with bespoke learning supports and advisory services to help you be at your very best. So, whether it is leading change, improving board governance, thriving in an AI world and applying science-based solutions or more generally identifying the value-add of government in changing times, reach out to us and we will work on it together.