Events

Resilient Institutions Press Conference

“For Canada to confront and succeed in today’s uncertain world of war and security, climate change, social and economic dislocation, and the inevitable next pandemic, we need public servant leaders with the skills to advise and implement solutions that work. And we need them to work in a renewed public service that has learned from the pandemic experience,” said IOG President and CEO, David McLaughlin, in Ottawa on March 13, 2024.

These were remarks made at a press conference to announce the joint release of a major report that focused on drawing lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to improve the resilience of our public institutions.

The report, based on a conference we held in June 2023 with collaborators at the Institute for Research on Public Policy, outlines four key lessons learned and makes 12 major recommendations, including a call for the federal government to appoint an expert panel to lead a comprehensive pan-Canadian examination into how public institutions performed.

David McLaughlin, in discussions with journalists, underscored the importance of these lessons in enhancing the government’s ability to effectively serve Canadians. By embracing the insights gleaned from the pandemic experience, Canada can better prepare itself for future challenges and ensure the delivery of quality public services to its citizens: “it is about lessons learned so that we can all be prepared for the role of government to serve Canadians better.”