How Government Works

Description

As a public servant, you work in a huge and complex organization to deliver public policies and services. In this course, we make sure you understand the institutions, the key players and the processes that make up modern complex government.  We set out the core constitutional and institutional foundations, and how decisions are made. We will discuss not just how things are organized but why, and what that means for you and your work.

Certificate in Policy and Governance

This course is part of the Certificate in Policy and Governance offered by the institute. 

Learning Objectives:

• You will learn about the major structures, institutions, roles and key players in government, and the three branches of government.
• You will understand the constitutional foundations, the division of powers and the concept and practice of responsible government.
• You will understand the roles and functions of the Central Agencies.
• You will learn about the functions of the Executive Branch, including the Cabinet and individual Ministers, mandate letters, the public service and political staff.
• You will understand the foundations of good governance.

Duration

• 3 hours, including brief breaks to maintain engagement and facilitate learning absorption.

Facilitators

Toby Fyfe is a seasoned senior executive with experience in both the public and not-for-profit sectors. As a senior federal government executive, he led teams at the Privy Council Office and Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat as well as in line organizations such as Consumer of Corporate Affairs Canada, the Canada Information Office and the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages.

He was President and CEO of the Institute on Governance for five years after serving as the Vice-President Learning.

As a management consultant he has worked with a number of public sector organizations to improve performance, including the RCMP where he worked on the design and implementation of a continuous improvement and transformation initiative.

Before joining the federal government, he was a CBC Radio news and current affairs producer for seventeen years.

He is a Senior Fellow and Adjunct Professor at the Queens University School of Policy Studies (SPS) and an Adjunct Professor at Carleton University’s School of Public Policy and Administration (SPPA).