From the Archives: Principles for Good Governance in the 21st Century

By Rhonda Moore and Catherine Waters.

May 7, 2025

Jonathan Swift is credited with coining the term ‘everything old is new again.’ Indeed, the phrase holds true and helps to explain resurgent trends in music, urban planning, and fashion. So why not governance? This week we are reposting this 2003 policy brief from IOG founder Tim Plumptre and colleagues John Graham and Bruce Amos. The policy brief itemizes the five principles of good governance and discusses how they apply in context: who are the players? Who has influence? Who decides, and in what capacity?

As Canadians digest the outcome of the recent federal election and wait for more details of the government’s priorities and next steps, we have a moment to reflect  on the principles of governance that matter to us. We elected a party that positioned itself as the best able to deal with Trump, and to solve the polycrisis. How will those crises be solved? What do we want Canada to look like on the other side of these big questions? Whatever the solutions, we believe Canadians desire an approach that is grounded in legitimacy and fairness, that demonstrates direction and for which progress is measurable, and for which our leaders are accountable. Have a read. Let us know what you think.