I am certain that many of us who have tracked the ongoing saga of the Government of Canada’s Way Forward initiative over the years has undoubtedly read Kathryn May’s article regarding former PWGSC Deputy Minister David Marshall’s testimony at the Federal Labor Relations Board Hearing regarding the dismissal of Douglas Tipple and David Rotor (Ottawa Citizen, September 27th, 2007).
I know that the catchy headline, “Public Works makeover gamble failed” certainly got my attention as I was waiting for my car in the reception area of a local auto repair shop (which by the way is a story for another place and another day).
David Marshall’s public confession that going outside for advice in terms of his vision for transforming public works was a mistake may be laudable in some circles. Some of my less forgiving colleagues will undoubtedly have another word for his admittance of fallibility. The real question however is whether or not the mistake was “preventable.” Given the purported expertise of Marshall, (Douglas) Tipple and (David) Rotor – at least a $360,000 salary, accommodation allowance, club membership and a directors course at the University of Toronto’s Rotmans School of Management would seem to imply some level of expertise - it is a fair question.
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