Latest news with #bureaucrats
National Post
09-08-2025
- General
- National Post
Jamie Sarkonak: COVID attitudes live on in Nova Scotia's inconsistent forest ban
Article content Permits are obtainable, of course, but the usefulness of this system depends on the sensibility of the bureaucrats tasked with reviewing applications. A spokesperson for Nova Scotia's Department of Natural Resources told the Post that the number of permits issued so far couldn't be pinpointed, as the work is ongoing. Permits are not being issued for recreational purposes, however. Article content Private property considerations aside, the ban is undermined by its many exceptions: not everyone is being kept out, and not all igneous activities are being banned. Nova Scotia is still open to commercial activity, like forestry and mining, with permits, and applications by tour operators will be considered, too. In other words, the sawdust-spewing tree harvest may very well continue, and perhaps some guided hikes, even though walking your dog to a blueberry patch on a friend's land is an absolute no-go, as is horseback riding, as is cycling to work on a trail system. Article content At the same time, multiple fireworks displays have been greenlit across the province: Halifax will be having a fireworks show on Saturday, as will the town of Digby on Sunday. In an X post, the province explained that professional firework companies can still operate with local approval. Article content Whether First Nations can still use provincial and private forests for traditional reasons, the Department of Natural Resources wouldn't say by press time. That might take a dispute between a bold Indigenous trapper and enforcement officers to find out. Article content The province could defend this by stating that commercial operations are required to have some degree of fire suppression capability on remote sites, and that pyrotechnics companies are trained to ensure that their miniature rockets don't accidentally light the place on fire. The exemptions, they might say, allow for a healthy balance between human activity and risk reduction. But if the conditions are so dire that mere birdwatchers must be barred from the woods, well, why take the risk with Caterpillars and John Deeres? Article content Article content Of course, Nova Scotia's forest bans predate the COVID years, but the similarities are clear, and that's probably why so many onlookers have their hackles up. During the pandemic, the public was put under extreme restrictions on movement to control the spread of what turned out to be a not very dangerous virus. Authorities erred on the side of control and risk reduction, likely because they lacked the competency to properly assess risk, and because the health care system was on thin ice. Article content The rules were enforced with intensity — but officials looked the other way for politically correct causes: in 2020, back when the entire population was unvaccinated, thousands of people packed Halifax streets in a George Floyd demonstration with no government fuss; in 2021, as the vaccine rollout began, Nova Scotian authorities banned vaccine-mandate protests. The inconsistent virus response mirrors the irregular caution now being taken in the woods: rather than using regional and activity-based restrictions, pushing for stronger and swifter punishments for firestarters and bolstering firefighting capacity, the province is simply locking out the public. Article content
South China Morning Post
26-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Civil servants in Hong Kong have to move with the times
Hong Kong's civil service has, with justification, been described by the government as the backbone of the administration, helping develop and execute policies while providing public services. But the need for the more than 173,000 civil servants to perform well and provide good value for money is as important now as it has ever been, as the city faces new challenges and a big budget deficit. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has championed a 'result-oriented' approach for the government and is determined civil servants will also meet high standards. Lee recently revealed plans to introduce a new accountability system for the civil service to complement the existing one for principal officials. There are, as yet, few details. But he said underperforming senior bureaucrats may face a pay freeze or other punitive measures. The aim is to improve leadership and policy implementation. It is a welcome development. Hong Kong's civil servants had their pay frozen for a year in April as part of measures to tackle the deficit, but rises for individuals are still possible within the pay bands. Civil servants are well paid and enjoy job security and generous fringe benefits. Their pay structure is rigid and outdated. There is much room for reform. Public servants already undergo annual appraisals to identify outstanding and underperforming individuals. Those falling short are given support to help them improve. There is a mechanism for the retirement of persistent underperformers. But a more rigorous and sophisticated system is needed to enhance accountability and ensure standards are raised. The new arrangements must be carefully structured, with clear objectives, to ensure they are transparent and fair. The system should include assessment of much-needed collaboration between different branches of the service as well as performance within departments. Lee has highlighted the need for reform of the bureaucracy in his policy addresses. Steps taken include amending the civil service code and introducing new awards for high performers. The civil service needs to modernise to improve efficiency, embrace new technology, and better meet the needs of the community. The new accountability system will help, but the process of reform must continue.
South China Morning Post
07-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
China's officials scramble to comply with Xi's austerity rules as inspectors come knocking
As Elon Musk 's so-called Department of Government Efficiency was shaking up federal agencies in America with deep spending cuts, bureaucrats in China were also feeling the heat. Since mid-March, thousands of Chinese officials have been scrambling to comply with President Xi Jinping 's austerity orders – making sure their offices are modest, their meal receipts are in order and returning any lavish gifts – as inspectors carry out checks. The campaign has been running since 2012 and takes aim at overspending among Communist Party and government bodies. It covers spending and protocol in areas ranging from official events to buildings and travel, with the goals of improving the ruling party's image, stamping out corruption and cutting wasteful spending. Analysts say it also has to do with making sure 'every cent' is spent wisely so that China can prevail in its rivalry with the United States. It is also seen as a way to find promising cadres who follow the rules and show political loyalty, and could be candidates for promotion. But questions have been raised over the effectiveness of the campaign given the strict control over the media in China and with no independent watchdog, as well as the difficulty of enforcing its detailed rules on a vast scale.
CBC
13-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Calgary's $276M budget surplus has mayor asking questions
Calgary has had an average of $158 million in surpluses over the past decade. Mayor Jyoti Gondek says bureaucrats should be less conservative when drawing up budgets and more realistic about the money that's needed to balance the books.
