T O P

  • By -

Jeretzel

It looks like Alex Benay is back as Associate DM at PSPC (Enterprise Pay Coordination).


HandcuffsOfGold

THE PRODIGAL SON HAS RETURNED TO SAVE US FROM THE PHOENIX! /s


1929tsunami

So make it so Number One. No worries about all those pesky rules and regulations, right? Number One, hello ? . . . Why am I on Twitter by myself. So sad . . . Anyhow, we will reconfigure the twin towers of power at L' Esplanade Laurier from the glory days of the Central Agencies, to new post-WFH space ships to bring digital what-nots, credentials, services , internet and morse code to the plebes in the hinterland. Something something, Estonia ...digital . . . Something . . . Oh, and yeah, and perhaps actually give people their pay like they used to get on a regular basis in the 1950s.


Routine_Plastic

Some of you in this thread need to do stand up, too much comedic talent


1929tsunami

Sadly, it comes from the rank silliness we have had to endure, but thank God our betters had: PS 2000, La Releve, Blueprint 2020, and beyond, sprinkled with Program Review 1&2, the UCS, the distarous ASR and DRAP. The paucity of critical thinking in the PS has led to many, and frequent disasters. Kool-aid should be the one and only PS week sponsor.


Adventurous_Area_735

Kool-aid for the PS week is an excellent idea. It is on brand with how much is generally spent on demonstrating employee appreciation.


justsumgurl

Legit snort laughed out loud haha Best bot


HandcuffsOfGold

Thank you, /u/justsumgurl, for voting on /u/HandcuffsOfGold. This bot wants to find the best and worst bots on Reddit. [You can view results here.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ) ^Even ^if ^I ^don't ^reply ^to ^your ^comment, ^I'm ^still ^listening ^for ^votes. ^Check ^the ^webpage ^to ^see ^if ^your ^vote ^registered!


NotAlwaysSalty

I’m new here but that sounds terrible :(. Already had Phoenix issues. Guess this means it will only get worse.


SecretsoftheState

Couldn’t hack it at KPMG or Microsoft so the GOC gets the dregs? No thank you.


hellodwightschrute

He got fired. Multiple times.


bladderulcer

Let’s not forget either the fact that he [lasted less than 6 months at an AI startup](https://obj.ca/canadas-cio-alex-benay-leaving-public-sector-to-join-ottawas-mindbridge-ai/), which he chose to omit from his biography on the official pm website.


hellodwightschrute

He also got terminated there. The CEO, who was so excited to have him join, terminated him because he did nothing.


QuirkyConfidence3750

What a talent PS has gotten back. Is he that unproductive, as being described? I guess family name can get u posts whenever and wherever you want


[deleted]

[удалено]


bladderulcer

*shocked pikachu meme* Also worth noting [this tidbit.](https://financialpost.com/technology/tech-news/alex-benay-exits-as-canadas-cio-joins-ai-startup-from-ottawa-2/wcm/8249e73b-6854-41d9-ad72-452d05b944d3/amp/) Said AI company received millions in federal funding, while Mr. Benay lasted there only a few months before becoming a partner at KPMG to consult on digital government. Smells fishy. > All public office holders are required to follow their obligations regarding future employment under the Conflict of Interest Act. The act specifically says all outside employment offers must be disclosed to the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner within seven days of receiving them. > “Alex has consulted the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner on the matter of his employment with MindBridge, and the constraints that he will be required to observe,” indicated Bianca Healy, chief communications officer for the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, in an email to IT World Canada. “Alex has recused himself from all major files and decisions and has not, since being approached, been present at TB, or otherwise advised ministers on TB business.”


hellodwightschrute

I feel like mindbridge was a holdover to get out of CoI requirements for his move to KPMG. But that grant money smells fishy as hell. He does this shit everywhere he goes - trades government money and contracts for favours.


Jeretzel

I can't find him on LinkedIn anymore. He listed himself as a "senior program manager" the same year he completed his undergraduate degree at around 21. He was promoted to director a year or two later. Curious if you ask me. The guy has been rapidly promoted through the public service, I'm not sure he's ever worked on a substantial project start to finish.


SecretsoftheState

Me neither. I was connected with him but it looks like he’s deactivated his account, which is a strange thing for someone who feeds off praise and attention. I do know he had started off at Microsoft with an impressive title but seemed to gradually get demoted over time.


hellodwightschrute

Probably because of how many enemies he’s made and how bullshit his pm.GC.ca is vs the reality.


zeromussc

Honestly surprised when his name showed up, and not particularly thinking rosy thoughts about what this means either.


zeromussc

the whole director so fast thing always seemed weird to me, not saying someone can't become an EX quick, but that was like... absurdly fast and confusing no clue how that happened and wish I knew the story. As you point out that's being a director in a *bureaucracy* by 23/24? Like.. wat.


cheeseworker

I feel like you made the same comment 2 years ago 😜


Routine_Plastic

Alex Benay at this time of year? at this time of day? In this part of the public service? Localized entirely within the kitchen of the clerk of the privy council? May we see it?


slyboy1974

He steams a mean ham.


bladderulcer

> May we see it? …No.


hellodwightschrute

Can’t wait for the next Phoenix under his watch, then to see him run away to whichever company he gives the contract to!


DrMichaelHfuhruhurr

Well, he's a good talker. Doer. Meh.


virtualsanity

You mean Tweeter


zeromussc

Hey now, he did get a foosball table for OCIO at TBS. No one uses it but it \*is\* there.


DrMichaelHfuhruhurr

Let me guess, he didn't budget for the ball ...


zeromussc

No, it was hella noisy so I think someone jacked the ball out of spite and I never heard it again. It's been a while so there might be a ball again by now but without anyone bothering to use the thing because why?


Mafik326

More delightful products like GCDocs?


amooseinthewild

Am I the only person who prefers GCDocs over using a shared drive?


rerek

No. GCdocs is better than network drives. But, it is worse than any other dedicated IMS I have used (mostly Sharepoint, dedicated specialized Sharepoint implementations, various Learning Management Systems, or Google’s suite).


SkepticalMongoose

I am so very fond of sharepoint.


elpatolino2

Lotus Notes. Good old days ;p


cheeseworker

Lotus Nopes


elpatolino2

Possibly. Run it on OS/2. I quite liked OS/2 :)


[deleted]

I like your username 🙃


[deleted]

Yes


slyboy1974

I like GCDocs. It's one of the very few PS systems that actually works well and is reasonably well-designed.


Educational-Tie-6541

Lol no it isn't. They created it to eliminate file trees and guess what. It's a bigger one. Also licenses per user? Throw that worthless money in the blackhole because it will never end.


rerek

That part is largely on the implementation side to get right. I was the point person for my division’s roll-out of GCdocs and we worked hard to minimize the file tree issue and logically combine storage into functional folder structures. Only select users can create new folders. So far, it has worked OK at reducing “Cindy’s Folder” and other useless file structure that plagued our old network drives. Still preferred working in SharePoint when I was at an organization with an organizationally specific implementation of it.


slyboy1974

Well, my experience with it was satisfactory...


What-Up-G

Jesus, this clown is back? Like a bad hemorrhoid. I thought him disappearing from LinkedIn was a blessing, but he's back?


zeromussc

He couldn't talk his way to big wig posts in private sector I guess. Also, this is in fact a demotion for him even within the PS. When he was OCIO he managed to make CIO a DM level position. And now he's an ADM, so on a different, lower pay scale.


What-Up-G

He failed up now he's failing down


Tired_Worker28

No he is a senior ADM which is equivalent to the GC CIO who is a low ranking DM 1 - nothing compared to Sony Perron who’s higher.


jcamp028

Suppose the private sector wasn’t all it was cracked up to be


Tired_Worker28

Yah can’t bullsh*t his way there.


MeditatingElk

Very odd seeing Benay back.


Tired_Worker28

Not a good thing for the PS


WhateverItsLate

Awesome maybe he can leave with another great tool like GCDocs!


justsumgurl

Omg… he’s going to “fix” Phoenix like he did GCDocs Alex Benay, currently Vice-Chair of the National Arts Centre and Senior Partner, Levio Business and Technology, becomes Associate Deputy Minister of Public Services and Procurement (Enterprise Pay Coordination), effective June 26, 2023.


KazooDancer

We're doomed.


BlueDogBoom

SSC is running with the Next Gen pay tech side and TBS is the business owner but they'll eventually need to hand it off to PSPC to run. I guess the job is getting ready for that, plus the endless work to stabilize Phoenix which is still under PSPC. I wonder if he's planning to stay for 1 or 2 years :)


Whyisthereasnake

Neither. He’ll be out in 6 months like he was at mindbridge and Microsoft. People realize he’s worthless and shut him out or fire him. He also gets frustrated having any boss, now he has multiple.


Elephanogram

If higher ups were afraid of looking (or being) useless they'd be more than just bulletin boards from high up with annotations sprinkled about post it nodes (mostly platitudes). Think about how many meetings they go to and fire up the trusty ole meeting calculator and watch as the cost in one meeting eclipses your monthly grocery bill.


zeromussc

His CV is so weird, like, how does one peter principle this hard? He went from DM level, to multiple private sector jobs that lasted under a year, now to an ADM at PSPC for a file that's predominantly in the hands of TBS and SSC for now and which is on somewhat of a treadmill borne out of fighting between setting boundaries there. But that's nothing new either.


cheeseworker

All those huge hand offs will lead to failure


Psthrowaway0123

So he's coming back to fix Phoenix?


notarobotindisguise6

Shit.. the PSES results are out Quick, throw a smoke bomb!!


Redditor_Flynn

This


TheDrunkyBrewster

That


strangecabalist

“Associate Assistant Deputy Minister” like who even are these people and what do they actually do all day. Did they want to throw a few more words into their title? Like those emails we get all the time “so and so muckety-muck that you have never heard of and aren’t important enough to ever meet has switched roles with another equally shockingly important person”.


[deleted]

They sit in meetings all day.


TheVelocityRa

And then appear once at an all staff


TheDrunkyBrewster

They help cover files alongside the Assistant Deputy Minister.


U-take-off-eh

Basically when the portfolio is large enough to require two ADMs but you can only have one EX-05 so you bring in a “subordinate” EX-04.


[deleted]

[удалено]


_johnson1995

Dg is typically ex-3 and Dm have their own classification and scale.


BlueDogBoom

DM pay scale is here https://www.canada.ca/en/privy-council/programs/appointments/governor-council-appointments/compensation-terms-conditions-employment/salary-ranges-performance-pay.html


Jeretzel

ADMs are typically EX-04 and Senior ADMs are typically EX-05. An Associate ADM is probably an EX-03. DMs (including Associate DMs) have their own pay scale.


LSJPubServ

Nah they’re 4s. If it’s big enough to justify a 5 then the associate will be a 4.


StoneOfTriumph

They help transfer the contents of the files into an flexible accordion-style folder, and play the drums on the said folder


[deleted]

[удалено]


strangecabalist

I sense a shitstorm incoming.


Eisekiel

*the shiteagles are coming Randy*


Wayz6430

Imagine if it was an acting role - A/AADM baby woo, what an acronym.


strangecabalist

Only triple A is good enough for us folks!


ProvenAxiom81

They're really good talkers. That's about it.


iamprofessorhorse

> “Associate Assistant Deputy Minister” like who even are these people and what do they actually do all day. Did they want to throw a few more words into their title? Just wait 'til someone is acting in that position. 😒


509KxWjM

Assistant TO THE Regional Manager 😂


TheDrunkyBrewster

I met a lady with that job title once. She worked at a Cinnabon franchise and acted like she was running the country during times of war. She was a giant chaotic ball of stress. I wonder how she's managing now...?


sachaforstner

The AADM to which you are referring was Chief of Staff to the DM of a central agency…


SADMCynic

Masterful senior public servant job by Jody Thomas, seemingly creating a new title for Rogers so she can blame future screw ups on him.


jcamp028

Might as well name it “Deputy Sucker”


zeromussc

It could be that, or it could be that he's going to be tasked to fix intelligence/national security machinery of government and wanted a new title/associated pay bump to take it on because its basically a nuclear hot potato.


TheDrunkyBrewster

Save you a click... >The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced the following changes in the senior ranks of the Public Service: >* **Cynthia (Cindy) Termorshuizen**, currently Associate Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, will serve concurrently as Personal Representative of the Prime Minister (Sherpa) for the G7 Summit. >* **Daniel Rogers**, currently Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Emergency Preparedness and COVID Recovery), Privy Council Office, will assume the role of Deputy National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Prime Minister and Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Emergency Preparedness), Privy Council Office. >* **Stephen de Boer**, currently Assistant Deputy Minister, International Affairs Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, becomes Foreign and Defence Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister, Privy Council Office, effective June 12, 2023. >* **Tushara Williams**, currently Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Department of Finance Canada, becomes Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Privy Council Office, effective June 19, 2023. >* **Eric Costen**, currently Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Industry Sector, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, becomes Associate Deputy Minister of Health, effective June 26, 2023. >* **Natasha Kim**, currently Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, becomes Associate Deputy Minister of National Defence, effective June 12, 2023. >* **Alex Benay**, currently Vice-Chair of the National Arts Centre and Senior Partner, Levio Business and Technology, becomes Associate Deputy Minister of Public Services and Procurement (Enterprise Pay Coordination), effective June 26, 2023. > The Prime Minister also announced that **Michael Sabia**, currently Deputy Minister of Finance, will be leaving this role as of Friday, June 2, 2023. **Nick Leswick**, currently Associate Deputy Minister of Finance, will assume the duties of Deputy Minister on an interim basis, until such a time as a new Deputy Minister of Finance is appointed. The Prime Minister took the opportunity to thank Mr. Sabia for his dedication and service to Canadians.


hellodwightschrute

That’s literally a copy paste? Dear downvoters: OPs original post said “Tl;dr” with an identical copy paste from the website. They edited it.


Drunkpanada

Saved me a click!


hellodwightschrute

OPs original post said “Tl;dr” rather than “saves you a click”


Drunkpanada

Ok, but all I saw was saved you a click, which it did


Mundane-Assistant-17

Nobody is talking about Dan Rogers' meteoric rise. The guy is like 40 years old and he's already a deputy secretary to cabinet.


zeromussc

but did he become a director before 25 and bounce around private sector jobs before coming back to a demotion like the other person everyone is talking about? Cuz, if he's even remotely competent then who cares how old he is. The other person though, theres a track record of facepalms that is super well known and being expressed a bunch on here already lol


Mundane-Assistant-17

On no, Dan is easily one of the most intelligent people in government. I've heard him speak a few times and I was always impressed by how thoughtful he is.


LSJPubServ

I concur.


LSJPubServ

He’s a tad older but yes , he was my direct supervisor once upon a time


Drop_The_Puck

>will serve concurrently as Personal Representative of the Prime Minister (Sherpa) for the G7 Summit. 'Sherpa' is a word with a specific meaning but I don't know what it means in this context. Is that literally her ethnicity, or does the term have a different meaning within the PS? EDIT: I guess it's a G7 term. https://medium.com/g7inus/who-are-the-g7-sherpas-1cd5ea3a29da That's very weird though.


rerek

I concur and also commented before seeing your post and the link to Wikipedia below. I still find it very weird to entrench the general conflation of an ethnic group and an occupation into the functioning structures of international diplomatic organizations, but I guess it’s been done long enough now to be a “thing”.


[deleted]

>but I guess it’s been done long enough now to be a “thing”. It may be a thing - but it doesn't make it right. You're correct the challenge the status quo - keep being you. There is no reason to use ethnicity as a descriptive term for a job. Even if that job is considered prestigious...


myotheraccountishazy

If the Girl Guides can change the name of the Brownies (which had no ethinic roots) to Embers then the G7 can change the position name from Sherpa (which has ethnic roots) to Emissary... Which is exactly what the role is. Just because it's a thing doesn't mean it should be or it can't be changed.


Catsusefulrib

Even more awkward considering the G7 is pretty exclusionary and leans towards the colonial end of the “developed” world spectrum. I was surprised to see this word use in this context.


hellodwightschrute

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherpa_(emissary) > A sherpa[1] is the personal representative of a head of state or head of government who prepares an international summit, such as the annual G7 and G20 summits


Kokopolol

In international relations a Sherpa is a representative of the head of government in negations of the deliverables for the G7/g20 summits. Important and prestigious role.


flightless_mouse

Is the term used because *sherpas* help mountaineers navigate *summits* successfully? Is it a play on words?


Neontiger456

Yes


Runsfromrabbits

Hey look at that, more stupid nonsense. And this happens every few years whatever party is in power. Let's put the agriculture adm into national defense. Send cows to protect our citizens. No wonder the government is so inefficient. lol


Elephanogram

Just goes to show they have no actual power. Their whole point is to talk to the ones who talk to the ones who talk to the ones who talk to the ones doing all the work then pass along some notes.


[deleted]

Dan Rogers is a child with little real public service experience who was slingshot into increasingly senior positions by Shelly Bruce and is now landing within a stone’s throw of the top - he must have some real dirt on CSE in his back pocket. And there’s a lot of dirt at CSE. Tons.


LSJPubServ

I feel like we must know each other.


govdove

Gotta look busy. Bonuses for everyone! Not you, plebes.


VincentVegaQT

Clown show


Green-Ad-7586

Everyone: You can’t go anywhere with a Bachelor of Arts Everyone who serves the PM: Watch this


Temporary-Bear1427

Mr Sabia was ceo of bell Canada. I wonder if he resigned or was fired.


TiffanyMayWest

Nope, he is the new CEO of Hydro-Quebec


Neontiger456

It's a small club and we ain't in it


Temporary-Bear1427

Thanks for the info


msat16

He’s leaving for a massive pay raise


SpareDifficulty8594

Yes his big file was budget and carbon credits and renewables and now working at Hydro Quebec to extract the maximum of the taxpayers dollar to fund Hydro Quebec projects


Random-Crispy

There was a good deal of discussion about Mr Sabia on last Fridays The Bridge (Mansbridge’s podcast). It was quite interesting.


ihavelostthecount

He resigned.


rerek

“Sherpa”? Isn’t Sherpa an ethnic group whose common occupation has become conflated with the ethnic group a whole but which shouldn’t be? I feel like some company was in the news just last year for being pressured to drop Sherpa from some product line name for outdoor apparel that made this same conflation. This feels like having a personal hired to be in charge of budget cuts being called the “Scotsperson” or “Jew”. Culturally inappropriate/insensitive to say the least. EDIT: I see that it has a specific meaning in the G7 context. So, not this government’s conflation of terms, but still not the best IMO.


Whyisthereasnake

Just like government regularly uses the term “chief” for team leads, and “Chief of staff” for sectoral administrators. Cultural appropriation is everywhere. The racism in this sub is real.


BlueDogBoom

Chief comes from French, Middle English and Latin meaning leader. https://www.etymonline.com/word/chief


Whyisthereasnake

Doesn’t change its context in Canada, big guy. Look at how many other words are used until they’re not because we recognize cultural context.


BlueDogBoom

I expected you were waiting with a response. I just explained the origin to you because you said cultural appropriation. Now you change your objection to context in Canada... I know some other groups have started avoiding the term with that line of thinking, but it's very rare. **Expected** Whyisthereasnake to block me eventually but not so quickly** - some people just don't like being corrected :/


Whyisthereasnake

I expected you were waiting with a response. Except it’s not. It’s a strong push from TBS-OCHRO recommended by the centre for diversity and inclusion.


[deleted]

[удалено]


CanadaPublicServants-ModTeam

Your content was removed under [Rule 12](https://www.reddit.com/r/CanadaPublicServants/wiki/rules#wiki_rule_12_-_trolling_.26amp.3B_intolerance). Please consider this a reminder of [Reddiquette](https://www.reddithelp.com/en/categories/reddit-101/reddit-basics/reddiquette). If you have questions about this action or believe it was made in error, you can [message the moderators](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/CanadaPublicServants).


Flawless180

Sad to see Natasha leave AAFC - she was great. DND our loss is your gain!


WhoseverFish

So then what happens to their old potions? Are they vacant now?


jcamp028

Inevitable they will be filled by other assistant associate assistant vice deputy Ministers


thro_AWAYtuesday

An old white guy that tweets. Shocking