A report by Treasury Board President Anita Anand’s department says government spokespeople must “correct” Canadians’ thinking, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. The board had earlier championed 4,600 federal spokespeople as defenders of “the heart of our democracy.” On Tuesday, in its report, the treasury board did not comment on its claim. “Today communicators are working in a media environment where the public’s trust in government is eroded through misinformation and disinformation,” said the annual report. “This trust lies at the heart of our democracy.”“Achieving our core mandate is more complex, challenging and important than it has ever been. The communications community must therefore be empowered to play a role in the decision-making process.”“In our current world of increasingly fragmented and polarized public discourse the work of communications specialists will be key in preserving the integrity of our democracy,” it said without giving examples.“We have worked to inform, correct facts, raise awareness, mobilize individuals and communities and encourage people to participate,” said the report.“We have done so in a challenging environment marked by misinformation and a growing distrust of government and democratic institutions.”The Communications Community Office is best known for hosting an annual Awards Of Excellence banquet to honour spokespeople. Past nominees for “achievements” in communications included the Canadian Human Rights Commission for publishing an annual report.A March 28 Access To Information memo from the Department of Public Safety noted “growing evidence” that Canadians distrust the federal government. “There has been growing evidence there has been an erosion of trust in democratic institutions,” said the memo.A separate 2023 ethics report to the clerk of the Privy Council also documented “decreasing confidence in Canada’s democracy” since the pandemic. “Measures of decreasing confidence in Canada’s democracy are cause for concern,” said the report. “Citizens rightfully expect publicly funded institutions to deliver services effectively and efficiently.”“The pandemic dramatically changed how the public service works, impacted citizens’ trust in public institutions, increased their expectations and diminished their overall satisfaction with government services,” it said, citing no examples. It acknowledged a “lack of consequences and accountability” for corrupt or incompetent managers. “There is a perceived lack of accountability or a ‘double standard’ between senior leadership and employees when it comes to compliance and enforcement of the Value And Ethics Code For The Public Sector,” it said.
