Trudeau Questioned in House About PBO’s Remarks That Federal Public Service System Is ‘Broken’

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responds to a question during Question Period, January 30, 2023 in Ottawa. Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was questioned in the House of Commons today about comments made by Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) Yves Giroux, who recently told a Senate committee that the federal public service is “broken.”

“The prime minister said he was drawing the line to ban anyone from pointing out that things are broken after eight years of his leadership,” said Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre during question period in the House on Feb. 8.

“Well, his own parliamentary budget officer has crossed the line.”

Poilievre was referencing Trudeau’s recent criticism of the Tory leader for saying in November 2022 that “it feels like everything is broken in this country.”

Trudeau responded on Dec. 14, saying, “When he [Poilievre] says that Canada is broken—that’s where we draw the line.”

The PBO told the Senate National Finance Committee on Feb. 7 that the federal public service system is “broken” and that in some departments there “needs to be a crack of the whip, big time, or a change of some sort.”

“Will he [Trudeau] call to the carpet this rogue parliamentary officer for saying that things are broken,” Poilievre said today in the House.

Trudeau did not answer directly but said the pandemic was “very difficult” for the government and caused a number of service-delivery issues within federal departments.

“Yes, there have been challenges on service delivery and that’s why this government has been stepping up,” he said, citing his government’s recent proposal to send provinces $196 billion in health-care funding over 10 years.

Giroux told the Senate finance committee that there is a lack of discipline within many federal departments, which he said is caused in part by the fact that cabinet ministers are “not very well equipped to challenge their own officials.”

Giroux pointed out previous passport backlogs and delays in the issuance of Employment Insurance cheques as examples of departmental dysfunction.

Trudeau was later questioned about Giroux’s remarks by Conservative MP Gérard Deltell, who asked when the prime minister would “fully accept responsibility” for service-delivery delays within his government.

“We are acting to help Canadians who, yes, are facing difficult times,” Trudeau said in French. “Yes, there have been challenges with service delivery following the pandemic, but we will continue to work to improve services and to support Canadians.”

“That’s what Canadians expect of us.”