Bureaucrats tell all in rare inside look at Canada’s governments

Title: How Government Really Works: A field guide to bureaucracies in Canada
Authors: Jane Allt and Angela Poirier
ISBN: 9781459506282

Canada's bureaucracies are a secret world few outsiders understand. Paperwork, red tape, talking points instead of information: these confuse citizens, mystify politicians and create unnecessary conflict.

In reality, bureaucracies are intricate networks of complex planning, research and decision-making processes – which most of us don't understand. And while they may induce frustration, bureaucrats keep the engine running, creating and administering the public services we all rely on daily.

In How Government Really Works, two former senior bureaucrats take us inside the world of Canada's bureaucracies, exposing their inner workings and offering practical advice about how to navigate the system.

Authors Jane Allt and Angela Poirier have seen it all, with over sixty years of combined experience as senior government officials. In this book, they share what they learned and cast much-needed light on the mysteries of day-to-day bureaucratic operations.

About the authors

Jane Allt and Angela Poirier are former career civil servants with more than 60 years of service combined who have worked in many different government departments including HR, justice, finance, transportation and culture. They are excited about building camaraderie and offering guidance to people dedicated to serving the public good. Jane Allt lives in Halifax and Angela Poirier lives in Shad Bay, Nova Scotia.