Kathryn May

Kathryn May is a reporter and the Accenture fellow on the Future of the Public Service, providing coverage and analysis of the complex issues facing Canada’s federal public service for Policy Options. She has spent 25 years covering the public service – the country’s largest workforce – and has also covered parliamentary affairs and politics for The Ottawa Citizen, Postmedia Network Inc. and iPolitics. She is also the winner of a National Newspaper Award and a Canadian Online Publishing Award. Follow Kathryn on Twitter: @kathryn_may.

Articles by this author

Image for Federal public servants are to report back to the office again. Their bosses say they mean it this time

Policy-making

Federal public servants are to report back to the office again. Their bosses say they mean it this time

by Kathryn May September 6, 2024

Image for Acting pay is a complication that runs deep in the public service

Acting pay is a complication that runs deep in the public service

by Kathryn May September 4, 2024

Image for Judge orders full hearing for union’s case against public service return to office order

Judge orders full hearing for union’s case against public service return to office order

by Kathryn May August 30, 2024

Image for Ottawa eyeing ways to simplify public sector pay rules, fix Phoenix problems

Ottawa eyeing ways to simplify public sector pay rules, fix Phoenix problems

by Kathryn May August 1, 2024

Image for What to do with the public-service pension surplus that’s piling up?

What to do with the public-service pension surplus that’s piling up?

by Kathryn May July 29, 2024

Image for The federal government plans to expand the “25-and-out” pension

The federal government plans to expand the “25-and-out” pension

by Kathryn May June 12, 2024

Image for Border guards try to set a new frontier in labour dispute

Border guards try to set a new frontier in labour dispute

by Kathryn May June 7, 2024

Image for Building a culture of public service on hybrid work

Building a culture of public service on hybrid work

by Kathryn May May 16, 2024

Image for A scramble and scrutiny of the public service not seen in more than 20 years

A scramble and scrutiny of the public service not seen in more than 20 years

by Kathryn May March 28, 2024

Image for Mulroney’s “pink slips and running shoes” yielded to a trust of the public service

Mulroney’s “pink slips and running shoes” yielded to a trust of the public service

by Kathryn May March 20, 2024

Image for Black public servants locked in three-year legal battle with Ottawa with no end in sight

Black public servants locked in three-year legal battle with Ottawa with no end in sight

by Kathryn May January 18, 2024

Image for Graham Flack leaves the public service after three decades at the centre of Canadian history

Graham Flack leaves the public service after three decades at the centre of Canadian history

by Kathryn May January 17, 2024

Image for Catherine Luelo named clerk’s adviser on digital transformation

Catherine Luelo named clerk’s adviser on digital transformation

by Kathryn May January 12, 2024

Image for John Hannaford sets up public service teams to think about future problems

John Hannaford sets up public service teams to think about future problems

by Kathryn May December 7, 2023

Image for Allegations of threats and lying perturb the federal public service

Allegations of threats and lying perturb the federal public service

by Kathryn May November 29, 2023

Image for Chief information officer Catherine Luelo resigns from job revamping federal tech

Chief information officer Catherine Luelo resigns from job revamping federal tech

by Kathryn May November 24, 2023

Image for Generation X takes the helm of the public service with John Hannaford

Generation X takes the helm of the public service with John Hannaford

by Kathryn May October 23, 2023

Image for Clerk of the Privy Council John Hannaford relaunches ethics and values discussion in the public service

Clerk of the Privy Council John Hannaford relaunches ethics and values discussion in the public service

by Kathryn May September 20, 2023

Image for Cutting $15 billion from the public service won’t be that hard. But what’s next?

Cutting $15 billion from the public service won’t be that hard. But what’s next?

by Kathryn May September 7, 2023

Image for Terry Beech’s tall order: revamping service delivery

Terry Beech’s tall order: revamping service delivery

by Kathryn May August 9, 2023

Image for When the crises never end: Janice Charette says organizational health is the next big challenge for the public service

When the crises never end: Janice Charette says organizational health is the next big challenge for the public service

by Kathryn May June 28, 2023

Image for With Hannaford’s unexpected pick, “the qualifications for clerk are changing”

With Hannaford’s unexpected pick, “the qualifications for clerk are changing”

by Kathryn May May 31, 2023

Image for A whole new conflict around remote work

A whole new conflict around remote work

by Kathryn May May 10, 2023

Image for The federal public service strike ends on compromise over wages, remote work

The federal public service strike ends on compromise over wages, remote work

by Kathryn May May 1, 2023

Image for Tensions rise in public service strike that could set trend for workers across Canada

Tensions rise in public service strike that could set trend for workers across Canada

by Kathryn May April 22, 2023

Image for Massive public-service strike could be days away

Massive public-service strike could be days away

by Kathryn May April 6, 2023

Image for The time and place for consultants

The time and place for consultants

by Kathryn May February 28, 2023

Image for The biggest public service union prepares for the first national strike in decades

The biggest public service union prepares for the first national strike in decades

by Kathryn May February 3, 2023

Image for Government orders public service back to the office

Government orders public service back to the office

by Kathryn May December 15, 2022

Image for Back-to-office order for public servants expected soon

Economy

Back-to-office order for public servants expected soon

by Kathryn May December 8, 2022

Image for Canada needs a royal commission to fix problems with the federal public service

Canada needs a royal commission to fix problems with the federal public service

by Kathryn May December 6, 2022

Image for Public service will swell to 409,000 in five years, PBO says

Public service will swell to 409,000 in five years, PBO says

by Kathryn May November 21, 2022

Image for Federal IT contracting: Overdone and out of date

Federal IT contracting: Overdone and out of date

by Kathryn May November 3, 2022

Image for Ottawa needs thousands of tech workers to serve Canadians properly

Ottawa needs thousands of tech workers to serve Canadians properly

by Kathryn May October 31, 2022

Image for The black hole of public service contract spending

The black hole of public service contract spending

by Kathryn May October 17, 2022

Image for The public service’s biggest disruption in decades : hybrid work

The public service’s biggest disruption in decades : hybrid work

by Kathryn May September 27, 2022

Image for Canada’s top bureaucrat nudges public service toward hybrid office

Canada’s top bureaucrat nudges public service toward hybrid office

by Kathryn May September 20, 2022

Image for Top bureaucrat urges summer test drive of hybrid public service workforce

Top bureaucrat urges summer test drive of hybrid public service workforce

by Kathryn May July 21, 2022

Image for The Achilles heel of the federal public service gives out again with passport fiasco

The Achilles heel of the federal public service gives out again with passport fiasco

by Kathryn May June 29, 2022

Image for Public service finally has a new boss, and she’s the old boss

Public service finally has a new boss, and she’s the old boss

by Kathryn May June 16, 2022

Image for All-powerful PMO, mistrust “destroying” the public service: Paul Tellier

All-powerful PMO, mistrust “destroying” the public service: Paul Tellier

by Kathryn May May 30, 2022

Image for Talks stall as public service union seeks 13.5 per cent wage increase over three years

Talks stall as public service union seeks 13.5 per cent wage increase over three years

by Kathryn May May 18, 2022

Image for Masks no longer required for public servants at desks and in meetings with distancing

Masks no longer required for public servants at desks and in meetings with distancing

by Kathryn May May 16, 2022

Image for Speaking truth to power discouraged in public service

Speaking truth to power discouraged in public service

by Kathryn May May 11, 2022

Image for Canada’s parliamentary watchdogs struggle for more financial independence

Politics

Canada’s parliamentary watchdogs struggle for more financial independence

by Kathryn May April 29, 2022

Image for The Liberal-NDP pact could have a big impact on the public service

Politics

The Liberal-NDP pact could have a big impact on the public service

by Kathryn May April 13, 2022

Image for Some public service executives ‘burned out’ by crisis management

Some public service executives ‘burned out’ by crisis management

by Kathryn May April 7, 2022

Image for Should it stay or go? Ottawa weighs the vaccine mandate for the public service

Should it stay or go? Ottawa weighs the vaccine mandate for the public service

by Kathryn May March 22, 2022

Image for Never tweet. Social media is complicating the age-old neutrality of the public service

Democracy

Never tweet. Social media is complicating the age-old neutrality of the public service

by Kathryn May March 16, 2022

Image for Ottawa and unions agree to simplify pay rules for public servants

Ottawa and unions agree to simplify pay rules for public servants

by Kathryn May March 8, 2022

Image for Federal civil service resumes return to office

Federal civil service resumes return to office

by Kathryn May March 1, 2022

Image for Federal paymasters struggle to rise from Phoenix

Federal paymasters struggle to rise from Phoenix

by Kathryn May February 23, 2022

Image for Ottawa races to collect Phoenix overpayments ahead of deadline

Ottawa races to collect Phoenix overpayments ahead of deadline

by Kathryn May January 25, 2022

Image for Federal public service leaves work-from-home decision to departments

Federal public service leaves work-from-home decision to departments

by Kathryn May January 17, 2022

Image for Sweeping deputy minister shuffle raises the question, “what took so long?”

Sweeping deputy minister shuffle raises the question, “what took so long?”

by Kathryn May January 10, 2022

Image for Public service return to office thrown into doubt by Omicron variant

Public service return to office thrown into doubt by Omicron variant

by Kathryn May December 17, 2021

Image for How COVID-19 could bring a downtown Ottawa revival

How COVID-19 could bring a downtown Ottawa revival

by Kathryn May December 14, 2021

Image for What’s driving depression and mental-health issues in the public service?

What’s driving depression and mental-health issues in the public service?

by Kathryn May November 29, 2021

Image for Will nooks and lounges replace the office in the public service?

Will nooks and lounges replace the office in the public service?

by Kathryn May November 18, 2021

Image for Speaking tech to power

Speaking tech to power

by Kathryn May November 4, 2021

Image for The pandemic upended the federal workplace. What comes next?

The pandemic upended the federal workplace. What comes next?

by Kathryn May October 22, 2021

Image for How COVID-19 could reshape the federal public service

How COVID-19 could reshape the federal public service

by Kathryn May April 22, 2020

Image for Five game changers that could shape the future of work

Five game changers that could shape the future of work

by Kathryn May December 30, 2019

Image for Federal union members reject new organization for gig workers

Federal union members reject new organization for gig workers

by Kathryn May December 19, 2019

Image for The case for having a federal evaluator general

Policy-making

The case for having a federal evaluator general

by Kathryn May June 13, 2019

Image for Feds using predictive analytics to craft youth policy

Feds using predictive analytics to craft youth policy

by Kathryn May May 29, 2019

Image for What ever happened to deliverology?

What ever happened to deliverology?

by Kathryn May May 15, 2019

Image for The renegade team trying to disrupt government hiring

The renegade team trying to disrupt government hiring

by Kathryn May December 27, 2018