Civic Punks

There is so much exciting stuff happening in New Brunswick when it comes to public sector innovation!In November I had the chance to attend the Canadian Open Data and GovMaker Summit in Fredericton and interview many of the attendees. This episode includes a collection of those interviews from the summit floor. It starts though with the pregame show I recorded with fellow Nerdy Gov Podcaster and founder of GovMaker Nick Scott as well as our interview with Vanessa Paesani the Executive Director, Pond-Deshpande Centre, host of this years summit.

Before the lights go up at Government Innovation Week, let’s talk about what actually matters.
In this pre-game show, I’m joined by Joy Chatwell from the Public Sector Network to pull back the curtain on how Government Innovation Week (Federal, Ottawa 2026) was designed, what themes are shaping the agenda, and why this moment feels significant for the Canadian public sector.
If you’re attending, this episode will help you dial in on the storylines worth tracking, the tensions to watch, and the conversations that could quietly shape what happens next. If you’re not there in person, this gives you the context you need to follow the coverage I’ll be producing from the conference floor.
We’re talking:• The big themes emerging in Canadian public sector reform• Where innovation is gaining traction, and where it’s stuck• Why this week matters in the broader transformation story• What to listen for in keynotes, panels, and hallway conversations
Think of this as your field guide before the doors open.
More on the event:https://publicsectornetwork.com/events/government-innovation-week-federal-ottawa-2026/
Let’s get ready.

What happens when you take away the agenda, the speakers, and the carefully curated programme—and just let public servants talk?
In this episode, I dive into UKGovCamp, one of the most unusual—and surprisingly effective—events in the world of public service. It’s an unconference: no preset sessions, no keynotes, and no guarantees, other than the fact that you’ll end up in thoughtful, sometimes messy, often brilliant conversations with people who care deeply about making government work better.
UKGovCamp is chaotic by design. But it’s also incredibly well-orchestrated—and that tension is exactly what makes it work.
I’m joined by James Cattell, one of the key people behind UKGovCamp, to unpack how this model came to be, why it’s lasted, and what it gets right that more traditional conferences often miss. We talk about trust, curiosity, community, and why creating the right conditions matters more than controlling outcomes.
If you’re interested in better ways of bringing public servants together—and what this could mean for the future of government—this conversation is for you.

Government spends more money than any other business or sector. It is one of the most powerful levers we have to tackle the great challenges of our time, to shape markets and improve communities. Yet it is broken. But it doesn't have to be. Join Lina Svensburg, Marcela Jabor and myself as we dig into the exciting world of procurement and the innovations that are transforming how government spends its money.In this first episode, meet my two co-hosts, what drove them to procurement and what our goals and aspirations are for this podcast.

In this episode, I sit down with Tamara Zakharia to explore insights from her recent report from the UN on the enabling conditions for public sector innovation in emerging economies. We dive into her practical and thoughtful framework—covering everything from strategic direction and governance models to the internal and external enablers that help innovation take root and thrive. Whether you're working in government, policy, or global development, this is essential listening for anyone trying to support change in complex contexts.Read the full report here: https://publicadministration.desa.un.org/projects/strengthening-national-capacities-design-and-implement-public-sector-innovation-strategy
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For my final dispatch from Samarkand, I reunite with Caroline Star from the School of International Futures — this time in the breathtaking Registan Square. We reflect on a week full of inspiration, connection, and big ideas at the UN Public Service Forum. Caroline shares highlights from her foresight workshop, and we both take a moment to appreciate the powerful closing talk by Robyn Bennett that left many of us deeply moved. It’s a fitting end to a beautiful week in a city full of history and hope for the future of public service.
✨ Watch Robyn’s talk here: https://www.youtube.com/live/jI3Gq77GmrI
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In this special dispatch from Samarkand, I’m joined by Almero Oosthuizen from the Western Cape Government (South Africa) and Alejandra Rodas Gaiter from the Innovation Lab for Bogotá (Colombia). Together, we reflect on our experience speaking at the closing plenary panel: Innovation Labs in Action. We dive into some big themes:
🧠 Shifting mindsets inside government
🌱 Moving from ego-centric to eco-centric innovation
🏛️ Why real change needs structures that go beyond the lab
It’s honest, hopeful, and a little bit punk — a fitting wrap to an incredible forum.
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As we wrap up an incredible few days in Samarkand, I sit down with the brilliant Robyn Bennett, whose closing repertoire reflection was a highlight for many at the forum. In this conversation, Robyn shares the key themes, big ideas, and quiet moments that stood out — from innovation and inclusion to the unexpected connections that made this gathering so memorable. It’s a thoughtful close to a week full of learning, laughter, and global public service energy.
✨ Watch Robyn’s full talk here: https://www.youtube.com/live/jI3Gq77GmrI ✨
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What happens when a country treats employment as a public good, not just a market outcome? In this episode of Something Cool—a CivicPunks series that spotlights bold thinkers reshaping the public sector—I sit down with Kate Phillip, Program Lead for South Africa's Presidential Employment Stimulus Program, one of the most ambitious public employment programs in the world. South Africa is facing a deep unemployment crisis. But instead of leaving it solely to the market, Kate and her team asked a radical question: What if government took direct responsibility for creating meaningful work? The result? A nation-scale initiative that’s not only creating jobs—but reshaping how we think about state capacity, dignity, and development. We talk about:
How the program came to be—and why the President got involved
What it takes to build something like this within government
The principles behind “creating work that serves the public good”
Lessons for other countries grappling with unemployment or precarious work
Kate’s work challenges the status quo—and offers a blueprint for governments around the world.
“Employment is too important to leave just to the market.” — Kate Phillip
🎧 Listen in. Be inspired. Learn how public servants are building better futures.

Another dispatch from the Creative Bureaucracy Festival—this time from the official podcast studio in Berlin! I sit down with Dr. Louis Klein, head of the International Federation for Systems Research, for a wide-ranging conversation that spans continents and big ideas. We talk about his work supporting education reform in Morocco, the growing breakdown of trust in public systems, and why systems thinking matters more than ever. It’s also Louis’s first time at the Festival—so we dig into his impressions, the energy of the community, and what gives him hope for the future of bureaucracy done better. A rich and thoughtful conversation from the heart of Berlin.