In Conversation with the Minister of Citizens' Services, Terry Beech

Let's Think Digital

(Help shape the future of this podcast! Take our Season 2 listener survey at LetsThinkDigital.ca)

If there’s a running theme this season on the podcast, it’s about how we seem to be stuck in the mud when it comes to our efforts to modernize government for the digital age. Check out our previous episodes this season for some insightful and thought-provoking perspectives on why this might be the case.

So how do we get unstuck? One of the key factors that many of our guests have pointed to is the need for political leadership. And our guest this week for our Season 2 finale is the perfect person to talk to about this.

Terry Beech is the Canadian Minister of Citizens’ Services. He was appointed into this role by Prime Minister Trudeau in July of last year with a mandate to drive digital transformation in some high profile service areas, as well as accelerating and expanding the use of the Canadian Digital Service across government.

In our interview, we talk about his vision for how to modernize government, the challenges of bringing legacy systems like Old Age Security into the 21st century, why the Canadian Digital Service is needed now more than ever, and how getting voters to care about digital may not be as hard as you might think.

Watch on YouTube

https://youtube.com/watch?v=QsdpMTv9x1Q

Related Links

• Minister of Citizens' Services Mandate Letter
• Terry Beech Official Biography
• Canadian Digital Service Website
• Season 2 Listener Survey

Chapters

00:00 Intro and Welcome

02:56 Interview with Terry Beech

14:42 Priorities for the Ministry

25:18 Modernizing Old Age Security

38:44 The Future of the Canadian Digital Service

46:18 Getting Voters to Care

55:01 Conclusion