Latest news with #Savoie
The Independent
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Dennis Quaid describes life with wife Laura Savoie as ‘paradise'
Dennis Quaid, 71, has expressed immense happiness in his marriage to Laura Savoie, 32, describing their life together as 'paradise' and their bond as his closest relationship. Quaid stated he does not notice the 39-year age difference between them, despite public commentary, and considers Savoie 'the light of his life.' He believes their union was divinely ordained, stating that 'God put us together' and he was not actively seeking a relationship when she came along. The couple secretly married in June 2020 in Santa Barbara, California, with only their pastor present, after their planned lavish Hawaiian wedding was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. Savoie is Quaid's fourth wife; he was previously married to P.J. Soles, Meg Ryan, and Kimberly Buffington, and has three children from his prior marriages.
Vancouver Sun
4 days ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Why Canada's civil service needs more 'plumbers' and fewer 'poets'
Donald J. Savoie has spent decades studying the inner workings of Canada's federal bureaucracy. He's watched Ottawa grow more centralized and more crowded with what he calls 'poets,' policy thinkers and advisers, while the 'plumbers,' the front-line workers delivering services to Canadians, have not been prioritized. In an interview with National Post about the concept, as discussed in his recent book Speaking Truth to Canadians About Their Public Service , Savoie explains why that imbalance matters. Savoie is Canada Research Chair in Public Administration and Governance at Université de Moncton. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Thank you for the question, that's a good one. A lot of times I've been interviewed about the book, and not many have caught on to the poets and the plumbers, and I think it's key. Poets are people mostly in Ottawa, that are part of the government who work on policy issues, who work on liaison, on coordination or dealing with media or dealing with ministers so they define policy. Plumbers are the ones delivering services to Canadians. Plumbers are the ones you applied to for a passport, plumbers are the ones you applied to for old age pension or whatever program that you want to access; they're the ones that deliver programs and services to Canadians. So the differences between poets to plumbers is fairly pronounced. It's grown by leaps and bounds over the past 10 years. In 2014 it was 340,000, in 2025 we're up to 445,000, so you can see the difference there. It's over 100,000 more. The growth has clearly favoured the poets. And the reason I say that is just the sheer numbers of public servants in Ottawa — the number has grown. And it has not grown anywhere near the same amount in local and regional offices. What's the right number? What's the right percentage? Frankly, it's difficult to answer that. I would remind you that 40 years ago about 25 per cent of federal public servants were in Ottawa, and 75 per cent out in the regions, and that sounded like a proper number. So my view is that we should strive towards that. I can tell you that in France, England, and the United States, the number of public servants in the national capital, whether in London, or Washington, or Paris, is nowhere near the percentage we have in Canada. In the U.K. for example, I'm taking a stab here, but like 75 per cent of public servants are outside of London, and the government over the past several years has made a deliberate attempt to move more and more public servants outside of London. No country in the western world has concentrated as many employees in the national capital region as has Canada. There's no shortage of people in Ottawa trying to think big thoughts. I think if there's a problem it's at the service delivery. It's people trying to call Revenue Canada to get answers about income tax, and it's having issues with supplying passports. So, big thoughts, there's thousands of them in Ottawa paid to have big thoughts. I don't think there's a lack of big thoughts, there's a lack of people delivering services to Canadians. You don't need an army of people to come up with big thoughts. I think the private sector has no choice (but) to get it right, has no choice to strike a proper balance, because if a large private-sector firm doesn't strike a proper balance, the market will tell it to strike the proper balance. The competition will tell it to strike the proper balance. There is a natural equilibrium in the private sector that happens just because there's competition, there's market forces, there's all kinds of forces that dictate how important it is to run an efficient operation; those forces are not present in the public sector. What I can say is that I wish them well. I think a better solution would be, we have nearly 300 federal organizations, we have 100 federal government programs, I think a better solution would be for the federal government to take a strong look at all its organizations and all its programs and see which ones have long passed their best-by date. See which programs no longer resonate like they did when they were first established. I think there's a lot of pruning of organizations and programs that could take place. The 15 per cent cuts sends a message that every program, every organization holds the same priority, just squeeze 15 per cent. I would've thought a better solution was to see that we have programs that don't fit our agenda. We have organizations that don't serve the purpose that they were initially set up for so why don't we look at that once we've cleaned that up then maybe we can look at the 15 per cent. There are some, not many, I'll give you an example. If you hire an auditor at Revenue Canada, every auditor you hire can generate X amount of revenue. So you hire an auditor and you can expect a return. But for most cases, at least for poets, how do you assess the performance of a poet? That's in the eye of the beholder. The poet can have 101 reasons why things don't work. Fault the politicians, it's the media, not enough resources, there's all kinds of reasons you can grab. You can find markers that work on the delivery side, you don't find markers that work on the poet side. This is the latest in a National Post series on How Canada Wins. Read earlier instalments here. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our politics newsletter, First Reading, here .
Calgary Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Why Canada's civil service needs more 'plumbers' and fewer 'poets'
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'No country in the western world has concentrated as many (government) employees in the national capital region as has Canada,' says Donald Savoie. Photo by Alan Cochrane/Postmedia/File Donald J. Savoie has spent decades studying the inner workings of Canada's federal bureaucracy. He's watched Ottawa grow more centralized and more crowded with what he calls 'poets,' policy thinkers and advisers, while the 'plumbers,' the front-line workers delivering services to Canadians, have not been prioritized. In an interview with National Post about the concept, as discussed in his recent book Speaking Truth to Canadians About Their Public Service, Savoie explains why that imbalance matters. Savoie is Canada Research Chair in Public Administration and Governance at Université de Moncton. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Calgary Herald ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Calgary Herald ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again Thank you for the question, that's a good one. A lot of times I've been interviewed about the book, and not many have caught on to the poets and the plumbers, and I think it's key. Poets are people mostly in Ottawa, that are part of the government who work on policy issues, who work on liaison, on coordination or dealing with media or dealing with ministers so they define policy. Plumbers are the ones delivering services to Canadians. Plumbers are the ones you applied to for a passport, plumbers are the ones you applied to for old age pension or whatever program that you want to access; they're the ones that deliver programs and services to Canadians. So the differences between poets to plumbers is fairly pronounced. It's grown by leaps and bounds over the past 10 years. In 2014 it was 340,000, in 2025 we're up to 445,000, so you can see the difference there. It's over 100,000 more. The growth has clearly favoured the poets. And the reason I say that is just the sheer numbers of public servants in Ottawa — the number has grown. And it has not grown anywhere near the same amount in local and regional offices. What's the right number? What's the right percentage? Frankly, it's difficult to answer that. I would remind you that 40 years ago about 25 per cent of federal public servants were in Ottawa, and 75 per cent out in the regions, and that sounded like a proper number. So my view is that we should strive towards that. I can tell you that in France, England, and the United States, the number of public servants in the national capital, whether in London, or Washington, or Paris, is nowhere near the percentage we have in Canada. In the U.K. for example, I'm taking a stab here, but like 75 per cent of public servants are outside of London, and the government over the past several years has made a deliberate attempt to move more and more public servants outside of London. This advertisement has not loaded yet. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. No country in the western world has concentrated as many employees in the national capital region as has Canada. There's no shortage of people in Ottawa trying to think big thoughts. I think if there's a problem it's at the service delivery. It's people trying to call Revenue Canada to get answers about income tax, and it's having issues with supplying passports. So, big thoughts, there's thousands of them in Ottawa paid to have big thoughts. I don't think there's a lack of big thoughts, there's a lack of people delivering services to Canadians. You don't need an army of people to come up with big thoughts. I think the private sector has no choice (but) to get it right, has no choice to strike a proper balance, because if a large private-sector firm doesn't strike a proper balance, the market will tell it to strike the proper balance. The competition will tell it to strike the proper balance. There is a natural equilibrium in the private sector that happens just because there's competition, there's market forces, there's all kinds of forces that dictate how important it is to run an efficient operation; those forces are not present in the public sector. What I can say is that I wish them well. I think a better solution would be, we have nearly 300 federal organizations, we have 100 federal government programs, I think a better solution would be for the federal government to take a strong look at all its organizations and all its programs and see which ones have long passed their best-by date. See which programs no longer resonate like they did when they were first established. I think there's a lot of pruning of organizations and programs that could take place. The 15 per cent cuts sends a message that every program, every organization holds the same priority, just squeeze 15 per cent. I would've thought a better solution was to see that we have programs that don't fit our agenda. We have organizations that don't serve the purpose that they were initially set up for so why don't we look at that once we've cleaned that up then maybe we can look at the 15 per cent. There are some, not many, I'll give you an example. If you hire an auditor at Revenue Canada, every auditor you hire can generate X amount of revenue. So you hire an auditor and you can expect a return. But for most cases, at least for poets, how do you assess the performance of a poet? That's in the eye of the beholder. The poet can have 101 reasons why things don't work. Fault the politicians, it's the media, not enough resources, there's all kinds of reasons you can grab. You can find markers that work on the delivery side, you don't find markers that work on the poet side. This is the latest in a National Post series on How Canada Wins. Read earlier instalments here. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our politics newsletter, First Reading, here.
Edmonton Journal
4 days ago
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Why Canada's civil service needs more 'plumbers' and fewer 'poets'
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'No country in the western world has concentrated as many (government) employees in the national capital region as has Canada,' says Donald Savoie. Photo by Alan Cochrane/Postmedia/File Donald J. Savoie has spent decades studying the inner workings of Canada's federal bureaucracy. He's watched Ottawa grow more centralized and more crowded with what he calls 'poets,' policy thinkers and advisers, while the 'plumbers,' the front-line workers delivering services to Canadians, have not been prioritized. In an interview with National Post about the concept, as discussed in his recent book Speaking Truth to Canadians About Their Public Service, Savoie explains why that imbalance matters. Savoie is Canada Research Chair in Public Administration and Governance at Université de Moncton. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again Thank you for the question, that's a good one. A lot of times I've been interviewed about the book, and not many have caught on to the poets and the plumbers, and I think it's key. Poets are people mostly in Ottawa, that are part of the government who work on policy issues, who work on liaison, on coordination or dealing with media or dealing with ministers so they define policy. Plumbers are the ones delivering services to Canadians. Plumbers are the ones you applied to for a passport, plumbers are the ones you applied to for old age pension or whatever program that you want to access; they're the ones that deliver programs and services to Canadians. So the differences between poets to plumbers is fairly pronounced. It's grown by leaps and bounds over the past 10 years. In 2014 it was 340,000, in 2025 we're up to 445,000, so you can see the difference there. It's over 100,000 more. The growth has clearly favoured the poets. And the reason I say that is just the sheer numbers of public servants in Ottawa — the number has grown. And it has not grown anywhere near the same amount in local and regional offices. What's the right number? What's the right percentage? Frankly, it's difficult to answer that. I would remind you that 40 years ago about 25 per cent of federal public servants were in Ottawa, and 75 per cent out in the regions, and that sounded like a proper number. So my view is that we should strive towards that. I can tell you that in France, England, and the United States, the number of public servants in the national capital, whether in London, or Washington, or Paris, is nowhere near the percentage we have in Canada. In the U.K. for example, I'm taking a stab here, but like 75 per cent of public servants are outside of London, and the government over the past several years has made a deliberate attempt to move more and more public servants outside of London. This advertisement has not loaded yet. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. No country in the western world has concentrated as many employees in the national capital region as has Canada. There's no shortage of people in Ottawa trying to think big thoughts. I think if there's a problem it's at the service delivery. It's people trying to call Revenue Canada to get answers about income tax, and it's having issues with supplying passports. So, big thoughts, there's thousands of them in Ottawa paid to have big thoughts. I don't think there's a lack of big thoughts, there's a lack of people delivering services to Canadians. You don't need an army of people to come up with big thoughts. I think the private sector has no choice (but) to get it right, has no choice to strike a proper balance, because if a large private-sector firm doesn't strike a proper balance, the market will tell it to strike the proper balance. The competition will tell it to strike the proper balance. There is a natural equilibrium in the private sector that happens just because there's competition, there's market forces, there's all kinds of forces that dictate how important it is to run an efficient operation; those forces are not present in the public sector. What I can say is that I wish them well. I think a better solution would be, we have nearly 300 federal organizations, we have 100 federal government programs, I think a better solution would be for the federal government to take a strong look at all its organizations and all its programs and see which ones have long passed their best-by date. See which programs no longer resonate like they did when they were first established. I think there's a lot of pruning of organizations and programs that could take place. The 15 per cent cuts sends a message that every program, every organization holds the same priority, just squeeze 15 per cent. I would've thought a better solution was to see that we have programs that don't fit our agenda. We have organizations that don't serve the purpose that they were initially set up for so why don't we look at that once we've cleaned that up then maybe we can look at the 15 per cent. There are some, not many, I'll give you an example. If you hire an auditor at Revenue Canada, every auditor you hire can generate X amount of revenue. So you hire an auditor and you can expect a return. But for most cases, at least for poets, how do you assess the performance of a poet? That's in the eye of the beholder. The poet can have 101 reasons why things don't work. Fault the politicians, it's the media, not enough resources, there's all kinds of reasons you can grab. You can find markers that work on the delivery side, you don't find markers that work on the poet side. This is the latest in a National Post series on How Canada Wins. Read earlier instalments here. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our politics newsletter, First Reading, here.
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Matt Savoie poised to take big step with Edmonton Oilers next season, says GM Stan Bowman
Photo credit: Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff Matt Savoie may be on the verge of a breakout season. Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman recently expressed confidence in the 21-year-old forward, suggesting that Savoie could take a major step forward in the 2025–26 campaign. With veteran departures creating lineup openings, and a need for penalty-killing depth, the spotlight is now firmly on the young forward to prove himself in training camp. Edmonton Oilers GM backs Matt Savoie for expanded role next season Stan Bowman didn't hold back when talking about Matt Savoie's future in Edmonton. 'There is some growth from within. I think Matt Savoie is probably poised to take a big step next year,' the Oilers GM said during a recent interview. With the exits of Connor Brown and Corey Perry in free agency, the Oilers have key roster spots to fill, particularly on the penalty kill. Savoie, acquired last summer in a trade that sent Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio to the Buffalo Sabres, impressed last season in the AHL with 54 points in 66 games for Bakersfield. But more importantly, his defensive responsibility and special teams play caught the attention of the Oilers' staff. Penalty kill and even strength performance key to NHL shot While Savoie played only four games with the Oilers last season, head coach Kris Knoblauch noted his reliability at even strength and his promise on the penalty kill. 'He didn't have any penalty-kill time when he was with us, but certainly, we saw him being a reliable two-way player at 5-on-5,' Knoblauch said. The Oilers believe Savoie's opportunity will lie primarily in shorthanded situations. 'The opportunity for Savoie is on the penalty kill, not that he can't be on the power play, but I definitely see him being a big part of our penalty kill,' Bowman emphasized. Youth movement could define Oilers' 2025–26 season With a veteran core still intact but the team falling just short of a Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons, Edmonton appears ready to inject youth into its lineup. Savoie stands out as one of the top candidates to step up and make an impact. Training camp will be his proving ground, and all signs point to a real chance at a full-time NHL role. If he delivers, Savoie could be one of the surprise contributors in a pivotal Oilers season. Also Read: Conor Timmins reunites with Maple Leafs' Bobby McMann and Joseph Woll at Coldplay concert in Toronto Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
