Reflections by Munir Sheikh
Disclaimer: The summaries and interpretations provided on this page are unofficial and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS).
Summary
- Munir Sheikh served in Canadian public service from 1972, working as an economist with the Economic Council of Canada, then at the National Energy Board, and rising to senior assistant deputy minister at the Department of Finance by 2000 before becoming Chief Statistician of Canada.
- In July 2010, Sheikh unexpectedly resigned from his position as Chief Statistician after working in that role, making it a difficult and strange day that began with an early morning call from his corporate secretary about a front-page headline in the Globe and Mail.
- The newspaper story claimed that Sheikh had personally assured the government that cancelling the long-form census was a good idea, which was the third time such a story had appeared in the media attributing this position to him.
- Sheikh called an emergency meeting with all assistant chief statisticians at 9 AM and they concluded that these false attributions were unacceptable because they would damage the reputation and integrity of Statistics Canada as an institution.
- Sheikh determined that the only way to send a clear signal that Statistics Canada had not made the recommendation to cancel the census was to resign publicly, so people would understand that the government’s decision had led to his departure.
- Sheikh clarified that he did not resign because the government rejected his advice, as deputy ministers are trained to provide the best possible advice and then implement whatever decision the government makes regardless of whether it aligns with their recommendations.
- Throughout his career at the Department of Finance, Sheikh would have resigned 50 times if he quit every time the government didn’t take his advice, because it is the right of elected governments to make their own decisions while public servants provide advice.
- The actual reason for Sheikh’s resignation was that the minister responsible for Statistics Canada publicly stated that they were following advice that Statistics Canada had given and that the chief statistician had personally assured them it was the right decision.
- This false attribution made it appear that Statistics Canada didn’t know good from bad, which would destroy the reputation and integrity of the institution, making resignation necessary to protect the organization’s credibility.
- Sheikh faced a challenge in writing his resignation letter because he could not reveal Statistics Canada’s confidential recommendation to the minister, so he framed the issue as a technical statistical matter.
- In his resignation letter, Sheikh presented the question of whether the long-form census could be replaced by a survey as a technical issue and stated clearly that it cannot, which became the sentence that received significant media attention.
- Sheikh emphasized that governments are completely free to disregard public servant advice, and he would never resign simply because his recommendations weren’t accepted, as that is the prerogative of elected officials.
- The breaking point came when the government refused to take ownership of what Sheikh considered a bad decision and instead pinned the blame on a public servant and Statistics Canada as an institution.
- While Sheikh could have personally lived with taking blame for someone else’s bad decision, he could not tolerate having Statistics Canada, a great Canadian institution, blamed for incompetence.
- Initially, Sheikh’s mindset was very negative, feeling terrible about losing his dream job and blaming the government, but reading public reactions the next day made him feel he had done the right thing.
- The public support and understanding that Sheikh had made the correct decision helped him realize that while he had lost something, he had gained something important in terms of vindication and doing what was right for the institution.
- Sheikh acknowledges that even though resigning was the obvious decision for someone who cares about their institution, he still felt uncertain about surviving without going to the office and doing work he loved.
- Sheikh’s family, including his wife and sons, supported his decision and encouraged him to stick with it, which gave him the confidence to follow through with his resignation.
- After leaving Statistics Canada, Sheikh returned to an idea from 1965 when he lived through the war between India and Pakistan at age 18, which made him realize governments could inflict harm on their own citizens.
- Sheikh recalled hearing a famous author say that some harsh realities of life can only be communicated effectively through fiction, which inspired him to try writing fiction to communicate these realities.
- Writing fiction was difficult for someone accustomed to writing academic articles and briefing notes, so Sheikh attended a British academy for two years to learn how to write stories.
- It took Sheikh 14 years to write his novel about the events of 1965, which he titled “Islamabad: A Tale of War and Love” after the capital of Pakistan, representing the seat of government power.
- The book is structured in two parts, with Islamabad representing where power originates and negatively affects people’s lives, while the second part explores war as a mechanism used by the government and love within a family dealing with adversity.
- The novel follows a family with a father, mother, and two daughters who rely on their family unity and love for each other to cope with the hardships created by government-initiated wars.
- Sheikh’s book addresses the theme of how bad governments destroy the lives of their own citizens, which he considers highly relevant given the number of countries experiencing this problem worldwide today.
- Sheikh views his novel as a call for people to wake up and recognize that governmental harm to citizens cannot be allowed to continue because it badly affects lives around the world.
Actionable Advice
- When you witness false attribution that damages your institution's reputation and integrity, consider whether resignation is necessary to send a clear signal and protect the organization's credibility.
- Distinguish between resigning because the government rejected your advice versus resigning because the government falsely attributed its decision to your recommendation, as these are fundamentally different situations.
- When writing a resignation letter involving confidential information, frame sensitive issues in technical terms that communicate your position without revealing privileged details.
- Provide the best possible advice to decision-makers and then do your best to implement their decisions regardless of whether they align with your recommendations, as this is the proper role of public servants.
- Recognize that elected governments have the right to make decisions and reject public servant advice, and accept this as part of the democratic process rather than a reason to resign.
- When facing a difficult career decision, consult with your family and trusted loved ones for support and perspective before making a final choice.
- After leaving a career position, return to ideas and causes that mattered to you earlier in life as potential avenues for continued public service and meaningful contribution.
- Consider using fiction writing as a medium to communicate harsh realities that may be difficult to convey through academic or professional writing.
- If transitioning from technical or academic writing to fiction, seek formal training through writing academies or courses to develop the necessary storytelling skills.
- Allow yourself adequate time to complete meaningful creative projects, recognizing that major works may take many years to develop properly.
- Use your professional experiences and observations about governance and power to inform creative work that addresses important social and political issues.
- Read books like "Islamabad: A Tale of War and Love" that explore how governments can adversely affect their citizens' lives to better understand these dynamics.
- Stay aware of how many countries around the world are experiencing governmental harm to citizens and recognize this as an ongoing global issue requiring attention.
- Support family unity and love as mechanisms for dealing with adversities created by larger systemic or governmental problems.
- Wake up to the reality that bad governance destroying citizens' lives cannot be allowed to continue and take action to address this issue in your sphere of influence.