Robert Shepherd is on sabbatical until June 30, 2023.
Robert’s research spans public management and governmental reform, Indigenous public management, ethics, and policy and program evaluation. He is interested in how public accountability and oversight systems intersects to improve overall public management and governance systems. In addition, his research extends to understanding how governmental program evaluation functions can improve public policy and decision-making. Improving ethics in government also contributes to governmental legitimacy and democracy.
Canadian public management; comparative public management; audit and federal program evaluation; performance measurement and management; First Nations governance; ethics and accountability in government
Honours BA in Politics and Business Administration (Brock University, Canada)
MA in Public Policy and Administration (Carleton University, Canada)
MBA (University of Ottawa, Canada)
PhD in Political Science and Public Administration (University of Toronto, Canada)
Robert’s research spans public management and governmental reform, Indigenous public management, ethics, and policy and program evaluation. He is interested in how public accountability and oversight systems intersects to improve overall public management and governance systems. In addition, his research extends to understanding how governmental program evaluation functions can improve public policy and decision-making. Improving ethics in government also contributes to governmental legitimacy and democracy.
My research focuses on the interplay between ethics in government, oversight and public confidence. Building on the thoughts of Jeremy Bentham, I believe that systems that enhance transparency in decision-making make governments and their concomitant systems behave and work as they were intended. Making governments accountable means building a public service culture of integrity, service, and the willingness to provide forthright advice to elected leaders. My research into areas of ethics in public management, accountability, governance reform and program evaluation come together in various ways, including ultimately building a public service culture of honesty and integrity. Recent reform efforts in areas such as performance measurement, deliverology, evaluation, and audit provide fertile ground for studying how these oversight systems can make a difference to improving public confidence in government.
Shepherd, Robert and Diabo, Russell. “A Government-First Nations Dialogue on Accountability: Re-establishing Understanding on the Basics of a Complex Relationship” Native Studies Review. 15(2): pp. 61–82 (2004) University of Saskatchewan
Shepherd, R. P. “The Citizens’ Forum: a case study in public consultation.” Optimum.23(4): pp. 18-27 (March 1993) Ottawa – Ontario : Consulting and Audit Canada. ISSN: 0475-1906
Shepherd, Robert, Diane Simsovic and Alan Latourelle. “Canada’s National Parks.” In Howlett, Michael and Evert Lindquist, Grace Skogstad, Genevieve Tellier, Paul ‘t Hart, Successful Public Policy: Lessons from Canada. Oxford University Press. Winter 2021-22. Forthcoming
Shepherd, Robert, Diane Simsovic and Alan Latourelle. “Canada’s National Parks.” In Howlett, Michael and Evert Lindquist, Grace Skogstad, Genevieve Tellier, Paul ‘t Hart, Successful Public Policy: Lessons from Canada. Oxford University Press. Winter 2021-22.
Shepherd, Robert. 2018. “You Got to Know When to Hold ‘Em: An Evaluation that went from Bad to Worse.” In Kylie Hutchinson (ed.). Evaluation Failures: 22 Tales of Mistakes Made and Lessons Learned. Toronto: Sage, 77-82.
Shepherd, Robert. 2018. “Indigenous Peoples and the Reconciliation Agenda: Funding, Accountability and Risk.” In Christopher Dunn (ed.). The Handbook of Canadian Public
Shepherd, Robert and Christopher Stoney. 2018. “Policy Analysis in the Federal Government: Conditions and Renewal Initiatives in the Trudeau Era.” In Laurent Dobuzinskis and Michael
Shepherd, Robert and Bryan Evans. 2017. “The Intersections of Public Policy and Political Communications: Insights from Federal Public Service Elites.” In Alex Marland, Thierry Giasson and Andrea Lawlor (Eds.), Political Elites in Canada: Power and Influence in Instantaneous Times. Vancouver: UBC Press.
Honest Politics Now: What Ethical Conduct Means in Canadian Public Life. Ian Greene and David Shugarman (Eds.). Toronto: Lorimer, 2017. Principal author for two chapters, and co- author for five of 11 chapters.
Shepherd, Robert. 2016. “The Program Evaluation Function: Uncertain Governance and Effects.” In Thomas Klassen, et. al. (Eds.), Handbook of Global Public Policy and Administration. New York: Routledge, 335-45.
Shepherd, Robert P. and Christopher Stoney, Lori Turnbull. 2016. “The Changing Nature of the Relationship Between Public Servants and Ministers.” In Thomas Klassen, et. al., (Eds.), Handbook of Global Public Policy and Administration. New York: Routledge, 271-79.
Shepherd, Robert. 2013. “How Ottawa Controls: Harper Era Strategic Reviews in the Context of the 1993-1996 Liberal Program Review.” In G. Bruce Doern and Christopher Stoney (eds.), How Ottawa Spends 2013/2014. Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press. Ch. 8.
Shepherd, Robert. 2011. “Do institutions responsible for parliamentary oversight offer better tools for scrutinizing and improving governance? The Affirmative Proposition.” In Leone, Robert and Frank Ohemeng (eds.). Approaching Public Administration: Core Debates and Emerging Issues. Toronto: Edmund Montgomery Publications, 163-74.
Shepherd, Robert. 2010. “Accountability and First Nations in Canada.” In Christopher Dunn (ed.). Handbook of Canadian Public Management, 2nd Edition. Toronto: Nelson, 330-49.
Shepherd, Robert. 2009. “Evaluating The Rationale Of The New Federal Lobbying Act: Making Lobbying Transparent Or Regulating The Industry?” In Allan Maslove (ed.), How Ottawa Spends 2009/2010: Economic Upheaval and Political Dysfunction. Montreal and Kingston: McGill- Queen’s University Press, 115-50.
Shepherd, Robert and Anne Perkins. 2001. “Managing in the New Public Service: Some Implications for How We Are Governed.” In Leslie A. Pal (ed.), How Ottawa Spends 2001-2002: Power in Transition. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 95-122.
Paquet, Gilles and Robert Shepherd. 1996. “The Program Review Process: A Deconstruction.” In Gene Swimmer (ed.), How Ottawa Spends 1996/97, Life Under the Knife. Ottawa: Carleton University Press, 39-74.
Evaluator and Senior Researcher on the Indigenous Youth Futures Partnership, 7-year SSHRC partnership grant.
The Indigenous Youth Futures Partnership project’s aim is to foster Indigenous youth engagement and resilience and to empower youth to excel as leaders in their communities. Shepherd is responsible for managing a team of researchers in the Kasabonika Lake First Nation located north of Sioux Lookout, Ontario.
Senior researcher on the Rebuilding First Nations Governance project
The Rebuilding First Nations Governance project’s aim is to support First Nations that have made the decision to transition from the Indian Act to their own inherent rights governance. Shepherd is on a team of researchers responsible for exploring governance changes for the numbered treaties communities