The patterns the author cites here are replicated in every corner of government. Civil servants learn a single process and stick to it by all means, for decades. 

The work culture inside Queen's Park does not allow for evidence-based change. "This is how we've always done it", is an infuriatingly common retort from bureaucrats as they train newbies, who in turn have no choice but do as 'they've always done' or risk reputation as a trouble-maker. 

That culture has led directly to low math scores via badly designed curriculum, hospital wait times, break down in social service delivery, crumbling infrastructure, left-behind public transit, bad energy deals, and billions of public dollars to the same two industries year after year.