OTTAWA—Auditor general Michael Ferguson is standing by his conclusion that the federal public service’s “obedient” culture led to the “incomprehensible failure” of the Phoenix pay system.

Ferguson reiterated his criticisms Thursday before the House of Commons public accounts committee — just two days after the top federal civil servant blasted the auditor general’s critique of the public service as “an opinion piece.”

Ferguson’s audit report last month concluded that the Phoenix system was an “incomprehensible failure” of project management and oversight, which led to green-lighting a system that wasn’t ready.

The report said it was unfathomable that no one spoke up to say it wasn’t going to work and needed to be stopped; it blamed “an obedient culture” among public servants — a message Ferguson repeated at committee Thursday.

Privy Council Clerk Michael Wernick disputed that conclusion during an appearance before the same committee earlier this week, accusing the auditor of making “sweeping generalizations” about public servants.

The Phoenix system has resulted in thousands of federal civil servants being underpaid, overpaid or not paid at all.

Ferguson is scheduled to appear before the committee again next week, when members said they intend to delve deeper into Wernick’s criticism of the auditor general’s message.

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