PUBLIC SERVICE VALUES PUBLIC SERVICE VALUES (Cont’d)(Cont’d)

The “Swivel Service”?The “Swivel Service”?

October 12October 12thth, 2006, 2006

The Public The Public Service...Service...

““The public service is there to remind The public service is there to remind elected leaders to do those things we elected leaders to do those things we shouldshould do but for which there is no immediate do but for which there is no immediate political gain.” political gain.”

Former Ontario PremierFormer Ontario PremierBob RaeBob Rae

Bureaucratic-Political ConflictBureaucratic-Political Conflict

what if there is no evidence of conflict between what if there is no evidence of conflict between bureaucratic and elected officials?bureaucratic and elected officials?– are bureaucrats doing their job?are bureaucrats doing their job?

i.e. “speaking truth to power”i.e. “speaking truth to power” ““...reminding political officials of things they ...reminding political officials of things they shouldshould do do

but for which there is no immediate political gain”but for which there is no immediate political gain”

– have elected officials been have elected officials been capturedcaptured by the by the bureaucracy?bureaucracy?

The Paradox of Public The Paradox of Public ServiceService ValuesValuesbureaucratic dominationbureaucratic domination

– how serious a problem??how serious a problem?? depends on...depends on...

– the model of democracy in question!!the model of democracy in question!!

bureaucratic surrenderbureaucratic surrender– how serious a problem??how serious a problem??

depends on...depends on...– the model of democracy in question!!the model of democracy in question!!

...on which side would you err??...on which side would you err??

The Not-So-Civil Service:The Not-So-Civil Service:

Power Resources and the Relationship Power Resources and the Relationship Between Ministers and their Between Ministers and their SeniorSenior Civil Civil ServantsServantsOctober 12th, 2006October 12th, 2006

Resources – Senior Bureaucratic Resources – Senior Bureaucratic OfficialsOfficialsexpertiseexpertise

– policypolicy– processprocess

person-powerperson-powerrelationship with other departmentsrelationship with other departmentsrelationship with clientelerelationship with clientele

Resources -- MinistersResources -- Ministers

political legitimacypolitical legitimacy expertiseexpertise

– politicalpolitical vis-a-vis publicvis-a-vis public vis-a-vis cabinetvis-a-vis cabinet

ability to manage relationshipability to manage relationship outside expertiseoutside expertise competing lines of advicecompeting lines of advice

relationship with cabinet, PMrelationship with cabinet, PM relationship with public/mediarelationship with public/media

Ministerial Resources and Public Ministerial Resources and Public Opinion PollingOpinion Polling

revolution in computer technologyrevolution in computer technology– costs of public opinion polling have droppedcosts of public opinion polling have dropped

exponential rise in the growth of public opinion exponential rise in the growth of public opinion polling by government departmentspolling by government departments

the role of the minister as the political antenna of the role of the minister as the political antenna of the department may be becoming obsoletethe department may be becoming obsolete– senior bureaucrats probably have a better read of public senior bureaucrats probably have a better read of public

opinion on a given policy issueopinion on a given policy issue

The Tenure of Ministers (the The Tenure of Ministers (the Constant) Constant) ““ministerial musical chairs”ministerial musical chairs”

– move often and frequency has increasedmove often and frequency has increased

effects on ministerial powereffects on ministerial power– the traditional viewthe traditional view

ministerial musical chairs weakens the power of ministerial musical chairs weakens the power of ministerminister

– the counter-traditional viewthe counter-traditional view avoids ministerial captureavoids ministerial capture

The Tenure of Senior Public The Tenure of Senior Public Servants (the change!)Servants (the change!)

the revolving deputy ministerial doorthe revolving deputy ministerial door– move often and frequency has increasedmove often and frequency has increased

effects on deputy ministerial powereffects on deputy ministerial power– the traditional viewthe traditional view

equalizes the relationship between DMs and ministers – both equalizes the relationship between DMs and ministers – both are short-term departmental residentsare short-term departmental residents

why?why?– an alternative viewan alternative view

strengthens the Centre (e.g PCO)strengthens the Centre (e.g PCO) DM becomes representative of the Centre (e.g. PCO)DM becomes representative of the Centre (e.g. PCO)

The Tenure of Ministers and their The Tenure of Ministers and their Senior Public ServantsSenior Public Servants

changing patterns in the tenure of ministers and changing patterns in the tenure of ministers and deputy ministers...deputy ministers...

effects are ambiguous/contradictoryeffects are ambiguous/contradictory complex interaction between both patternscomplex interaction between both patterns power of ministers/DM in new environment is an open power of ministers/DM in new environment is an open

empirical questionempirical question

HOWEVER...HOWEVER... relationships are changingrelationships are changing both changes are important in terms of relationships between both changes are important in terms of relationships between

departments and The Centredepartments and The Centre

Centralized Accountability: Centralized Accountability: Collective Ministerial Collective Ministerial ResponsibilityResponsibilitywhat is “responsible government”?what is “responsible government”?

– the executive must maintain the confidence of the executive must maintain the confidence of ParliamentParliament

what is collective ministerial responsibility?what is collective ministerial responsibility?– all ministers must resign if the cabinet loses the all ministers must resign if the cabinet loses the

confidence of Parliamentconfidence of Parliament what constitutes having the confidence of Parliament?what constitutes having the confidence of Parliament?

– what pre-conditions would the operation of what pre-conditions would the operation of collective cabinet ministerial responsibility require?collective cabinet ministerial responsibility require?

Centralized Accountability: Centralized Accountability: Collective Ministerial Collective Ministerial ResponsibilityResponsibilityrequirements (enforced by PM)requirements (enforced by PM)

– cabinet solidaritycabinet solidarity– cabinet secrecycabinet secrecy

cabinet documents exempt from Freedom of Informationcabinet documents exempt from Freedom of Information the problem of leaksthe problem of leaks

why would cabinet ministers agree?why would cabinet ministers agree? price of being in cabinetprice of being in cabinet collective self-interestcollective self-interest

Centralized Accountability (Collective Centralized Accountability (Collective Ministerial Responsibility) and Diffuse Ministerial Responsibility) and Diffuse Accountability (Individual Ministerial Accountability (Individual Ministerial Responsibility)Responsibility) the individual minister and cabinetthe individual minister and cabinet

collective vs. individual ministerial paradoxcollective vs. individual ministerial paradox– ministers interest in maximizing their own latitude from cabinet ministers interest in maximizing their own latitude from cabinet

controlcontrol– ministers interested in maximizing cabinet’s ability to direct ministers interested in maximizing cabinet’s ability to direct

other ministriesother ministries the conundrum of cabinet solidarity/cabinet secrecy and the conundrum of cabinet solidarity/cabinet secrecy and

individual ministerial responsibilityindividual ministerial responsibility

cabinet/departmental linkcabinet/departmental link minister represents department in cabinetminister represents department in cabinet minister represents cabinet to the departmentminister represents cabinet to the department

The Structure of Government: The Structure of Government: Centralized and Diffuse AccountabilityCentralized and Diffuse Accountability

Prime Ministerial/Cabinet government is an Prime Ministerial/Cabinet government is an attempt to ensure political control...attempt to ensure political control...– from the centre of government (Prime Minister and from the centre of government (Prime Minister and

Cabinet)Cabinet)– AND over individual departments (Ministers)AND over individual departments (Ministers)

structure of government is an attempt to balance structure of government is an attempt to balance between collective ministerial responsibility between collective ministerial responsibility (centralized accountability) and individual (centralized accountability) and individual ministerial responsibility (diffuse accountability)ministerial responsibility (diffuse accountability)

Centralized Accountability (Collective Centralized Accountability (Collective Ministerial Responsibility) and Diffuse Ministerial Responsibility) and Diffuse Accountability (Individual Ministerial Accountability (Individual Ministerial Responsibility)Responsibility)

the individual minister and cabinetthe individual minister and cabinet collective vs. individual ministerial paradoxcollective vs. individual ministerial paradox

– ministers interest in maximizing their own latitude from cabinet ministers interest in maximizing their own latitude from cabinet controlcontrol

– ministers interested in maximizing cabinet’s ability to direct ministers interested in maximizing cabinet’s ability to direct other ministriesother ministries

the conundrum of cabinet solidarity/cabinet secrecy and the conundrum of cabinet solidarity/cabinet secrecy and individual ministerial responsibilityindividual ministerial responsibility

The Structure of Government: The The Structure of Government: The Balance of Centralized and Diffuse Balance of Centralized and Diffuse AccountabilityAccountability cabinet structure and operationcabinet structure and operation

– sizesize– cabinet committeescabinet committees

importance and numberimportance and number

balance between central agencies and line departmentsbalance between central agencies and line departments– line departments – e.g. HRSDC, DFO, Agricultureline departments – e.g. HRSDC, DFO, Agriculture– central agencies – PCO, PMO, Finance, Treasury Boardcentral agencies – PCO, PMO, Finance, Treasury Board

role of the Deputy Ministerrole of the Deputy Minister– technically accountable to ministertechnically accountable to minister– appointed by PMappointed by PM

receives direction from PCOreceives direction from PCO