The Minister and the MandarinThe Minister and the Mandarin

Keep the Keep the MinisterMinister

Fire the Fire the MinisterMinister

Keep the DMKeep the DM

Fire the DMFire the DM

The Minister and the MandarinThe Minister and the Mandarin

Keep the Keep the MinisterMinister

Fire the Fire the MinisterMinister

Keep the DMKeep the DM Team #2Team #2

Fire the DMFire the DM

The Minister and the MandarinThe Minister and the Mandarin

Keep the Keep the MinisterMinister

Fire the Fire the MinisterMinister

Keep the DMKeep the DM Team #2Team #2

Fire the DMFire the DM Team #1Team #1Team #3Team #3Team #4Team #4Team #5Team #5

The Minister and the MandarinThe Minister and the Mandarin

Keep the Keep the MinisterMinister

Fire the Fire the MinisterMinister

Keep the DMKeep the DM Team #2Team #2 Mitchell SharpMitchell Sharp

Fire the DMFire the DM Team #1Team #1Team #3Team #3Team #4Team #4Team #5Team #5

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

The “Swivel Service”?The “Swivel Service”?October 10October 10thth, 2006, 2006

Accountability/Responsibility of Accountability/Responsibility of the Senior Public Servicethe Senior Public Servicesubjective vs. objective responsibilitysubjective vs. objective responsibility

– explicit political controls are not enough if explicit political controls are not enough if there is no sense of subjective responsibility there is no sense of subjective responsibility (Friedrich)(Friedrich)

importance of public service importance of public service valuesvalues

Procedural vs. Substantive Procedural vs. Substantive Public Service ValuesPublic Service Values

PROCEDURALPROCEDURAL– neutralityneutrality– accountabilityaccountability– responsiveness responsiveness

(political)(political)– integrity (ethics)integrity (ethics)– fairness and equity fairness and equity

(procedural)(procedural)

SUBSTANTIVESUBSTANTIVE– public interestpublic interest– efficiency/effectivenessefficiency/effectiveness– responsiveness responsiveness

(public)(public)– fairness and equity fairness and equity

(substantive)(substantive)

The Public The Public Service...Service... ““The public service is a special calling. It is not The public service is a special calling. It is not

for everyone. Those who devote themselves to it for everyone. Those who devote themselves to it find meaning and satisfaction that are not to be find meaning and satisfaction that are not to be found elsewhere. But the rewards are not found elsewhere. But the rewards are not material. They are moral and psychological, material. They are moral and psychological, perhaps even spiritual. They are the intangible perhaps even spiritual. They are the intangible rewards that proceed from the sense of devoting rewards that proceed from the sense of devoting one’s life to the service of the country, to the one’s life to the service of the country, to the affairs of state, to public purposes, great or small, affairs of state, to public purposes, great or small, and to the public good.”and to the public good.” The Tait ReportThe Tait Report

The Public The Public Service...Service... ““The notion of public interest is a touchstone of The notion of public interest is a touchstone of

motivation for public servants. It is for the public motivation for public servants. It is for the public service what justice and liberty are for the legal service what justice and liberty are for the legal profession, or what healing and mercy are for the profession, or what healing and mercy are for the medical profession.” medical profession.”

The Tait ReportThe Tait Report ““The public service is there to remind elected The public service is there to remind elected

leaders to do those things we leaders to do those things we shouldshould do but for do but for which there is no immediate political gain.” which there is no immediate political gain.” Former Ontario PremierFormer Ontario Premier

Bob RaeBob Rae

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

““Speaking truth to power”Speaking truth to power”– the corollorary of “honesty in advice”the corollorary of “honesty in advice”

What would be the characteristics of a senior What would be the characteristics of a senior bureaucracy likely (and able) to perform this bureaucracy likely (and able) to perform this type of function?type of function?– What type of person is likely to develop these types What type of person is likely to develop these types

of values?of values?

The The CareerCareer Public Service Public Service

benefitsbenefits– speaking truth to power/long-term view of the public goodspeaking truth to power/long-term view of the public good

official anonymity & security of tenureofficial anonymity & security of tenure– expertise/capabilityexpertise/capability

performance based on meritperformance based on merit

drawbacksdrawbacks– may not be politically responsivemay not be politically responsive– may become ossifiedmay become ossified

rigid adherence to accepted policiesrigid adherence to accepted policies– may challenge political leadershipmay challenge political leadership

The Paradox of Public The Paradox of Public ServiceService ValuesValues

demand high ethical standards of public servantsdemand high ethical standards of public servants requires people devoted to public servicerequires people devoted to public service people with high ethical standards will have strong values/beliefspeople with high ethical standards will have strong values/beliefs

– may bring them into conflict with elected officialsmay bring them into conflict with elected officials

demand people who are highly capabledemand people who are highly capable capable of challenging elected leadershipcapable of challenging elected leadership

built-in tension between bureaucratic and elected built-in tension between bureaucratic and elected officialsofficials

may generate considerable conflict between public service and may generate considerable conflict between public service and elected officialselected officials

– systemic – e.g. the system operates this way by designsystemic – e.g. the system operates this way by design may raise issues of democratic controlmay raise issues of democratic control

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 10th, 2006October 10th, 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 increasedeffects 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 responsibilitycabinet/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