Meet the new boss. Same as the old Boss? Does a change in government change the relationship between elected officials and the public service?

Purpose: To assess the changing nature of Canada’s political-administrative dichotomy under different political regimes. Research Question: How does political control differ from one government to another? An analysis of... [ view full abstract ]

Purpose: To assess the changing nature of Canada’s political-administrative dichotomy under different political regimes.

Research Question: How does political control differ from one government to another? An analysis of “politicization” in Canada?

In previous explorations of the evolving relationship between elected official and Canada’s public service we have attempted to illustrate how “politicization” is a long-term trend that pre-dates the decade of the Harper Conservatives rule in Canada. While Prime Minister Harper’s government took centralization, coordination and control of the public service to unprecedented levels – due in part to his personality and leadership style, and a deep mistrust amongst Conservatives of Ottawa’s so called “Laurentian” (read Liberal/liberal) elites” – we believe and predict that the broader forces identified by Aucoin, Savoie, Peters and others generating increasingly centralized political control will continue under the current Trudeau liberal leadership.

Despite rhetoric to the contrary, and pledges to undo the growing centralization of power, we argue that the Trudeau government is continuing this trend, albeit in a different and perhaps more traditional and subtle manner than his predecessor. In addition to the appointment of “independent” senators we examine the appointment of un-elected officials to key agencies and institutions, parliamentary agents, boards, commissions, tribunals and the judiciary. Although merit is the espoused criterion for selection we question the extent to which this is the case and the impact of this both for the broader concept of politicization and the role of public servants. Although only 12 months into the Trudeau government’s term we believe there are discernible shifts in approach although the overall aim of increasing control and the centralization of power may be the same fundamental driver of reform.