Part II: The Structure of Bureaucracy and the Canadian Political System The Political-Bureaucratic Interface Across Government (Cont’d) January 19, 2006

The Structure of Government: Centralized and Diffuse Accountability Prime Ministerial/Cabinet government is an attempt to ensure political control... Prime Ministerial/Cabinet government is an attempt to ensure political control... – from the centre of government (Prime Minister and Cabinet) – AND over individual departments (Ministers) structure of government is an attempt to balance between collective ministerial responsibility (centralized accountability) and individual ministerial responsibility (diffuse accountability) structure of government is an attempt to balance between collective ministerial responsibility (centralized accountability) and individual ministerial responsibility (diffuse accountability)

Centralized Accountability (Collective Ministerial Responsibility) and Diffuse Accountability (Individual Ministerial Responsibility) the individual minister and cabinet the individual minister and cabinet collective vs. individual ministerial paradox collective vs. individual ministerial paradox –ministers interest in maximizing their own latitude from cabinet control –ministers interested in maximizing cabinet’s ability to direct other ministries the conundrum of cabinet solidarity/cabinet secrecy and individual ministerial responsibility the conundrum of cabinet solidarity/cabinet secrecy and individual ministerial responsibility

The Structure of Government: The Balance of Centralized and Diffuse Accountability cabinet structure and operation cabinet structure and operation cabinet structure and operation cabinet structure and operation – size size – cabinet committees importance and number importance and number balance between central agencies and line departments balance between central agencies and line departments – line departments – e.g. HRSDC, DFO, Agriculture – central agencies – PCO, PMO, Finance, Treasury Board role of the Deputy Minister role of the Deputy Minister – technically accountable to minister – appointed by PM receives direction from PCO receives direction from PCO

Part II: The Structure of Bureaucracy and the Canadian Political System The Political-Bureaucratic Interface Within a Department January 19, 2006

The Political-Bureaucratic Interface Within a Department ministerial accountability -- minister is answerable publicly (to parliament) for the actions of their department ministerial accountability -- minister is answerable publicly (to parliament) for the actions of their department regardless of whether the minister was in charge at the time a problem occurred regardless of whether the minister was in charge at the time a problem occurred ministers are responsible for correcting problems within their department ministers are responsible for correcting problems within their department under what conditions would individuals agree to accept this role? under what conditions would individuals agree to accept this role? – price for exercising power – what would they demand in return

Individual Ministerial Responsibility – Shaping the Political/Bureaucratic Relationship the individual minister demands from their senior bureaucrats... the individual minister demands from their senior bureaucrats... loyalty in service loyalty in service honesty in advice honesty in advice refrain from public comment refrain from public comment = public service neutrality

Individual Ministerial Responsibility – Shaping the Political/Bureaucratic Relationship the senior bureaucrats agree to public service neutrality in exchange for... the senior bureaucrats agree to public service neutrality in exchange for... official anonymity official anonymity promotion based on merit promotion based on merit security of tenure security of tenure

Roles and Responsibilities of Ministers and Deputy Ministers the politics-administration dichotomy the politics-administration dichotomy policy – what should be done policy – what should be done administration – how it should be done administration – how it should be done – does this distinction seem workable? this is the ideal to strive toward even if impossible to achieve this is the ideal to strive toward even if impossible to achieve – basic distinction Minister predominates in policy Minister predominates in policy Deputy Minister predominates in administration Deputy Minister predominates in administration

Roles and Responsibilities of Ministers and Deputy Ministers the role of the Minister the role of the Minister – cabinet/departmental link –minister represents department in cabinet (advocate) –minister represents cabinet to the department – approves/initiates broad policy decisions – answers publicly for the actions of the department

Roles and Responsibilities of Ministers and Deputy Ministers the role of the Deputy Minister the role of the Deputy Minister – administration staffing staffing financial control financial control – policy -- presenting policy options to the Minister in response to ministerial requests – accountability – investigating and correcting problems at the behest of the Minister (with Minister reporting publicly)

The Ministerial/Deputy Ministerial Relationship what would you expect the relationship to be like??? what would you expect the relationship to be like??? confrontation or cooperative?? confrontation or cooperative??