Chapter 10 Chapter Overview

The administrative state consists of unelected individuals, grouped within the various departments, agencies, branches, and sections, charged with implementing and administering laws and policies. These public servants are hired and promoted according to the merit principle, that is, based on their relevant qualifications (e.g., experience, education). The bureaucracy has evolved greatly from its early beginnings. The size of bureaucracy has increased steadily since the Keynesian policies of the mid-twentieth century and hiring and procurement practices have attempted to leave behind a tradition of patronage. In the modern Canadian bureaucracy, public servants are supposed to be politically neutral but certain political activities have been deemed acceptable. Public servants’ free speech rights have been the subject of judicial decisions. Other central themes of the development of the Canadian bureaucracy have been attempts to improve efficiency and accountability.

While expectations for the Canadian state have diminished in recent years, the role of the state in the economy and society remains substantial. State capacity, state structure, and the idea of state sovereignty have been significantly affected by globalization. Canadian society has been greatly affected by the changed conditions brought by increased globalization. The new global order has created new challenges and opportunities for the Canadian bureaucracy.

The bureaucracy of the government of Canada consists mainly of three components: the public service, chiefly government departments; independent agencies and tribunals, which perform a variety of regulatory, research and advisory functions; and crown corporations such as Via Rail and Canada Post. There are also administrative bodies that report to Parliament, as well as the military and the RCMP. Senior public servants (e.g., deputy ministers) are both managers and policy advisors. Their involvement in policy development is crucial. An important question pertaining to the bureaucracy is the extent to which it is representative of the population. Academics and political actors have questioned whether the public service should it reflect the important demographic characteristics of Canadian society. Affirmative action programs have been instituted to affect some degree of representativeness.