Civil service in Canada

Ø 1) Read the text and say what problem Canadian civil service is facing nowadays.

The Public Service of Canada is the staff (or bureaucracy) of the federal government of Canada. Its function is to support Queen Elizabeth II, the Canadian monarch, and to handle the hiring of employees for the federal government ministries. It is represented by the Governor General, and the appointed ministry.

The purpose of the Canadian public service is to enact the will of the government. It does this through providing advice, implementing the priorities of the government, supporting Ministers of the Crown, and delivering services that support Canadians.

The public service functions through departments, agencies, commissions, crown corporations, and other federal organizations. Over 40% of the Public Service of Canada is located in the Ottawa-Hull area, although there is staff in over 180 countries and 1, 600 locations across Canada. It is also the nation’s largest single employer.

A typical department is headed by a minister, which is a political position usually held by a member of parliament, and who is a member of the Cabinet. The senior civil servant in a department is usually titled Deputy Minister. These officials are responsible for all on-going operations within their department, while ministers are accountable to parliament. Deputy Ministers report to the Clerk of the Privy Council who is the chief public servant in Canada.

Under the Deputy Minister there will usually be three to five Assistant Deputy Ministers who oversee various broad aspects of the department (policy, administration, program implementation, etc). Within the jurisdiction of each Assistant Deputy Minister is usually two to five Directors-General who oversee more functional areas of each broad element of the department. Under Directors-General are Directors, who oversee various directorates, which are the core of any department. These directorates contain the ground level in each department and are the members of the public service who implement government decisions.

There are approximately 100 distinctly different positions in Canadian civil service. Most work in policy, operations or administrative functions. About 15% are scientists and professionals, 10% work in technical operations, and 2.5% are executives.

Hiring of civil servants is typically done through a competitive process that is either external (open) or internal (closed). External competitions are typically organized to recruit a greater number of applicants. Conversely, internal competitions may be held to provide opportunities for advancement within the civil service.

Civil servants in Canada are not contracted by an abstraction called “the state, ” but rather are employed by the Canadian monarch, who personifies the state. Hence, some civil servants, such as police officers, are required by law to recite the Oath of Allegiance before taking their posts. However, bureaucratic civil servants do not have to swear the oath any more.

The civil service has been reduced several times, often due to restraint programs designed to reduce its cost. Nevertheless, the public service has expanded over the years as population has grown, and the number of services provided to Canadians has increased with the introduction of new offices throughout the country.

Ø 2) Draw a scheme of Canadian civil service. Compare this scheme with the one of a different country of your choice.

Ø 3) Answer the questions on the text:

a) Who is Canadian monarch?

b) Who represents the monarch in Canada?

c) Where are “the headquarters” of Canadian civil service located?

d) Is Canadian civil service political?

e) Which positions are considered to serve the country in Canada?