Chapter 7

Thinking Government: Public Administration and Politics in Canada

Human Resources Management

This chapter explores the nature of public sector human resources management, first presenting a detailed statistical picture of

  • the size of government;
  • the representativeness of the public service in regional, ethnic, linguistic, and gender terms; and
  • pay levels.

It examines the concept and problems of patronage, the development of the merit principle, and the drive to professionalize the public service. In the latter context, it explains how the merit principle is put into practice when choosing among job candidates and when making senior political appointments.

The chapter also explores efforts to revitalize the public service following years of downsizing and budget cutbacks, in particular through the enactment of the Public Service Modernization Act.

Finally, it examines policies designed to develop a representative and equitable public service:

  • bilingualism and biculturalism;
  • employment equity; and
  • the federal collective bargaining system.


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