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 Making qualified government appointments
The context
Legislative provisions that govern the appointment of Agents and Officers of Parliament are inconsistent and do not fully respect Parliament in the process. In addition, the
appointment process for agencies, commissions, and boards is not as transparent or merit-based as it could be. Furthermore, favoured treatment to ministerial staffers in filling
public-service positions undermines both the non-partisan nature of the public service and its adherence to the merit principle.
What this means for Canadians
These reforms will assure Canadians that the appointments process for Agents and Officers of Parliament are approved by Parliament; that government appointments reward merit
while respecting the values of fairness and openness; and that the potential for politicizing the public service is reduced.
The Action Plan
The Federal Accountability Act will:
- institute a uniform approach to appointing Officers and Agents of Parliament, and ensure a meaningful role for Parliament in the process;
- create a Public Appointments Commission in the Prime Minister's portfolio to oversee, monitor, and report on the selection process for appointments to government boards,
commissions, agencies, and Crown corporations;
- allow the Chief Electoral Officer to appoint returning officers, with provisions that ensure the merit principle is applied; and
- remove the entitlements of all ministers' staff to priority appointments and instead allow them to apply for internal competitions for public-service positions for up to one
year.
For more information
For more information on this specific measure, please refer to the relevant section of the Action Plan, or contact us. |
