Responsible Government: Clarifying Essentials, Dispelling Myths and Exploring Change

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Peter Aucoin is Eric Dennis Memorial Professor of Government and Political Science and Professor of Public Administration at Dalhousie University, and a Senior Academic Fellow at the Canadian Centre for Management Development.

Jennifer Smith is a Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Political Science Department at Dalhousie University.

Geoff Dinsdale is Head of the Governance Research Program at the Canadian Centre for Management Development.

A first-rate primer on our system of government: practical, informed, judicious, authoritative and a pleasure to read. It provides a needed historical and comparative perspective and corrects many false assumptions. The authors show the flexibility of a parliamentary system and how it can evolve without losing the core of responsible government.

Should be required reading for all public servants, veterans as well as new recruits.

Ralph Heintzman, Vice President, Public Service Values and Ethics, Office of Public Service Values and Ethics, Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada

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Concepts such as ministerial responsibility and the accountability of officials most commonly come to public attention in an environment of political combat. The authors have performed a useful service in dispelling some prevalent myths and providing an informative account of how responsible government actually works.

Arthur Kroeger, C.C. (former Deputy Minister)

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David Docherty, Ph.D., Chair, Department of Political Science, Wilfrid Laurier University

The ideas and opinions expressed in this document are the authors’ and do not represent the position of the Canadian Centre for Management Development.

For more information or copies, please contact the Research and University Relations Group of the Canadian Centre for Management Development

Telephone: (613) 947-3682
Facsimile: (613) 992-1736
E-mail: publications@csps-efpc.gc.ca

© Canadian Centre for Management Development 2004

Internet
National Library of Canada cataloguing in publication data

Aucoin, Peter, 1943-

Responsible government [electronic resource] : clarifying essentials, dispelling myths and exploring change

Issued also in French under title: Le gouvernement responsable.
Includes bibliographical references.
Issued in print format.
SC94-107/2004E-HTML
ISBN 0-662-36097-4

1. Representative government and representation – Canada.
2. Administrative agencies – Canada.
3. Cabinet system – Canada.
4. Canada. Politics and government.
I. Smith, Jennifer, 1950- .
II. Dinsdale, Geoff.
III. Governance Research Program (Canada)
IV. Canadian Centre for Management Development.
V. Title.

JL65.A92 2004 320.471 C2004-980012-4