From Machinery to Executive Density: Time for Structural Reforms?

Abstract

The Canadian public service has adapted to many forces of change in recent years. What has not changed is the core structural software of how it is constructed and organized. Two dimensions of structural change are available to the next government, and they could choose to pursue both. One is the domain of "machinery of government" and the other is in the layered hierarchical pyramid of occupations and management. These are areas where change would involve rewiring of core legislation and would face considerable internal resistance. They are also areas where change can bring unintended consequences and generate new issues and tradeoffs. Nevertheless, it won't be possible to get to a public service fit for purpose on its current foundations and scaffolding.