Non-political bureaucrats

Of the many problems that Rachel Notley will inherit from the PCs, one of the most serious is a highly politicized civil service. Distrust of bureaucrats caused Ralph Klein and his successors to appoint political operatives to top positions throughout the civil service. Knowledgeable and experienced expert administrators were replaced by persons who shared PC ideology but knew very little about the departments they were appointed to run.

Politicalization of the bureaucracy was totally contrary to the British Parliamentary system under which our democracy operates. The Westminster tradition holds that cabinet ministers are politicians who may be changed every four years or even more often. Senior civil servants are experts in the field of endeavour served by their department. They do not play political games.

With an apolitical civil service, a change of party does not unduly interfere with the day-to-day operations of government. Apolitical civil servants are able to implement policies of the new regime gradually, keeping in mind the next generation and not the next election.

Having inherited such a highly politicized civil service, how should a new crop of cabinet ministers do? It may well be necessary to replace those senior bureaucrats who are not able to put aside their loyalties to conservative ideologies.

New ministers must resist the temptation to install deputy ministers and other highlevel appointees from among their own supporters. Highly competent, experienced, and apolitical administrators should be appointed from the ranks of every department and from the sectors that they serve. Only then will government departments serve the interests of all Albertans and not just the party in power. Doug Ledgerwood St. Albert