An election is the public service’s time to shine! As leaders, we need emphasize the values of impartiality and neutrality. We are critical to a functioning democracy – Canada benefits from having a non-partisan, expert public service, providing stability and continuity in government by supporting those who were voted in. Spring 2025 // Canadian Government Executive / 19 An election is the public service’s time to shine! As leaders, we need emphasize the values of impartiality and neutrality. We are critical to a functioning democracy – Canada benefits from having a non-partisan, expert public service, providing stability and continuity in government by supporting those who were voted in. The incoming government has the support of citizens, and now we need to help them advance their mandate through impartial advice and implementation. Over time, civil servants can become protective of their programs and push back against change. We have been loyally implementing an agenda and take pride in our work. It can feel uncomfortable when a new government signals change, and public servants can feel like they “know better”. I focus on reminding our team about our place in parliamentary democracy – we must give fearless advice but also loyally implement. Ultimately, we can center ourselves on providing excellent service to our province and supporting democracy with professionalism and integrity. There is an opportunity for public servants to be engaged leading up to an election, inviting them to bring forward ideas on improving services and outcomes. These ideas can be collated into lists aligned with the various party’s commitments. It is important to stress that while we can bring forward ideas, ultimately a new government will decide on its priorities. In addition to preparing staff for a transition, developing helpful transition materials is also fundamental. Those who have been through changes in government are familiar with “transition binders.” The Clerk of the Executive Council’s office directs each deputy to prepare a consistent package of information. The documents are intended to help a new government, or a returning government with a potential new minister and/or new technical staff, to quickly understand the main business of the department, its responsibilities, and any challenges or opportunities at play. Common sections include variations of: • Organization charts, FTE numbers; • Biographies of senior leaders; • Department responsibilities, including legislation (noting any new legislation or regulation coming into force); • Lists of “Other Reporting Agencies” in Summary government; • High-level budget overview; • “Top 5” urgent matters; “Top 5” strategic opportunities; • List of common acronyms; • Stakeholder lists; • Intergovernmental issues and opportunities; and • Upcoming events of note. Staff often put forward suggestions for things that seem urgent or top issues, however, in the scheme of things in a new government, they may not be. In addition to preparing the material as directed by the Clerk, it is helpful to assemble additional material to support a successful transition: • Plain language presentations with visuals to tell the story of each program area to brief a new minister. Include a general overview, legislative mandate; key facts and stats; stakeholder issues; and challenges and opportunities. • Interprovincial comparisons are important, and it can also be useful to look at other provinces with similar political views and become familiar with what they are doing. When the Progressive Conservative government came into power in Manitoba in 2015/16, we spent time exploring what Saskatchewan’s practices were at the time. • Track all parties’ campaign commitments, and also review question period themes, freedom of information requests, social media, etc. Look at what advocacy groups have written, too. Dive into campaign commitments, identify the steps involved to implement, such as staffing and legislation, and cost out wherever possible. • Contemplate what could realistically be rolled out in a new government’s “first 100 days” plan. Government transitions involve processes that may not be familiar to many people. As senior civil servants, we need to carefully consider what we can and cannot do during the Caretaker Convention and ensure staff understand this. Reviewing past legal challenges is beneficial. The Access convention kicks in if there is a change in government, and significant records management is undertaken. Confidential advice to the previous government remains just that – advice for the previous government. Briefing notes, Treasury Board and Cabinet Submissions are not given to the new government. When a different government is voted in, in addition to packing up the records of the previous government, there are sweeps of ministers’ offices for bug listening devices – a practice that takes place regardless of which party is exiting and entering government. There are a few somewhat chaotic days in our provincial legislative building as the transition team for the incoming government decides which ministry will sit in which office and people start moving in and out. There can also be logistical challenges when the size of Cabinet has changed, and the administrative support teams and deputy ministers shift as well. It may take a while for technical staff to be appointed, and find their permanent homes. While they settle FEATURE
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