Breaking the bargain

"In Breaking the Bargain, Donald J. Savoie reveals how the traditional deal struck between politicians and career officials that underpins the workings of our national political and administrative process is today being challenged. He demonstrates that the role of bureaucracy within the Canadian political machine has never been properly defined, and that the relationship between elected and permanent government officials is increasingly problematic. In effect, Savoie argues, the public service cannot function if it is expected to be both independent of, and subordinate to, elected officials." "While the public service is attempting to define its own political sphere, the House of Commons is also in a state of flux. The prime minister and his close advisers wield ever more power, and cabinet no longer occupies the policy ground to which it is entitled. Ministers, who have traditionally been able to develop their own roles, have increasingly lost their autonomy. Federal departmental structures are crumbling, giving way to a new model that favours that sharing of policy and program space. The implications of this functional shift are far-reaching, having a deep impact on public policy, government operations, and ultimately, individual and institutional accountability." "Drawing on a wide range of sources, including published and unpublished government documents and extensive interviews with present and former government officials, Savoie provides important historical background and clear analysis of the realities facing ministers, deputy ministers, and members of Parliament. Comprehensive and insightful, Breaking the Bargain makes a significant contribution to contemporary debate on governance and the potential for political reform in Canada."--Jacket.