Bringing accountability for results to government in British Columbia
| Author | ERROL S. PRICE,LESLIE P. McADAMS |
| Published date | 01 October 1996 |
| Date | 01 October 1996 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-162X(199610)16:4<305::AID-PAD885>3.0.CO;2-I |
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND DEVELOPMENT, VOL.
16,30>315 (1996)
Bringing accountability for results to government
in
British
Columbia
ERROL
S.
PRICE and LESLIE P. MCADAMS
Office
of
the Auditor General, British Columbia
SUMMARY
In British Columbia, Canada, an initiative is underway to introduce results-focused
accountability reporting
for
government ministries and Crown corporations. This significant
change is coming about through a unique collaboration of government, the Legislative
Assembly, and the Office of the Auditor General of British Columbia. This article describes:
the background leading to the initiative; the conceptual framework, including the areas of
government covered by the initiative and the methods
of
accountability reporting; the issues
around implementation of results-focused government, including education and cultural
change at administrative and political levels; and the success of the initiative to date. While the
real success of this initiative will only be evident in a few years’ time, the coming together of
many parts
of
government to develop
a
common vision of what government should
look
like,
and the development of a better understanding by all the parties to this process of one
another’s position and priorities, are already paying dividends.
THE GOVERNMENT
OF
THE PROVINCE
OF
BRITISH COLUMBIA
British Columbia is the third most populated province in Canada, with
3.6
million
people. Its Government, which is based on the British system, has three main
branches: the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. Legislative powers are
exercised by a single legislature, the executive and the judiciary. Legislative powers
are exercised by a single, 75-member, legislative chamber, which is elected for
a
maximum
5
year term. The Auditor General reports directly to the Legislative
Assembly and is independent of government.
The executive council, or cabinet, is made up of members of the ruling party and is
headed by that party’s leader, known as the Premier. Members of the cabinet usually
head government ministries. Cabinet determines government policy and is held
accountable by the Legislative Assembly for the operation of the government. It also
appoints deputy ministers, the chief operating officers of ministries. Deputy ministers
are responsible for carrying out government policies and for managing the work
of
their ministries. British Columbia currently has
15
ministries.
Errol
S
Price, C.A., is Senior Principal and Leslie P. McAdams, CA.,C.M.C., Principal, Office of
the
Auditor General,
8
Bastion Square, Victoria, British Columbia, V8V
1x4
Canada.
Paper presented to Biennial Conference
of
Commonwealth Association of Public Administration and
Management, “The New Public Administration: Global Challenges-Local
Solutions”,
Malta, April
2
1-
24.
1996.
CCC 0271-2075/96/04030>11
@
1996 by John Wiley
&
Sons, Ltd.
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