Bill (No. 188) to amend the Manitoba Grain [Act.-"Mr. Oliver, Bill (No. 187) to amend the Canada Temperance Act.-Mr. Black.
Hon. SYDNEY FISHER ((Minister of Agriculture) moved for leave to introduce Bill (No. 189) to amend the Civil Service Act. He said : In the preparation of this measure a careful study was made of the various legislation in the Dominion on the civil service, the reports of the three commissions held in Canada at different dates, the course of procedure in the motherland on this question, and the course of events in the United States where civil service reform has taken place. Probably the most important reform provided in this Bill is the establishment of an Independent Civil Service Commission. That commission shall control the examinations for entrance into the service, also give such certificates as may be required with regard to promotions, increases of salary and the improvement of the status of the employees. The commission will control the examinations, and make all arrangements for the carrying out of the work-ail of course subject to the approval of the Governor in Council. The commission is to be composed of two members with the status, salary and tenure of oflice of a deputy minister. The commission will recommend the necessary staff required for the carrying out of the work.
Mr. BERGERON.
Will they be employees of the government or new men ?
Mr. FISHER.
They will be new men appointed for this particular purpose and with large powers under the operation of this Act. The second important reform is that entrance to the civil service shall be by open competitive examination. At present entrance to the civil service is open to those who nave passed the qualifying examination. That examination, however, 340
does not entitle any one to entrance. It simply gives the opportunity of entering, and the choice is left entirely to the judgment of the nominating power. But under this Bill the entrance will be by open competitive examination, and the nominations to the service will be in the order of merit, under the control of the commission.
Mr. BOOSTER.
The hon. gentleman might explain a little more fully the functions of the commission in the matter of appointments. He said the appointments were under their control. What is the measure of that control ?
Mr. W. F. MACLEAN.
Would the hon. minister also define what he means by civil service ?
Mr. FISHER.
I was going to do that later on when I came to the classification. My hon. friend from North Toronto (Mr. B'oster) has asked about the control of the commission over the appointments. The procedure in regard to examinations and nominations is based on the English system. The hon. member for North Toronto (Mr. Foster) is no doubt familiar with that. The examinations will be held as often as is necessary in the judgment-of the commission-probably about twice a year. The several heads of departments will notify the commission what clerks are required or are likely to be required within the next six months in their several departments, stating the nature of the clerkships or services. The commission, when about to hold an examination, will advertise the fact, stating how many and what character of appointments are to be made from the successful competitors in the examination. If there are a large number of ordinary routine appointments to be made, ihey will advertise for so many of these. If a clerkship of a technical character of a special service is required to be "filled, the commission will state that this is to be competed for. Those who compete will be arranged in order of merit. When the examination is finished and the competitors have been arranged in order of merit, the commission will supply to the department clerks in the order of their standing in the competitive examination. Some slight latitude will be left to the commission so that, if a candidate in the examination for a routine clerkship has excelled in one particular line, they may appoint that candidate to a_department which asks for one having such qualifications. But, in a general way, the order of merit will be the order of appointment.
Mr. FOSTER.
What is the period of probation ?
Mr. FISHER.
Six months. The clerk will be nominated by the commission, and if, at the end of six months, he is still in the department, he will be ipso factor ap-
pointed. If at any time after two months and within six months, the head of the department gives reasons for rejection, the Civil Service Commissioners may declare that the clerk is not fit for the service generally, or may give him a chance in some other department or appointment.
Mr. FOSTER.
Written reason is to be given to the commission ?
Mr. FISHER.
Yes,-the head of the department is to give written reason to the commission, and the commission's action with regard to the person rejected will, depend upon the character of the reasons given for rejection.
Mr. FOSTER.
Does the competitive system apply in the same manner to promotions ?
Mr. FISHER.
No; I am speaking entirely of the entrance into the service. My hon. friend (Mr. Foster) has spoken of promotion. I may say here that promotions or all special privileges to be granted to any clerk will be given only on a certi-cate of qualification from the commission, but the element of competition is not insisted upon in the case of promotions.
Is promotion dealt with in any way by the Bill ?
Mr. FISHER.
Yes, I will come to that later My hon friend from South York (Mr. W. F. Maclean) asked to what part of the service this Bill applied. At present, the civil service of Canada is divided into inside and outside services. Speaking generally, the inside service is that part of the government service at Ottawa. But there is a considerable portion of the service here which is not included in the inside service and so is not under the operation of the Civil Service Act. It is proposed by this Bill to bring all the departmental services at Ottawa into the inside service and under the operation of the Civil Service Act.
Mr. BERGERON.
Making all permanent ?
Mr. FISHER.
Yes. At present a large number of employees in Ottawa-I cannot say how many, but probably as many as six or seven hundred-are not under the Civil Service Act. In future, the Civil Service Act will apply to the whole of the Ottawa service.
Mr. BERGERON.
What about salaries ?