This case study has been adapted for use at the 2011 JSGS Internal Case Competition, with

the task presented in the original case amended to meet the task requirements for this event.

Institute of Public Administration of Canada Case Study Program

Providing a Canadian Context for Instructors, Trainers and Students of Public Administration

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IPAC Case Study 6.02

The Minister Asks A Simulation of Deputy Minister Leadership

By Thomas R. Klassen, York University

Abstract
This case study uses a complex and challenging decision for a deputy minister: about how to respond to a controversial decision by a minister on the eve of an election that seems likely to see the government defeated. This case provides role-play opportunities that offer hands-on experience in dealing with tough ethical and accountability considerations in the senior ranks of the public service. The method involved requires extensive group discussion among the members of the team and concludes with members of the teams standing in as the DM who has made the decision agreed to by their team. Each team plays the role of a deputy minister. Each team must prepare a decision item that will be presented to a panel of judges (the Minister).

Key Words: decision making, deputy minister, accountability, ethics

ISBN 1-55061-094-5

This case study has been adapted for use at the 2011 JSGS Internal Case Competition, with the task presented in the original case amended to meet the task requirements for this event.

Introduction
Deputy Ministers, as well as other senior public servants, such as city managers or commissioners in municipal governments, face unique leadership and accountability issues. In this case study, the teams roleplays the situation of a deputy minister, who has been directed by the minister to implement a challenging decision. In deciding how to proceed, the DM needs to consider to whom he or she is accountable.

case with similar requests from other agencies. It has been a longstanding policy of the Ministry no to provide funds for capital costs (for the purchase of buildings, cars, land, etc.). Rather the Ministry provides operational funds to agencies, such as for salaries, rent, program supplies, etc. It is the Ministrys policy that government funds should be used only to provide direct services for clients, not for the purchase of land and buildings. This policy has been strictly adhered to because to provide funds for one agency to purchase its building would set a precedent. There have been a few exceptions over the decades to the policy of not providing capital funding. For instance, when a building has been willed to an agency for a small amount of money, or in remote Northern communities where only one building would be available and suitable for a community agency. Several days ago the executive director of Skills First had dinner with the Minister. At this dinner, the executive director made a personal request to the Minister for $7 million to purchase the building and land. The agency has had an impartial appraisal conducted by a large accounting firm of the building and land that concluded that $7 million is a fair and reasonable price for the building and land.

Background and Issues

You and your team play the role of Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Social Services in the provincial government. The governing party is in the last few months of its five year mandate, with an election expected to be called within the next three months. The polls show that the Opposition Party is poised to win a landslide victory. The Minister has just called you into her office. She represents an urban riding within which is located a large (28 full-time staff, 35 part-time and several dozen volunteers) community agency: Skills First. This agency provides job and language training and related services for the unemployed and recent immigrants, especially for women and single parents. Skills First is widely acknowledged to be a very well-run organization that has garnered a number of national and international awards for its work. The purpose of the meeting to which you have been called with the Minister is to discuss the Skills First agency. On several occasions over the past ten years, Skills First has approached officials in the Ministry of Social Services with a request for $7 million to allow it to purchase the building and land that is currently occupies. On each occasion, the Ministry has rejected the request, as has been the

The Ministers Decision

As you begin your meeting with your Minister you again stress that it is longstanding ministry policy not to provide capital funding to community agencies (and review the reasons for this and the danger of setting a precedent). You also indicate that the optics surrounding granting the $7 million are particularly problematic for the Ministry, the government and the Minister given that the agency is in the ministers

This case study has been adapted for use at the 2011 JSGS Internal Case Competition, with the task presented in the original case amended to meet the task requirements for this event.

constituency (riding). In other words, the Minister and Ministry would be accused of favouritism. Lastly, you have pointed out that even if a new government was to dramatically decrease funding for community agencies, Skills First is not at risk of closure. As with many community agencies, it also receives funds from the federal and municipal governments and thus would continue to operate without the current level of provincial funding, albeit with fewer staff and services. Nevertheless, the Minister is convinced that providing the $7 million is the right thing to do, especially in light of the election platform of the opposition party and the widely acknowledged excellence of the agency. The Minister agrees that even with a change in government Skills First will not be forced to close, but its services would likely be significantly curtailed. The Minister is determined that Skills First be placed in a long-term stable financial position by allowing it to own the building and land, so that it can devote its full efforts to serving clients. Furthermore, Skills First has convinced the Minister that the opportunity to buy its own building may not arise again. Notwithstanding your comments, the meeting with the Minister concludes with her telling you to ensure that Skills First is able to acquire its building within the mandate of my government.

Second, although the Minister has not mentioned it, you know that she will campaign for re-election in her riding, in a race that is expected to be very tight. You are well aware that candidates that are seen to be acquiring resources for their riding typically receive increased support from voters. Third, you are a long-serving civil servant, who began your employment with the provincial government, immediately after completing your university education, as a junior policy advisor. You have only recently been appointed to the position of deputy minister. It is your desire to continue as deputy minister for many years into the future. The fact that very likely a new party will assume power in the near future is a consideration in your own career prospects. In other words, if you are seen as too political in serving the current governing party, the next governing party may not sufficiently trust you and will fire you. However, if you are seen as being too independent the next governing party also may not trust you. Fourth, you realize that you could approach the Secretary of Cabinet (the most powerful civil servant who recommended your appointment to deputy minister) for advice or also the Premier (who appointed you and can fire you). However, by doing so you may be placing them in awkward situations, as well as revealing your lack of ability to deal with this issue. Fifth, you want to protect the integrity of the Ministry and the norms of the civil service as much as possible. How will you approach this issue? Prepare a decision item that will be presented to the Minister (the judges). This decision item will include: - an issue statement and background of the issue;

Considerations
As you return to your office to consider how you will proceed, the following five issues cross your mind. First, in the budget for the Ministry approved by the Legislature some months ago, there was no money allocated for the purchase of buildings for community agencies by the ministry. As such, an option is to proceed to Treasury Board to ask for new money or to get approval to redirect funds.

This case study has been adapted for use at the 2011 JSGS Internal Case Competition, with the task presented in the original case amended to meet the task requirements for this event.

identification of 3 or 4 options; analysis of these options, and; the teams (DM) recommended option.

This case study has been adapted for use at the 2011 JSGS Internal Case Competition, with the task presented in the original case amended to meet the task requirements for this event.

The IPAC Case Study Program Series 6.0

Sponsored by:

The Members of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada

The IPAC Case Program offers instructors, trainers and students in government and academic studies a unique opportunity to include Canadian situations in their discussions of the new challenges of public administration. The 6.0 case series can be obtained through the IPAC Website at www.ipac.ca and www.iapc.ca or by mail at:

Case Study Program Institute of Public Administration of Canada 1075 Bay Street Suite 401 Toronto ON (Canada) M5S 2B1

Phone: (416) 924-8787 / Fax: (416) 924-4992 / email: ntl@ipac.ca or ntl@iapc.ca

Institute of Public Administration of Canada, 2006.