100 Years of Merit in the BC Public Service

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100 Years of Merit in the BC Public Service
Oversight and Insight into Merit in the BC Public
Service
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• The BC Public Service has changed over time, as
  has the way individuals are recruited and
  promoted.
• In 1871, the Civil List totalled 57 positions,
  mostly police enforcement. The total annual
  payroll was 78,000.
• Good connections could get you a job in the
  public service.

3

• BC civil servants
• 1878
• Image A-06531 courtesy of Royal BC Museum, BC
  Archives

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• Before 1908, there was no commitment to merit in
  the provincial civil service.
• The patronage-based civil service was unstable.
  Every time the government changed, so did the
  employees. This was not an effective way to plan
  or deliver public services.

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• Slowly, the idea of a skilled non-partisan
  public service was introduced.
• There were some early adoptors who wanted to
  separate politics from administration.

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• I have to thank the Members of the Government
  for the fact that not even a taint of political
  favouritism exists to hamper the proper
  management of the Institution, and if any
  unworthy employee still remains on our staff, I
  myself am to blame for the fact.
• - Annual Report, Public Hospital for the Insane,
  Year 1907, by Henry Esson Young, Provincial
  Secretary

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• William Fleet Robertson, Provincial Mineralogist,
  1908
• Image H-02609 courtesy of Royal BC museum, BC
  Archives

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• Then, with the new Public Service Act of 1908,
  the first requirement for merit appears
• Clerks shall be graded into four classes as
  provided section 21, according to skill,
  training, competency and length of service. The
  lowest or initial class shall be known as the
  fourth class. No future entrant to those four
  classes shall be appointed until he has passed
  the competitive examination and certification of
  good health and character, as prescribed by the
  Lieutenant-Governor by Order in Council.

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• The 1908 legislation introduced three important
  concepts to staffing
• Non-partisan appointments are free of political
  influence
• Individual merit a person has the
  qualifications to do the job
• 3. Relative merit the comparison of
  individuals qualifications against each other

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• Measuring flume on Josephs Creek,
• near Cranbrook, 1912
• Image from Report of the Water Rights Branch,
  Department of Lands, 1912

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• The civil service grew quickly in the next
  decade, but each election, there were still
  parties hoping to place their people in
  government posts.

12

• Forest Service employee Grevis in a carriage at
  Big Qualicum, 1913
• Image E-07590 courtesy Royal BCMuseum, BC
  Archives

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• An increasing range of employee skills and
  abilities were required.

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Provincial Library and Archives Staff, Victoria,
1915 Image A-02859 courtesy of Royal BC Museum,
BC Archives
Provincial Library and Archives Staff, Victoria,
1915 Image A-02859 courtesy of Royal BC Museum,
BC Archives
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• The relevant legislation was amended in 1917
• positions in the Civil Service shall be by
  competitive examination, which shall be of such a
  nature as will determine the qualifications of
  candidates for the particular positions to which
  they are to be appointed.

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• BC workers on road in canyon, 1920
• Image E-07590 courtesy Royal BC Museum, BC
  Archives

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• Although the Civil Service Act required merit,
  the concept was slow to be adopted.
• In the 1920s and 1930s, patronage appointments
  continued.
• Many workers were still hired through their
  connections to the local party, especially in the
  rural areas of BC.

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Part of the Civil Service of BC on the Steps of
the Legislature, 1923
Image NA-40554 courtesy Royal BC Museum, BC
Archives
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• Open competitions and competitive exams were the
  way most positions were filled. Exceptions were
  made for specially skilled positions. Promotions
  were based on a Deputy Minister recommendation
  and statement of qualification from the Civil
  Service Commission, and approved by the Minister.
  

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SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES AT THE EXAMINATIONS FOR
STENOGRAPHERS HELD ON OCTOBER 2, 1926
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• Warden Don Ellis and tracking dog, Reo
• 1939
• Image GR-0961 courtesy of Royal BC Museum, BC
  Archives with thanks to the Conservation Office
  Service

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• The removal of patronage found firmer footing in
  the 1940s.
• In 1945, the law changed to require all
  promotions be made
• on merit upon such examination, reports, tests,
  records, ratings, or recommendations as the
  Public Service Commission may prescribe

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• Fortunately, recruiting into the public service
  has changed since 1948.
• At that time, men could not be appointed if they
  were over 45 years of age.
• No offers of employment into the public
  service were made to women over 40 years of age.

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• Forest Service employee
• C. Nelson pilot, 1949
• Image NA-08978 courtesy Royal BC Museum, BC
  Archives

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• The responsibilities of the Civil Service
  Commission included testing the qualifications of
  candidates for admission to or promotion in the
  public service.
• The Commission conducted numerous examinations
  across the province every year.

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• A timed Civil Service examination1949
• Image I-29840 courtesy Royal BC Museum, BC
  Archives

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• Even in 1948, it was sometimes difficult to
  recruit people with the required qualifications
  and experience.
• Provisions were made to temporarily appoint
  junior employees and later permanently appoint
  them.

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• Provincial Archives microfilming old newspapers,
  1949.

Image I-00417 courtesy of Royal BC Museum, BC
Archives
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• The Civil Service Commission was moving to
  modernize the public service, including the way
  in which recruitment, classification and salary
  administration occurred.

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Ruby McKay, Social Welfare, 1957
Image I-32213 courtesy of the Royal BC Museum, BC
Archives
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• Assistant Forest Ranger Examination, 1958
• Image NA-17120 courtesy Royal BC Museum, BC
  Archives

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• The public service was considered a career
  organization and provided opportunities for
  training in order to encourage skills development
  and promotion.

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Civil Service Commission Class, Parksville, 1965
Image I2450 courtesy of Royal BC Museum, BC
Archives
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• 1969 Posting for Clerk Stenographer 3s

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• Assessment determined individual and relative
  merit that is, whether an individual is
  qualified for a job and which applicant is the
  best qualified.
• Over time, the popularity of different methods
  of assessment may vary, but the determination
  that an individual has skills for the job remains
  constant.

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Scalers Examination Fraser River, 1973
Image NA-28508 courtesy Royal BC Museum, BC
Archives
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• The appearance of a workplace and the
  individuals in it may change, but the requirement
  for a skilled non-partisan public service remains.

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• Office Staff,
• McKenzie
• BC Forest Service,1973
• Image NA-32319 courtesy Royal BC Museum, BC
  Archives

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Student copying audio tapes, BC Archives,
1975
Image NA-32319 courtesy Royal BC Museum, BC
Archives
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• Pharmacare employees, 1980

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• The BC Public Service today continues to evolve
  as do the human resources practices that recruit,
  hire and promote people.

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• Problem wildlife call centre
• 2000
• Photo supplied through the Conservation Office
  Service

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• Staff surveys show that employees who believe
  staffing decisions are based on merit are more
  likely to be engaged and productive employees.

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• Conservation Officers on patrol
• 2003
• Photo supplied through the Conservation Office
  Service

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• Merit-based staffing decisions are critical to
  retaining current employees and to recruiting new
  employees.

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• Terri Marlow, Ministry of Employment and
  Income Assistance, beside her Knock Your Socks
  Off recognition award wall.

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Meeting at the Ministry of Health, 2007
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• Merit has worked in the past to create a
  non-partisan public service. Merit has served to
  develop the professional public service in the
  present.
• Can merit-based staffing serve us in the
  future?

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YES!

• The principle of merit and the guiding
  elements of fair, transparent, relevant and
  reasonable staffing decisions are critical to
  achieving the BC Public Service goal to Be the
  Best.