At the Pleasure of the Crown

Unlike most public servants, top administrators – those who manage thousands of personnel and oversee millions of dollars in public spending – are appointed by the head of government. At the Pleasure of the Crown is a detailed exploration of this central but overlooked aspect of governing. Christopher A. Cooper analyzes the appointment of deputy ministers in Canada’s provincial bureaucracies over the last century, as governments have looked first for partisan loyalty, then candid advice, and ultimately feverish devotion to the policy agenda. Throughout, turnover among bureaucratic elites has remained highly political, with important consequences for the integrity of Canadian public institutions.