Pol Sc 341 Essay

1. Pol Sc 341 Essay • Due February 4 • 800-1000 words (about 4 pages) • Worth 15 percent • Requires careful reading of textbook • Extra research optional –do if necessary to follow up a point

2. Essay theme “Executive power within each department is constitutionally placed within the hands of an MP [i.e. the Minister] who is individually responsible to parliament, and thus to the Canadian people he or she represents in parliament. The vast power and authority of the federal bureaucracy is therefore subject to the democratic control of the elected members of cabinet, with these officials themselves being subject to the oversight of parliament.” David Johnson, Thinking Government, p. 161.

3. Three essay issues(answer all three) • 1. Outline the key roles of the political executive versus the bureaucratic executive, indicating the differences between the two. • 2. Provide your assessment of whether our system of government succeeds at imposing sufficient democratic control over the bureaucracy. • 3. Discuss which job you would rather have, a cabinet minister or a deputy minister, and why.

4. Advice • Read, take notes, and reflect • Formulate your own arguments • Organize your thoughts • Use your own words, but you can use short quotes from authors • References must be properly cited within the paper, and in a bibliography