Calling attention to the politicization of the civil service by the NDP

Today in question period, I used the opportunity to call on the NDP to stop politicizing people in the civil service. Here are parts of my questions. 


1)  "Last week, I called upon the Premier to depoliticize the delivery of immigration services, because his politicization of immigration services is a root cause of the federal government’s decision  to take over immigration settlement services.  In an opinion piece in the Free Press today, we see this politicization is an ongoing problem with civil servants acting as “staff-activists” to enforce party policies instead of being an independent civil service. (For more on this see: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/ndp-using-immigrants-as-a-ploy-148836865.html).    What actions will the government take today to immediately end this politiburo style of governance and to return non-partisan status to civil servants?   


2) It is widely known that the NDP style of governance in Manitoba over the past 12 years has undermined democracy.   The approach has been referred to as a Politiburo style of governance where the NDPs ideologically charged policies are imposed through political commissars.   This approach threatens the  very foundation of our democracy – an independent, non-partisan civil service delivering objective and responsible public administration.  What specific actions will the government take to depoliticize the civil service and to restore proper democracy and a non-partisan civil service to Manitoba? 


3)  Mr. Speaker, it is widely know that the NDP have been irresponsible in the way that they have worked with people in the civil service.   I ask the government through you, Mr. Speaker, “How far has the government gone?  Has the Premier or members of his party ever been involved in recruiting civil servants for political activities while they are on the job?   Has the Premier or members of his party ever asked people within the civil service, while they are on their job, to work on their campaigns?   You will see the answers when I post them on my session blog tomorrow. 


If you have more information you want to share on this subject, please send me an email at jon.gerrard@leg.gov.mb.ca