Whether they are of independence, autonomist or nationalist obedience, it is unfortunately clear that the successive governments in Quebec since the Quiet Revolution have not been able to match the opportunities that the federal government can offer to capable youth. and ambitious. This is evidenced by the generous programs of the Canadian public service aimed at co-opting recent graduates at the second and third cycles of universities who stand out in their community.
The absence of an equivalent Quebec program then highlights the economy that the Quebec government makes of serious reflection on the attraction of these talents in its public administration. This is particularly problematic if we consider, like the current government, that Quebec society is the political community of reference for its citizens.
In this sense, to be consistent with the autonomist convictions of the CAQ and of a large part of the population, I suggest that the Treasury Board draw inspiration from the Canadian public service and develop a program that also aims to promote attraction of talent in Quebec public administration.
Concretely, the Advanced Program for Policy Analysts and the Recruitment of Policy Leaders Program were created in 1988 and 2004 respectively. They aim to convince recent graduates who show great potential to join the federal administration. Selected at the end of a very competitive annual competition, a little less than twenty of them are assigned to strategic positions in the ministries and central government bodies, among others in terms of development and development. public policy analysis.
These aspiring civil servants have access not only to advantageous working conditions upon taking up their post, but also to significant opportunities for advancement. The second program even includes mentorship from senior public servants, such as deputy ministers.
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These federal programs, however, have no equivalent in the Quebec administration. This suggests that the nation is potentially depriving itself of capable civil servants who are promised great careers in the public sector. Worse still, this situation indirectly shows that the Quebec government finances higher education without necessarily maximizing its potential. It also contributes to a certain brain drain, because many positions in the federal administration are generally better paid and located outside Quebec.
If it wanted to, the CAQ government could now remedy this situation by imitating federal programs and, why not, do better. A truly Quebec-based program is needed insofar as English is generally the language of work in Ottawa, which is a factor that disadvantages Francophones when it comes to obtaining promotions. It also goes against the government’s desire to promote French. It would also be the ideal opportunity to recruit more Quebeckers belonging to ethnocultural and racialized groups, who are unfortunately under-represented, especially in management positions.
This new program would demonstrate concretely and resolutely that the attraction of talent and their development in the public service are not the prerogative of the Canadian federal government, and this, to the benefit of Quebec society.