‘They’re overseeing themselves’: B.C. budget eliminates merit commissioner position

One of the cuts in B.C.’s budget is the merit commissioner position, which oversees hiring practices in B.C.’s Public Service.

When someone is hired in that area, an independent office oversees the hiring to make sure the job was won on merit and not political connections.

The Office of the Merit Commissioner does that by auditing appointments and by reviewing staffing decisions as requested by unsuccessful employee applicants.

However, this year’s budget eliminated that office and transferred its duties to the Public Service Agency.

“They’re overseeing themselves,” Paul Finch, president of the BC General Employees’ Union, told Global News. “I mean it effectively eliminates the audit function.”

The union, which represents tens of thousands of public service workers, says it was not consulted and learned of the change after the budget was released.

Finch said the independent oversight is crucial in today’s economic climate.

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“We’re in a partial hiring freeze, so in these situations where there’s a lot more strenuous competition, it’s more important than ever to ensure these highly sought-after positions are in fact being awarded on merit,” he said.

2:15 B.C. budget features major debt and deficit increases

The opposition is also critical of the move to eliminate the merit commissioner, pointing to last year’s controversial hiring of Michael Bryant.

He was hired to advise on the Downtown Eastside on a six-month contract worth $150,000.

After Global News revealed Bryant’s contract, he was fired.

“Quite troubling that now, when you look at the fact that they’ve got rid of the local auditor general, FOI increases, this is a government that seems allergic to transparency,” Trevor Halford, interim leader of the BC Conservative party, said.

However, B.C. Finance Minister Brenda Bailey said the Office of the Merit Commissioner was overseeing the Public Service Agency (PSA) on questions of merit.

“Merit has become such a part of our PSA culture,” she said.

Budget documents show the office costs about $1.7 million a year and the province called the closure an efficiency.

Finch said that while there is a cost savings to eliminate those positions, there seems to be a much higher political cost.

The union is urging the province to reverse course before the budget passes.