Canada’s population is around 36 million, of which 18 million work. Twenty percent of those workers operate somewhere within government, at one of three levels. Let’s see what they do.
Federal
Our federal government provides services through various ministries. Here are some (click for a full list):
- Aboriginal Affairs
- Agriculture and Fisheries
- Canada Revenue Agency
- Citizenship and Immigration (e.g., immigration, refugees, passports)
- Employment and Social Services (e.g., CPP, Old Age Security, Employment Insurance)
- Environment (e.g., Environmental Protection, Parks Canada)
- Finance (e.g., Auditor General, Bank of Canada, Deposit Insurance, Canadian Mint)
- Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
- Heritage (e.g., CRTC, CBC, National Film Board, Sport Canada)
- Health (e.g., food inspection, public health agency)
- Industry (e.g., National Research Council, Statistics Canada, Canadian Space Agency)
- Justice (e.g., Human Rights Commission, Supreme Court)
- National Defense (e.g., Army, Navy, Air Force, Royal Military College, Veteran Affairs)
- Natural Resources (e.g., Atomic Energy Board, National Energy Board)
- Public Safety (e.g., Border Services, Correctional Services, CSIS, RCMP)
- Transport (e.g., Canada Post, Via Rail)
Provincial
The province of Alberta also has ministries. They include the following (click for a full list):
- Aboriginal Relations
- Agriculture, Forestry, Culture and Tourism
- Education (e.g., teachers, schools, busing, advanced education)
- Economic Development, Energy and Environment
- Health Care (e.g., doctors, nurses, hospitals, clinics, drugs, ambulances)
- Human Services (e.g., welfare, AISH – Alberta Income for the Severely Handicapped, child services, people with disabilities, seniors)
- Labour Relations (e.g., WCB, Occupational Health and Safety, Labour Relations)
- Justice and Solicitor General (e.g., police, law courts, prisons, parole, sheriff’s office)
- Transportation (e.g., highway maintenance, motor vehicles, safety regulations)
- Treasury Board (e.g., gaming and liquor, ATB bank, auto insurance board)
Municipal
The City of Edmonton provides services through various departments. Here are some (click for a full list):
- Garbage and Recycling
- Snow Removal and Landscaping
- Public Transit (e.g., buses and LRT)
- Power, Water, and Sewer (e.g., Epcor)
- Fire Stations, Road Construction and Maintenance
- Land Sales, Zoning, Building Permits, Building Inspections
- Attractions (e.g., parks, trails, libraries, zoo, concert halls, museums)
- Sports Facilities (e.g., rec centers, arenas, golf courses, pools, professional stadiums)
- Hosting Festivals and Public Events
Outsourcing
Now, not all services paid for by government are provided by government. For example, in Alberta x-rays and blood tests are performed by private companies. Likewise, most cities have subcontracted their garbage collection. As a rule, conservatives like to see outsourcing as much as possible.
Alberta privatized its liquor stores in 1993. The wholesale component is still handled by the province but the retail side is fully private (so you can own a liquor store). Then Alberta did the same thing with registries (e.g., renewing your driver’s license). Some US states have even subcontracted public education. The government pays so much per student and business hires teachers and builds the building. Sure, they’re regulated but wow—you can own a school!
Conclusion
We’ll forever argue over which services governments should and should not provide and whether we’re getting our money’s worth. We’ll also argue over what should be outsourced, but there is no question that government does a lot for us. Add to this the thousands of registered charities in Canada and you see how good we are at taking care of each other.