Government Services
The people who draft policies and laws and administer government services form the administrative element and work in government offices. These workers are called civil servants or sometimes bureaucrats. While these workers may work in offices close to the citizens they serve, the majority of them work in the Capital. The administrative arm of the government is divided into many different ministries, each of which is responsible for a certain sector such as health or education. Each ministry is headed by a Minister, an MLA selected by the Premier. The Minister selects an expert in the field to be his Deputy Minister to administer the operations of that ministry.
To learn more about the services of the Government of Canada check out the federal government website at www.canada.gc.ca/home.html.
To learn more about the services of the Government of British Columbia visit the provincial government website www.gov.bc.ca.
The federal, provincial and local governments have different responsibilities. Some of the key responsibilities of the British Columbia provincial government are:
- Education and literacy
- Healthy living and healthcare
- Environmental management such as forests, lands, and mining
- Jobs and the economy
- Family services such as income assistance and childcare
