Administration of Online Exams

BACKGROUND Finding and managing talent is a key challenge for the federal public service and for Governor in Council (GIC) appointments - recruiting and retaining the best possible talent has been identified as being indispensable to our long-term capacity to serve Canadians with excellence. It is also essential in ensuring the good governance of public sector entities including, Crown corporations, agencies, boards, commissions and administrative tribunals. Under the Government’s new policy approach to GIC appointments, which supports open, transparent, and merit-based selection processes, exam administration is a key step in the selection process for identifying qualified candidates for part-time and full-time member positions on administrative tribunals given their decision-making authorities and quasi-judicial mandates. PURPOSE The exam format comprises a decision writing scenario question(s); requiring a multi-part written response and may include a knowledge component, either multiple choice or essay. In some cases, only a decision writing exam may be required. The decision writing exam provides for an in-depth assessment of an individual’s capacity to write clearly and concisely – to be able to understand and synthesize the key aspects of an issue or a situation, and to communicate in writing intelligible interpretations, recommendations and decisions. If a candidate has applied for a bilingual position, a writing exam in the second official language of the candidate may also be required.