On partisan screening

The news that applicants for federal civil service jobs are being forced to write essays on the Cons' economic policies is unsettling enough on its own. But there's another seemingly-overlooked piece of the story which leaves little room for doubt that the move is designed to serve the Cons' political goals:

Spaces are in high demand among university graduates.

But this year, for the first time, candidates need to provide more than a list of qualifications and good marks. They also must to write 1,000 words on the federal government's last budget, promoted widely as the Economic Action Plan.
...
Applications need to be submitted by Monday. It's the first time recruits have to submit an essay. It's also the first time recruiting has been led by the Privy Council Office. Treasury Board spearheaded the program in previous years.

Now, the move to require job applicants to write paeans to the Cons' policies would seem problematic enough if it had been the lone change to the hiring process (and implemented by the same body normally responsible for recruitment). But it's surely not by accident that the move coincides with the secretive, domineering Harper PCO taking over. And considering how determined Harper's office has been to politicize everything else it's touched, it figures to be a near certainty that positions in the training program will be allocated based on the Cons' political ends.