Contributions of Commissions of Inquiry to Policy Analysis: An Evaluation

Commissions of inquiry appointed to analyze major matters of public policy constitute an important organizational instrument in governance for essentially three reasons. First, their establishment enables decision-makers in government to delay or postpone decisions without being criticized for doing nothing at all. Policy analysis in this circumstance may be an excuse for a non-decision , but at the least it ensures that the issue at hand stays on the policy agenda in a certain fashion. Second, such commissions provide for a process whereby the views of special interest groups and the interested public can be presented in a forum that is not subject to direct government control. This can include the capacity to actively solicit views from various quarters and direct support for the participation of particular interests. Third, and perhaps most relevant, commissions of inquiry of this sort represent the most effective option available to government for policy analysis undertaken by an independent and objective, and yet official, organization. Commissions are the most effective option in this regard because they have a greater capacity to be, and to be seen to be, independent and objective than other governmental instruments of public policy analysis.\u2

Polysaccharide Specific Monoclonal Antibodies Provide Passive Protection against Intranasal Challenge with Burkholderia pseudomallei

Burkholderia pseudomallei is a Gram-negative bacillus that is the causative agent of melioidosis. The bacterium is inherently resistant to many antibiotics and mortality rates remain high in endemic areas. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and capsular polysaccharide (CPS) are two surface-associated antigens that contribute to pathogenesis. We previously developed two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific to the CPS and LPS; the CPS mAb was shown to identify antigen in serum and urine from melioidosis patients. The goal of this study was to determine if passive immunization with CPS and LPS mAbs alone and in combination would protect mice from a lethal challenge with B. pseudomallei. Intranasal (i.n.) challenge experiments were performed with B. pseudomallei strains 1026b and K96423. Both mAbs provided significant protection when administered alone. A combination of mAbs was protective when low doses were administered. In addition, combination therapy provided a significant reduction in spleen colony forming units (cfu) compared to results when either the CPS or LPS mAbs were administered alone

Promiscuously Partisan? Public Service Impartiality and Responsiveness in Westminster Systems

Public servants in Westminster countries are being drawn into the limelight bydemands from their political masters that they publicly defend policies. Critics suggestthese conditions undermine the capacity and willingness of senior public servants tomanage the enduring Westminster tension between serving elected governments andremaining nonpartisan. Interviews with senior officials from Australia, Canada, andthe United Kingdom challenge this pessimistic view, showing that officials consistentlystress the importance of not “crossing the line” when dealing with their elected masters.Two exploratory case studies are presented—one of an Australian ministerialdepartment (Treasury) and another of a Canadian quasi-autonomous agency (StatisticsCanada)—in which public servants faced pressure to defend controversial governmentpolicies. These cases show how contemporary public servants actively interpret,establish, and defend the line between appropriate responsiveness and inappropriatepartisanship in Westminster systems

Contributions of Commissions of Inquiry to Policy Analysis: An Evaluation

Commissions of inquiry appointed to analyze major matters of public policy constitute an important organizational instrument in governance for essentially three reasons. First, their establishment enables decision-makers in government to delay or postpone decisions without being criticized for doing nothing at all. Policy analysis in this circumstance may be an excuse for a non-decision , but at the least it ensures that the issue at hand stays on the policy agenda in a certain fashion. Second, such commissions provide for a process whereby the views of special interest groups and the interested public can be presented in a forum that is not subject to direct government control. This can include the capacity to actively solicit views from various quarters and direct support for the participation of particular interests. Third, and perhaps most relevant, commissions of inquiry of this sort represent the most effective option available to government for policy analysis undertaken by an independent and objective, and yet official, organization. Commissions are the most effective option in this regard because they have a greater capacity to be, and to be seen to be, independent and objective than other governmental instruments of public policy analysis.\u2