Peter Aucoin
Encyclopedia
Peter Charles Aucoin was a professor emeritus of political science
and public administration
at Dalhousie University
in Halifax, Canada
. He is recognized as one of the leading theorists on the practice and reform of public administration and governance. He was a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
and a member of the Order of Canada
. He also served as an advisor to the Government of Canada
as well as provincial and municipal governments.
from Saint Mary's University
. He earned his master's degree
from Dalhousie University, and his Ph.D.
from Queen's University
.
Aucoin worked in an advisory capacity to the Canadian government at federal
, provincial, and municipal
levels. He was the Science Advisor for the Science Council of Canada
, and coordinated research with the Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada from 1985 to 1986. He was the director of research for the Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing
from 1990 to 1991, as well as the Halifax Commission on City Government. He was also senior fellow of the Canada School of Public Service
. Aucoin also was called upon several times to be the lead expert witness
in court cases relating to election
and referendum
law, including spending limits on third party election advertising in Canada. He was a member of the board of directors of the Institute for Research on Public Policy
.
From 1995 to 1996, Aucoin was the president of the Canadian Political Science Association
. He also was previously the vice president of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada. He also served on many editorial board
s of both Canadian and international academic journal
s. He co-edited the book series published by the Institute of Public Administration of Canada. Aucoin himself was a prolific writer, authoring and editing fifteen books and eighty articles and book chapters. His article "Administrative Reform in Public Management: Paradigms, Principles, Paradoxes and Pendulums" has been cited over 500 times.
Aucoin died on July 7, 2011.
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and public administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
at Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
in Halifax, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He is recognized as one of the leading theorists on the practice and reform of public administration and governance. He was a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
and a member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. He also served as an advisor to the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
as well as provincial and municipal governments.
Early life
Aucoin was born in 1943 in Halifax. He attended Saint Mary's University High School, and went on to get his Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Saint Mary's University
Saint Mary's University
St. Mary's University is the name of several universities:In Canada:*St...
. He earned his master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from Dalhousie University, and his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
.
Career
Aucoin was appointed to the Dalhousie University faculty in 1970, and became a full professor nine years later. From 1985 to 1990, he was the director of the School of Public Administration, and from 1992 to 1995, he served as chairman of the Department of Political Science. When he retired in 2009, he was the Eric Dennis Memorial Professor of Government and Political Science and Professor of Public Administration.Aucoin worked in an advisory capacity to the Canadian government at federal
Federal government
The federal government is the common government of a federation. The structure of federal governments varies from institution to institution. Based on a broad definition of a basic federal political system, there are two or more levels of government that exist within an established territory and...
, provincial, and municipal
Municipal government in Canada
A municipal government in Canada is a local council authority which provides local services, facilities, safety and infrastructure for communities. Canada has three levels of government; federal, provincial and municipal. According to Section 92 of the Constitution Act, 1867, "In each Province the...
levels. He was the Science Advisor for the Science Council of Canada
Science Council of Canada
The Science Council of Canada was a Canadian governmental advisory board existing from 1966 to 1993. It originally had 25 scientists and senior civil servants, later expanded to 40 natural and physical scientists, with the civil servants removed....
, and coordinated research with the Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada from 1985 to 1986. He was the director of research for the Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing
Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing
The Royal Commission on Electoral Reform and Party Financing or RCERPF, also known as the Lortie Commission, was a Royal Commission established to investigate changes to Canadian election laws defined in the Canada Elections Act...
from 1990 to 1991, as well as the Halifax Commission on City Government. He was also senior fellow of the Canada School of Public Service
Canada School of Public Service
The Canada School of Public Service, formed on April 1, 2004, is the major educational institution for the Government of Canada. Located in Ottawa, Ontario, the school was formed by merging three agencies -- the Canadian Centre for Management Development , Training and Development Canada and...
. Aucoin also was called upon several times to be the lead expert witness
Expert witness
An expert witness, professional witness or judicial expert is a witness, who by virtue of education, training, skill, or experience, is believed to have expertise and specialised knowledge in a particular subject beyond that of the average person, sufficient that others may officially and legally...
in court cases relating to election
Election law
Election law is a discipline falling at the juncture of constitutional law and political science. It researches "the politics of law and the law of politics"...
and referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
law, including spending limits on third party election advertising in Canada. He was a member of the board of directors of the Institute for Research on Public Policy
Institute for Research on Public Policy
The Institute for Research on Public Policy is Canada's oldest non-partisan public policy think tank. Based in Montreal and founded in 1972, it publishes Policy Options, edited by L. Ian MacDonald...
.
From 1995 to 1996, Aucoin was the president of the Canadian Political Science Association
Canadian Political Science Association
The Canadian Political Science Association is an organization of political scientists in Canada. It is a bilingual organization and publishes the bilingual journal Canadian Journal of Political Science ...
. He also was previously the vice president of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada. He also served on many editorial board
Editorial board
The editorial board is a group of people, usually at a publication, who dictate the tone and direction the publication's editorial policy will take.- Board makeup :...
s of both Canadian and international academic journal
Academic journal
An academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of new research, and the critique of existing research...
s. He co-edited the book series published by the Institute of Public Administration of Canada. Aucoin himself was a prolific writer, authoring and editing fifteen books and eighty articles and book chapters. His article "Administrative Reform in Public Management: Paradigms, Principles, Paradoxes and Pendulums" has been cited over 500 times.
Aucoin died on July 7, 2011.
Awards and recognition
- 1994: J. E. Hodgetts for an article published in Canadian Public Administration
- 1995: Charles Levine Book Prize for The New Public Management: Canada in Comparative Perspective
- 1999: Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia 1999 Medal for Excellence in Public Administration
- 2004: J. E. Hodgetts for an article published in Canadian Public Administration
- 2005: Governor General Vanier Medal for Exceptional Achievement in Public Administration
- 2006: elected Fellow of the Royal Society of CanadaRoyal Society of CanadaThe Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
- 2006: Dalhousie University Alumni Association Award for Teaching Excellence
- 2007: appointed a Member of the Order of CanadaOrder of CanadaThe Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
- 2011: received an HonoraryHonorary degreeAn honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
Doctorate of Civil Law from Saint Mary's University