The debate about whether politicians or public officials control the government has been going on for years and continues to do so. Although politicians are elected by citizens to make beneficial decisions on behalf of the public, by analyzing the power dynamics in government, we can see that it is actually the public servants who ultimately hold the monopoly on government. In the Canadian parliamentary system, it is considered vital for politicians and public officials to have a close working relationship, in order to make decisions that benefit the public. Politicians and public officials have a relationship characterized by their independent responsibilities, yet they act as a unit in pursuing their goals for the nation and the people, based on their separate tasks (Alesina & Tabellini, 2007). However, the role of politicians and civil servants is a gray area because in most cases civil servants are heavily involved in some of the activities carried out by politicians. This article will argue that civil servants have a higher level of control over government than politicians due to their specialized and expert skills, their politicized sector and their accrued independence. To explain the lack of control that politicians have over government, it is essential to examine the range of responsibilities that politicians carry out as elected officials. In a democratic government, the fundamental role of politicians is to create and recommend laws that reflect the needs of the public. Since politicians are the face of government, they are responsible for representing and responding to voters. Politicians generally know how to incorporate the interests of large parts of society who h...... middle of paper ...... from http://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2013/sep /12/politicians-civil-servants-trust-fixWarren, E. (1974). Value and quality of career public service. Currents and Surveys (pp. 390-392). New Jersey: Wiley.Weber, M. (n.d.). Politics as a vocation. Contemporary anthropology. Retrieved November 14, 2013, from http://anthropos-lab.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Weber-Politics-as-a-Vocation.pdf Wintour, P. (2013, July 10). Ministers will get new powers to appoint civil servants. The Guardian. Retrieved November 16, 2013, from http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/jul/10/ministers-new-powers-civil-servantsZipp, J., & Fenwick, R. (n.d.). The left-wing academy and its influence. Conservative voices. Retrieved November 15, 2013, from http://www.theconservativevoices.com/topic/59586-the-left-wing-academy-and-its-influence/