Public Service Commission head Maria Barrados, right, says the organization is investigating hiring practices at the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency after a complaint by Liberal MPs. Laura Payton/CBC

The Public Service Commission is investigating hiring practices at the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, commission head Maria Barrados said Tuesday.

The commission, which is mandated to safeguard the integrity of hiring in government, got a complaint from the federal Liberal Atlantic caucus about ministerial involvement in a series of appointments at ACOA.

After taking an initial look into the complaint, the commission decided to investigate.

“We investigate to correct processes,” Barrados said. “They look to see if, given the complaint, is there something that looks like there should be some further inquiry to see if they can make some further correction.”

“Given the nature of the questions and the nature of the organization … we initiated that investigation process.”

The investigation is due to finish in 2012.

Liberal MP Rodger Cuzner is one of the MPs who initiated the complaint. He says one high-ranking official was sent immediately on two years of French training after he was hired.

“The average citizen, I think, would question just what’s at play here. And I would think they’d be looking at this with a very skeptical eye,” Cuzner said.

“When you start to stuff the public service with partisans, I think then we’re on a very slippery slope and a dangerous precedent. It’s obvious that’s what’s at play here but whether or not you can prove that, that’s going to be another thing.”

A spokeswoman for Bernard Valcourt, minister of state for ACOA, said the agency is co-operating with the commission’s investigation.

“ACOA is a government agency and like all government agencies they are subject to the Public Service Act which requires a competitive process which we abide by,” Andrea Richer said in a statement.

Also Tuesday, Barrados, who released her annual report on hiring in federal departments and agencies, said she’s concerned about cuts to federal spending and urged targeted hiring to keep bringing in young staff.

Barrados also said layoffs should be merit based, just as hiring is.