The Executive

Home , First minister, Minister of the Crown, Premier of Ontario, Prime Minister of Canada, Regional minister

Key Terms

ABC (p. 196) An agency, board or commission responsible for delivering a program or service, or producing goods, at arm’s length from government.

Backbencher (p. 184) A rank-and-file member of the legislative assembly without cabinet responsibilities or other special legislative titles or duties.

Cabinet (p. 175) The leaders of the political executive, consisting of the sitting prime minister and ministers. Ministers of state and associate ministers may attend upon invitation.

Cabinet committee (p. 188) A subgroup of cabinet members assigned to scrutinize a particular set of executive actions.

Cabinet shuffle (p. 186) A change in the composition of a government’s political executive between elections.

Central Agencies (p. 194) Coordinating bodies that steer government business across all departments.

Critic (p. 185) An opposition party member assigned to scrutinize the activities of a particular minister of the Crown.

Clerk of the Privy Council (p. 194) The highest-ranking public servant in the federal (or provincial/territorial) bureaucracy.

Confidence convention (p. 190) The practice under which a government must relinquish power when it loses a critical legislative vote.

Crown (p. 169) The legal concept dictating the supremacy of the monarch over the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. Inside Canadian Politics © Oxford University Press Canada, 2016

Crown Corporation (p. 199) Enterprises owned by a federal or provincial government.

Department of Finance (p. 196) The central agency responsible for setting and monitoring the government’s fiscal and economic policy, including overseeing the budget process.

Deputy Minister (p. 194) Reporting to the minister, the highest-ranking public servant in a given government department.

First minister diplomacy (p. 180) The characterization of Canadian premiers and prime ministers as the primary spokesperson of their government’s interests.

First ministers (p. 174) The heads of government in Canada, namely the prime minister and the premiers.

Government (p. 167) The body consisting of all cabinet ministers, who remain responsible to the legislature for state decision-making.

Government Agency (p. 199) An arm’s-length corporate body operating on behalf of a government.

Government Board (p. 199) A public advisory committee made up of appointed citizens.

Government Commission (p. 199) An agency of government that provides specialized policy expertise and oversight.

Governor General (p. 170) The representative at the federal level in Canada.

Head of Government (p. 174) The body of prominent federal politicians and officials that typically advise the governor general.

Head of State (p. 169) The highest-ranking figure in a sovereign state, serving as its foremost ceremonial representatives.

Inner cabinet (p. 188) Members of the political executive that hold its most important portfolios, including finance, treasury board, and justice (among others).

Lieutenant Governor (p. 172) The monarch’s representative in each province.

Line Departments (p. 196) Units responsible for the development and delivery of policy, programs, or services under a particular portfolio.

Minister of State (p. 184) A member of the legislature assigned by the first minister to provide support to Cabinet by exerting leadership over a particular policy area.

Minister of the Crown (p. 181) The political head of a government ministry, responsible for directing and overseeing the activities of its departments and agencies, boards, and commissions. Inside Canadian Politics © Oxford University Press Canada, 2016

Monarch (p. 169) The absolute head of a monarchy, whose power is typically derived by birth.

Patronage (p. 178) The awarding of government jobs, contracts and/or other financial benefits to friends of the government party.

Parliamentary Secretary (p. 184) A member of the legislature assigned by the first minister to assist a minister in the performance of ministerial duties.

Permanent Executive (p. 193) Non-partisan bureaucratic officials serving at the pleasure of the Crown and its ministers.

Portfolio (p. 181) An office or area of responsibility for a minister of the Crown.

Premier (p. 176) The head of government in a provincial or territorial government.

Premier’s office (p. 178) Partisan staff appointed by the premier to advance the political interests of the provincial cabinet, in particular those of the first minister.

Prerogative authority (p. 172) Powers that are not explicitly granted to the political executives, and that remain vested in the Crown.

Presidentialization (p. 179) The concentration of executive power in the office of the prime minister or premier, at the expense of broader cabinet authority.

Prime Minister (p. 176) The head of government at the federal level.

Prime Minister’s Office (p. 178) Partisan staff appointed by the prime minister to advance the political interests of the federal cabinet, in particular those of the first minister.

Privy Council (p. 174) The body of prominent federal politicians and officials that typically advise the governor general.

Privy Council Office (p. 195) The central agency responsible for coordinating the federal government’s overall implementation of policy.

Regional minister (p. 182) A minister whose portfolio includes additional responsibility for government in a broad geographic area.

Republic (p. 173) A system of government in which sovereignty is vested in “the people,” not “the Crown.”

Royal Commission (p. 199) A special research investigation of a contentious area of public policy.

Shadow Cabinet (p. 185) A group of opposition party members responsible for holding ministers of the Crown to account for their actions.

Inside Canadian Politics © Oxford University Press Canada, 2016

Treasury Board Secretariat (p. 195) The central agency responsible for coordinating government spending, as well as human and technical resources.

Review Questions

Multiple Choice questions

1. Which of the following categories do the Governor General and Lieutenant Governors fall under? a) Formal executive b) Political executive c) Permanent Executive d) Bureaucracy

2. Who is considered the Federal Head of Government in Canada? a) Governor General b) Monarch c) Prime Minister d) The Queen

3. Who appoints provincial premiers? a) Prime Ministers b) Lieutenant governors c) Commissioners d) Governor General

4. Which of the following consists of partisan staff, appointed by the Prime Minister, and is designed to advance the political interest of the federal cabinet, especially those of the first ministers? a) Privy Council Office b) Intergovernmental affairs c) Treasury Board d) Prime Minister’s Office

5. What is a member of the legislature assigned by the first ministers to assist a minister in the performance of ministerial duties known as? a) Minister of state b) Parliamentary secretary c) Backbencher d) Government whip

Inside Canadian Politics © Oxford University Press Canada, 2016

6. Which of the following statements is true regarding the Canadian cabinet? a) They are unusually small for the size of their electorates. b) They are highly institutionalized. c) They usually consist of cabinet members from more than one political party. d) They do not have as much authority over the legislative branch.

7. Which of the following are responsibilities of the Treasury Board? a) Accountability b) Ethics c) Financial management d) All of the above

8. Which of the following is considered to be the most powerful cabinet committee? a) Priorities and planning b) Operations c) Social affairs d) National security

9. Which of the following is the highest ranked public servant in the federal bureaucracy? a) Deputy Minister b) Assistant Deputy Minister c) President of the Treasury Board d) Clerk of the Privy Council

10. Which of the following is NOT a central agency? a) Treasury Board Secretariat b) Department of Justice c) Department of Finance d) Prime Minister’s Office

Discussion Questions

1. What are some of the limitations to the role of a backbencher in the legislature?

2. How do heads of government differ between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments?

3. What are some of the significant differences between central agencies and line departments?

Inside Canadian Politics © Oxford University Press Canada, 2016

Further Resources

Websites

 Treasury Board Secretariat https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat.html

The official website for the Treasury Board Secretariat includes new information on bills, laws, and legislations.

 Prime Minister’s office http://pm.gc.ca/

The official website of the Prime Minister’s Office includes information on his cabinet and staff.

 Privy Council Office http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/index.asp?lang=eng

This link leads to the official website of another central agency, the Privy Council Office.

 Department of Finance http://www.fin.gc.ca/fin-eng.asp

The Department of Finance is the last and final central agency, responsible for overseeing finance and expense related policies.

 Cabinet Committees http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/ParlInfo/compilations/FederalGovernment/ComiteeCabinet.asp x

This website contains a list of past and present cabinet committees, including specific information on committee chairs and members.

 Governor General of Canada https://www.gg.ca/index.aspx

The official website of the Governor General of Canada provides information on the current Governor General of Canada, David Johnston.

 Lieutenant Governor of Ontario http://www.lgontario.ca/en/pages/default.aspx

This link leads to the official website of the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Elizabeth Dowdeswell (the provincial representative of the Monarch).

 Office of the Premier of Ontario http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/en/

The official website of Kathleen Wynne, the premier of Ontario, also includes information on her staff and team.

Articles/Books

 M. Tremblay and A Sarah, "Women Cabinet Ministers in Canada, 1921-2007: A Law of Increasing Disproportion no Longer Valid?" Recherches feministes 23, no. 1 (2010): pp. 143-63

A very relevant article for this chapter, especially since the newest cabinet under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau consist of more women cabinet ministers than any other previous cabinets. Achieving gender parity in cabinet is indeed a rare event, and this article looks into the disproportional distribution of women Cabinet Ministers since 1921.

 H. Bakvis, "Prime Minister and Cabinet in Canada: An Autocracy in Need of Reform?" Journal of Canadian Studies 35, no. 4 (2001): pp.60-79.

This article examines the role of the Canadian Prime Minister, specifically on the limits and concentration of his power. It confronts the powers of the Prime Minister as being autocratic; however, it does define the role within the Prime Minister’s constitutional limitations, with a glance into five possible reforms that may contribute towards a more democratic role.

 L. Bernier, K. Brownsey, M. Howlett, and Institute of Public Administration of Canada, Executive styles in Canada: Cabinet structures and leadership practices in Canadian government (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2005).

This book looks at how the current system of government (Westministerial Parliamentary system) and a federal system of government affect the executive branch of the Canadian government. It includes chapters that focus on the style of the executive government and

decision-making procedures from various provinces, as well as the rise of court government in Canada.

 Irma Council, Canada's Prime Ministers, Governors General and Fathers of Confederation (Markham: Pembroke Publishers, 2005).

This book is dedicated to various Prime ministers and Governor Generals of Canada, including Charles Tupper, John Diefenbaker, and Jean Chretien, among others.

 Graham White, Cabinet and First Ministers (Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press 2006).

This book explains the significant impact of first ministers, the cabinet, and bureaucrats on Canadian democracy. It also gives an account on the role and structure of first ministers at each level of government.

RSS feeds

 Prime Minister of Canada http://pm.gc.ca/eng/rss-feed

 Government of Canada – RSS feeds http://news.gc.ca/web/distributions-en.do

Answers to Review Questions

Multiple Choice Questions

1. a (p. 168) 2. c (p. 174) 3. b (p. 174) 4. d (p. 178) 5. b (p. 184) 6. b (p. 188) 7. d (p. 189) 8. a (p. 188) 9. d (p. 194) 10. b (p. 194)