34 The Parliamentarian stringency. The nature of Parliament's re­ will be among the toughest of any Western action to the Bill and these criticisms is yet nation. to be seen butthere is little doubt thatif these HUGH FINSTEN measures are approved Canada's conflict of Research Branch, interest rules for federal Parliamentarians Library ofParliament, Ottawa Parliamentary Secretary ofthe Cabinet Western Australian Parliament HE reason for this article on the posi­ his basic parliamentary salary without for­ tion of Parliamentary Secretary ofthe feiting his seat. T Cabinetin WesternAustralia arose out Appointment to the position in Western of a visit to Westminster. As the present Australia has been made by the Premier of incumbent ofthe office, I visited the mother the state. This is in line with appointments ofParliaments in June this year. I requested to the Ministry and is the one major differ­ the Commonwealth Parliamentary Associa­ ence between the Western Australian and tion to arrange meetings for me with Mem­ Victorian situations. bers ofParliament holding similar responsi­ In Victoria the Parliamentary Secretary of bilities in the British Parliament. The Asso­ the Cabinet is elected by exhaustive ballot of ciation found it difficult to do so. The all members ofthe governing party. In both Western Australian position was found to be states the holder of the office receives salary rare and was variously described, including and allowances equal to those received by one rather quaint description, as "a political the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. platypus from Down Under". The Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabi­ Eventually I had meetings with MPs who netdoes nothaveministerialstatus andthere­ had held the position of Parliamentary Pri­ fore is not required to take the "Oath ofAl­ vate Secretary to the Prime Minister andwith legiance". However, as he attends all cabinet public servants in the Cabinet office. I found meetings he is bound by the same code of these meetings both interesting and in­ secrecy as that binding Cabinet Ministers. formative. Nor does the holder of the office take any The Western Australian position was official part in meetings of the Executive created in 1975 and followed very closely the Council, although he has some responsibility example of the Victorian Parliament which for the administrative arrangements for such had created the position of Parliamentary meetings. Secretary ofthe Cabinet as early as 1947. In­ The duties of the Parliamentary Secretary quiries revealed that the Victorian situation of the Cabinet broadly fall into four areas. had worked well since that time. These involve duties surrounding the Cabi­ Accordingly the Western Australian State net and cabinet meetings, monitoring the Cabinet approved the drafting of legislation implementation of government policy, to create the position in August 1974. The monitoring the progress of the Govern­ resultant legislation, an amendment to the ment's legislative programme, and making Constitution Acts Amendment Act, was the necessary arrangements for meetings of assented to on 9 May 1975. the Executive Council. The amendment was necessary in order to In more detail, the duties surrounding the exclude the holder of the office of Parlia­ Cabinet involve the preparation of the mentary Secretary of the Cabinet from the agenda, assembling cabinet papers, attend­ "office ofprofit" provisions ofthe constitu­ ing the cabinet meetings, and recording the tion. This exclusion enables the holder ofthe minutes. office to receive remuneration in addition to Additionally, the Parliamentary Secretary Notes: Constitutional and Political 35 of the Cabinet is required to follow up the cabinet approvals, drafting, printing, party implementation of cabinet decisions, act as approval, and placement on the parliament­ secretary and coordinator of the work of ary notice paper. cabinet subcommittees, and to undertake The Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabi­ any additional research that Cabinet may net reports regularly to Cabinet on the direct. progress of the legislative programme. He He should also provide liaison between also has a responsibility for the smooth Cabinet and the parliamentary wing of the passage (administratively) of legislation in governing parties. Another task is to ensure the Parliament by ensuring the preparedness that the Government is adequately repre­ ofsecond-readingspeechnotes and thetrans­ sented. This involves determining the invita­ mission of Bills between the Houses, par­ tions to be accepted by the Premier and ticularly when amendments are incorpor­ arranging suitable ministerial or parlia­ ated. Withregardto ParliamentaryQuestions mentary representatives for all other func­ the Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet tions where the Government desires a has a responsibility to watch for overlapping presence. and conflicting questions as between port­ Details of ministers' movements, includ­ folios. The duties in respect of Executive ing leave, illness, etc., are recorded and dis­ Council are purely administrative, requiring tributed and action is taken to appoint Act­ .the rostering and notification of Ministers. ing Ministers where this is necessary. In conclusion, the position is designed to Monitoring the implementation of the assist the Premier and facilitate the work of Government's policy involves isolating in­ the Cabinet. Many of the tasks performed dividual items in the Government's an­ have been carried out previously by officers nounced policy, particularly at election time. ofthe public service. These items are then distributed among the However, I feel there are obvious advan­ various portfolios and progress on imple­ tages for Cabinet and the Government mentation of each is recorded on a central generally in having a parliamentary Member register. ofthe governing party responsible for these The Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabi­ duties. In addition, the experience gained by net then uses this register to advise Cabinet the incumbent is invaluable. of progress on policy implementation and Although the position is a relatively new liaises with both the Parliamentary Policy one for the Western Australian Parliament, Committee and the governing party's lay I have no doubt it will become entrenchedin organization. This system has been devised the parliamentary system in this state as it to ensure effective implementation of the has in Victoria. Government's stated policy commitments I.G.LAURANCE,MLA and formulation of future policy objectives. Parliamentary Secretary ofthe Cabinet, The Government's legislative programme Western Australia is monitored through the various stages of Ontario: Blind can now vote in private LI ND voters in Ontario are now able to side. Candidates names will continue to be vote in complete secrecy. listed alphabetically. A blind voter can have B Roderick Lewis, QC, ChiefElectoral a friend or polling officer read out the names Officer for Ontario, explained that in the in order. With the information the voter can next election all ballots will be notched on use the notches to find the candidates of his the upper right-hand corner to indicate the or her choice and mark the ballot in secret. correct side of the form and notched beside Previously blind voters had to take an each candidate's name down the right-hand oath at the polling station stating that they.