Executive Branch of Government Canadian Government Legislative Branch
Executive Branch of Government
Canadian Government Legislative Branch Executive Branch Judicial Branch
Roles of the Executive • Leadership • Makes policy • Supervise bureaucracy • Diplomacy (and military)
Prime Minister • Power comes from election as MP and party leader • Organizes government • Forms Cabinet – Appoints ministers – Manages cabinet
Prime Minister • Other powers: – international relations, treaties – war – Appointments – Advises crown to dissolve Parliament – Appoints senior officials
Prime Minister • In Canada we do not directly elect our prime minister • We vote for a candidate in our individual ridings • The leader of the party that has the most Members of Parliament elected becomes Prime Minister • To keep his/her position, the Prime Minister must keep the confidence of the House of Commons (easy in a majority gov’t, harder in a minority)
The PMO • The PMO provides the Prime Minister with support on: – Political strategy and tactics – Priorities – Communications
Party Discipline The Party Whip The party whip is an MP who ensures members of the party know how to vote on an issue— this person helps enforce party Discipline.
Cabinet and Policy • Appointed by Prime Minister • Number of Ministers varies from low 20 s to high 30 s and is set by the Prime Minister • Ministers help create policy and make bills that go to legislature • Ministers in charge of Departments
The Formal Executive • Opens a session of parliament with the “speech from the throne” • Gives royal assent to bills passed by parliament • Has power to dissolve parliament, ask a party to form a government Governor General David Johnson
Central Agencies • The key central agencies are: – Privy Council Office (PCO) – Treasury Board – Department of Finance
Central Agencies • The key role of central agencies is to ensure each government department is working towards achieve the same government goals
Privy Council Office • Provides non partisan policy advice to cabinet • Provides policy coordination • It is headed by the Clerk of the Privy Council
Department (Ministries) • Departments are responsible for providing: – policy advice to the cabinet and Prime Minister – Services in their area of responsibility Examples of departments are: Agriculture, Heritage, Health, National defence
Departments (Ministries) • Each department has a responsible cabinet minister • Departments are staffed by hired employees (public or civil servants) —some of your parents may work for the government • The highest civil servant in a department is the deputy minister
Departments: Health Canada
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