Lecture 3 - Structure of Government in Canada

Question 1

Who provides the cabinet with policy expertise? Who lacks expertise?

Answer 1

The bureaucrats; MP’s (majority in the commons of the same party supporting the cabinet)

Question 2

What is “the legal skeleton” and the “muscles & tendons”?

Answer 2

Acts/statutes that are passed by parliament are “general” in nature. Acts delegate to Cabinet the authority to make specific regulations (based on more general acts).

Question 3

Acts/Statutes are…and regulations are…

Answer 3

Somewhat general…and detailed, specific

Question 4

What are the 5 steps in becoming a Cabinet Minister? Which one is the easy step?

Answer 4

1. Join a political Party (easy)
2. Win nomination of party, become candidate for that party in a riding
3. Win election (elected by the voting public
4. You are now an elected MP!
5. IF your party forms Government, the PM (your party leader) MAY choose you to join the cabinet.

Question 5

The PM is who in your governing party?

Answer 5

Leader

Question 6

What years was the government a minority?

Answer 6

2004-2011 otherwise it is usually a majority

Question 7

How does the PM ensure that the Gov. party MP’s will support the PM and cabinet policies?

Answer 7

Strict party discipline

Question 8

Who decides who shall serve in the Cabinet?

Answer 8

The PM

Question 9

What does the PM do?

Answer 9

Chairs Cabinet meetings; set Cabinet agenda; determines when Cabinet reaches consensus

Question 10

If the PM has an image of a “winning politician”…how does this help with his power?

Answer 10

Enhances his political power because “you can’t argue with success!”

Question 11

Who does the PM have as policy advisers? How do they help with his/her power?

Answer 11

The PM has a large number of expert bureaucrats as his policy advisers. “Information is power”

Question 12

The PM is assisted by key officials in…

Answer 12

PMO and PCO (which stand for what?)

Question 13

List examples of Politicians…

Answer 13

• PM
• Cabinet Ministers
• Leaders of opposition parties
• Other members of Parliament (MP’s)
• Provincial equivalents of above positions
• Senators (even though they are not elected)

Question 14

List examples of Senior Bureaucrats…

Answer 14

• Senior policy advisers to PM & entire cabinet (in PMO & PCO)
• Deputy ministers of Gov. departments
• Other senior policy advisors to individual cabinet ministers
• Senior Gov. administrators

Question 15

Differences between Senior Bureaucrats & Politicians…

Answer 15

Politicians - elected by voters, chosen by popularity of person/party, shorter term outlook, generalist knowledge, seek media publicity, responsible to commons & voters, partisan

Senior Bureaucrats - appointed, chosen by merit (technical expertise), longer term outlook, specialist/expert, avoid publicity, responsible to PM (especially) & Cabinet, non-partisan

Question 16

Describe relationship between cabinet minister and his/her senior bureaucrats in Video?

Answer 16

expertise, manipulative

Question 17

Relations between partisan political advisors and bureaucrats?

Answer 17

no respect for political advisors, bureaucrats are status quo oriented, advisors come in and “whisper” in cabinet’s ear and deputy doesn’t like that.

Question 18

Why does the cabinet need advisors?

Answer 18

Cabinet has too much work so they pass small things off to advisors like emails, speeches etc.

Question 19

What is the dual system?

Answer 19

Bureaucrat decision making and policy decision making.

Question 20

What is the difference between political aides and civil servants?

Answer 20

age (Aides are extremely young, new to the game, under 30, don’t know much about gov., type A, politics, winning, biased so can’t be in gov., help political party. Civil servants are older, policy experts, “do the right thing”, involved in gov.

Question 21

Differences between cabinet ministers and civil servants?

Answer 21

CM are elected by PM, implement ideas that align with party, technical side. Civil servants are experts, recruited,close with cabinet, controls future of servants, communicate with PCO