Ever wondered why our BNA /Constitution Acts don't describe what actually happens in today's Ottawa?
Re: Pulling back the cloak from our powerful Clerk --
LAWRENCE MARTIN From Thursday's Globe and Mail November 12, 2008 at 11:17 PM EST
Ever wondered why our BNA /Constitution Acts don't describe what actually happens in today's Ottawa?
Lawrence Martin's column is one of the most significant political investigations in years, because it is an introduction for regular folks to the EXECUTIVE branch (ss.9-16) of Canadian governance (even though, with respect, his facts are not checked far enough back in history AND the tone seems a little sycophantic).
Finally a national newspaper is talking about the MERGED offices of Secretary of the Cabinet and Clerk of the Privy Council , although the column does not discuss the fact that it IS a merged office of two intended-to-be-check-and-balance-of-each-other arms of government.
Neither does Mr Martin delve into how or why Wm Lyon Mackenzie King used an artful 2-step manoeuver to usurp the Executive powers of the Governor-General (a "revenge served cold" in retaliation -under cover of wartime expediency- for Lord Byng denying that PM's request for dissolution in 1926), nor does he jump into the ramifications to Canadians of this consolidation of power in the Prime Minister's behemoth PMO/PCO since, say, Vincent Massey's appointment.
Prior to Order-in-Council P.C. 1940-1121 (referenced in the Clerk's webpage above), these were two separate offices and the Privy Council were independent advisors to the GOVERNOR GENERAL, the actual Head of State and 'assenter' vis a vis 'decider'.
Since the commencement of the new convention of appointing the local PM's recommendation for GG to the Vice Regal office, the Prime Minister has been the most individually powerful executive (albeit of a rather medium power) and the GG a rubber-stamper ...only in Canada you say ... Pity.
LAWRENCE MARTIN From Thursday's Globe and Mail November 12, 2008 at 11:17 PM EST
Ever wondered why our BNA /Constitution Acts don't describe what actually happens in today's Ottawa?
Lawrence Martin's column is one of the most significant political investigations in years, because it is an introduction for regular folks to the EXECUTIVE branch (ss.9-16) of Canadian governance (even though, with respect, his facts are not checked far enough back in history AND the tone seems a little sycophantic).
Finally a national newspaper is talking about the MERGED offices of Secretary of the Cabinet and Clerk of the Privy Council , although the column does not discuss the fact that it IS a merged office of two intended-to-be-check-and-balance-of-each-other arms of government.
Neither does Mr Martin delve into how or why Wm Lyon Mackenzie King used an artful 2-step manoeuver to usurp the Executive powers of the Governor-General (a "revenge served cold" in retaliation -under cover of wartime expediency- for Lord Byng denying that PM's request for dissolution in 1926), nor does he jump into the ramifications to Canadians of this consolidation of power in the Prime Minister's behemoth PMO/PCO since, say, Vincent Massey's appointment.
Prior to Order-in-Council P.C. 1940-1121 (referenced in the Clerk's webpage above), these were two separate offices and the Privy Council were independent advisors to the GOVERNOR GENERAL, the actual Head of State and 'assenter' vis a vis 'decider'.
Since the commencement of the new convention of appointing the local PM's recommendation for GG to the Vice Regal office, the Prime Minister has been the most individually powerful executive (albeit of a rather medium power) and the GG a rubber-stamper ...only in Canada you say ... Pity.
posted by Walk a Kb or Two in my cassins | 11:07 pm
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