At the centre of government : the prime minister and the limits on political power

An insider's account of democracy in Canada and its relationship to liberalism, constitutionalism, and good public policy. An insider's account of democracy in Canada and its relationship to liberalism, constitutionalism, and good public policy. "Canada's prime minister is a dictator." "The Sun King of Canadian government." "More powerful than any other chief executive of any other democratic country." These kinds of claims are frequently made about Canada's leader – especially when the prime minister's party holds a majority government in Parliament. But is there any truth to these arguments? At the Centre of Government not only presents a comprehensively researched work on the structure of political power in Canada but also offers a first-hand view of the inner workings of the Canadian federal government. Ian Brodie – former chief of staff to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and former executive director of the Conservative Party of Canada – argues that the various workings of the Prime Minister's Office, the Privy Council Office, the cabinet, parliamentary committees, and the role of backbench members of Parliament undermine propositions that the prime minister has evolved into the role of an autocrat, with unchecked control over the levers of political power. He corrects the dominant thinking that Canadian prime ministers hold power without limits over their party, caucus, cabinet, Parliament, the public service, and the policy agenda. Citing examples from his time in government and from Canadian political history he argues that in Canada's evolving political system, with its roots in the pre-Confederation era, there are effective checks on executive power, and that the golden age of Parliament and the backbencher is likely now. Drawing on a vast body of work on governance and the role of the executive branch of government, At the Centre of Government is a fact-based primer on the workings of Canadian government and sobering second thoughts about many proposals for reform. This Exhaustively Researched And Deftly Written Book Offers A First-hand View Of The Inner Workings Of The Canadian Federal Government, With A Particular Focus On The Interplay Between The Prime Minister's Office, The Privy Council Office, The Federal Cabinet, And The Role Backbench Mps, And Parliamentary Committees. Brodie Argues That The Various Workings Of The Pmo, Pco, The Cabinet, Parliamentary Committees, And The Role Of Backbench Mps Puts A Lie To The Proposition That The Prime Minister Has Evolved Into The Role Of A Dictator Of Sorts With Unchecked Control Over The Levers Of Political Power. He Offers A Much-needed Corrective To The Dominant Thinking That A Canadian Prime Minister Holds Power Without Limits, Approaching Unchecked Domination Over Party, Caucus, Cabinet, Parliament, The Public Service, And The Policy Agenda. In Brodie's View, The Prime Minister Is Not A Tyrant. There Are Effective Checks On Executive Power. The Golden Age Of Parliament And The Backbencher Is Probably Now. The Author's Contribution Is That Of A Former Insider, Someone Who Worked At The Centre And Witnessed The Circumstances, Many Of Them Institutional In Character, That Constrain The Prime Minister. The Book Calls For Sober Second Thought About Many Of The Proposals For Reform.-- Ian Brodie. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 191-198) And Index. "This exhaustively researched and deftly written book offers a first-hand view of the inner workings of the Canadian federal government, with a particular focus on the interplay between the Prime Minister's Office, the Privy Council Office, the federal cabinet, and the role backbench MPs, and parliamentary committees. Brodie argues that the various workings of the PMO, PCO, the cabinet, parliamentary committees, and the role of backbench MPs puts a lie to the proposition that the prime minister has evolved into the role of a dictator of sorts with unchecked control over the levers of political power. He offers a much-needed corrective to the dominant thinking that a Canadian prime minister holds power without limits, approaching unchecked domination over party, caucus, cabinet, Parliament, the public service, and the policy agenda. In Brodie's view, the prime minister is not a tyrant. There are effective checks on executive power. The golden age of Parliament and the backbencher is probably now. The author's contribution is that of a former insider, someone who worked at the centre and witnessed the circumstances, many of them institutional in character, that constrain the prime minister. The book calls for sober second thought about many of the proposals for reform."-- Provided by publisher « This exhaustively researched and deftly written book offers a first-hand view of the inner workings of the Canadian federal government, with a particular focus on the interplay between the Prime Minister's Office, the Privy Council Office, the federal cabinet, and the role backbench MPs, and parliamentary committees. Brodie argues that the various workings of the PMO, PCO, the cabinet, parliamentary committees, and the role of backbench MPs puts a lie to the proposition that the prime minister has evolved into the role of a dictator of sorts with unchecked control over the levers of political power. He offers a much-needed corrective to the dominant thinking that a Canadian prime minister holds power without limits, approaching unchecked domination over party, caucus, cabinet, Parliament, the public service, and the policy agenda. In Brodie's view, the prime minister is not a tyrant. There are effective checks on executive power. The golden age of Parliament and the backbencher is probably now. The author's contribution is that of a former insider, someone who worked at the centre and witnessed the circumstances, many of them institutional in character, that constrain the prime minister. The book calls for sober second thought about many of the proposals for reform. »-- Résumé de l'éditeur Cover At the Centre of Government Title Copyright Contents Acknowledgments Preface: Getting to Government: An Autobiographical Note 1 Governing from the Centre: How We Came to See the PM as a Dictator 2 The Origins of Cabinet Government 3 Delegation and Its Limits: The Core Powers of a Prime Minister 4 Making a Cabinet 5 The Executive Branch and Parliament 6 Managing a Government Agenda 7 Prime Ministers and Political Parties 8 Democratizing or Bureaucratizing the Constitution? Afterword: Leaving Government: Another Autobiographical Note Notes Works Cited Index