He or she is now incomparably more powerful
appointed by the Governor General on the
than any colleague. The prime minister chooses
advice of the prime minister, and membership
the ministers in the fi rst place, and can also ask
is for life, unless a member is dismissed by
any of them to resign; if the minister refuses,
the Governor General on the same advice. All
the prime minister can advise the Governor
cabinet ministers and former cabinet ministers
General to remove that minister and the advice
are always members, as are the Chief Justice of
would invariably be followed. Cabinet decisions
Canada and former chief justices and, usually,
do not necessarily go by majority vote. A strong
ex-Speakers of the Senate and of the House of
prime minister, having listened to everyone?s
Commons. Various other prominent citizens
The Institutions of Our Federal Government
37
How Canadians Govern Themselves
illar
liament/Doug Mar
y of Par
o: Libr
Phot
Cabinet meets around this oval table.
can be made members simply as a mark of
General Andrew McNaughton was Minister of
honour. The whole Privy Council as such
National Defence for nine months in 1944?45
never meets. Only the ministers and a handful
without a seat in either house, but after he had
of non-ministers attend the rare ceremonial
twice failed to get elected to the Commons, he
occasions when the Privy Council is called
had to resign.
together, such as proclaiming the accession
of a new King or Queen and consenting to a
Senators can be members of the cabinet; the fi rst
royal marriage (the last time was in 1981). The
cabinet, of 13 members, had fi ve senators. Twice
cabinet, ?the Committee of the Privy Council,?
between 1979 and 1984, there were three or four
is the Council?s operative body.
senators in the cabinet. The Conservatives, in
1979, elected very few MPs from Quebec, and
By custom, almost all the members of the
the Liberals, in 1980, elected only two from the
cabinet must be members of the House of
four Western provinces. So both parties had to
Commons, or, if not already members, must win
eke out the necessary cabinet representation
seats. Since Confederation, on occasion, people
for the respective provinces by appointing more
who were not members of either house have
senators to the cabinet. Except for a brief period
been appointed to the cabinet (as happened
in 1926, every senator appointed leader of the
most recently in 1996 and 2006), but they had
government in the Senate has been a cabinet
to get seats in the House or the Senate within
minister. No senator can sit in the House of
a reasonable time, or resign from the cabinet.
Commons, and no member of the House of
38
The Institutions of Our Federal Government
Commons can sit in the Senate. But a minister
the cabinet in 1957, women have won increased
from the House of Commons may, by invitation
recognition, and Canada?s multicultural nature
