Clerk of the Privy Council (Canada)
Encyclopedia
The Clerk of the Privy Council is the senior civil servant in the Canadian government. The Title and Office is in fact "Clerk of the Privy Council and the Secretary to the Cabinet". The Clerk is appointed by the Queen
's representative in Canada, the Governor General
, on the advice of the Prime Minister
.
The Clerk of the Privy Council operates as the deputy minister
to the Prime Minister of Canada
and provides impartial advice to the Prime Minister and is in charge of the Privy Council Office
. As Secretary to the Cabinet, the Clerk of the Privy Council provides impartial advice to the Ministry and oversees the advice and policy support given to Cabinet and its committees. As Head of the Public Service, the Clerk is responsible for other deputy ministers
and the provision of non-partisan, expert advice to the government as a whole.
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
's representative in Canada, the Governor General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
, on the advice of the Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
.
The Clerk of the Privy Council operates as the deputy minister
Deputy Minister (Canada)
In Canada, a deputy minister is the senior civil servant in a government department. He or she takes political direction from an elected minister. Responsibility for the department's day-to-day operations, budget and program development lie with the deputy minister...
to the Prime Minister of Canada
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
and provides impartial advice to the Prime Minister and is in charge of the Privy Council Office
Privy Council Office (Canada)
In Canada the Privy Council Office is the secretariat of the federal cabinet, providing officially non-partisan advice and support to the Prime Minister and leadership, coordination, and support to the departments and agencies of the government...
. As Secretary to the Cabinet, the Clerk of the Privy Council provides impartial advice to the Ministry and oversees the advice and policy support given to Cabinet and its committees. As Head of the Public Service, the Clerk is responsible for other deputy ministers
Deputy Minister (Canada)
In Canada, a deputy minister is the senior civil servant in a government department. He or she takes political direction from an elected minister. Responsibility for the department's day-to-day operations, budget and program development lie with the deputy minister...
and the provision of non-partisan, expert advice to the government as a whole.
Clerks of the Privy Council
- William Henry LeeWilliam Henry LeeWilliam Henry Lee was a Canadian civil servant and the first Clerk of the Privy Council of Canada.Born in Trois-Rivières, Lower Canada , he was educated in Montreal. In 1821, he became an extra clerk for the Executive Council of Upper Canada. From 1867 to 1872, he was the clerk of the Privy Council...
(1867–1872) - William Alfred Himsworth (1872–1880)
- Joseph Olivier Côté (1880–1882)
- John Joseph McGeeJohn Joseph McGeeJohn Joseph McGee was Clerk of the Privy Council of Canada from May 20, 1882 to May 5, 1907 and is the longest-serving occupant of the position....
(1882–1907) - Rodolphe BoudreauRodolphe BoudreauRodolphe Boudreau, CMG was a Canadian civil servant. He was the Clerk of the Privy Council, the senior civil servant in the government and the Secretary to the Canadian Cabinet, from 1907 to 1923....
(1907–1923) - Ernest Joseph LemaireErnest Joseph LemaireErnest Joseph Lemaire, CMG was Clerk of the Privy Council of Canada, Secretary to the Cabinet and head of the Canadian civil service from August 14, 1923, to January 1, 1940.He was educated at St...
(1923–1940) - Arnold Danford Patrick Heeney (1940–1949)
- Norman Alexander Robertson (1949–1952)
- John Whitney PickersgillJack PickersgillJohn Whitney "Jack" Pickersgill, PC, CC was a Canadian civil servant and politician. He was born in Ontario, but was raised in Manitobia. He was the Clerk for the Canadian Government's Privy Council in the early 1950s...
(1952–1953) - Robert BryceRobert BryceRobert Broughton Bryce, was a Canadian civil servant.After graduating with engineering degree from the University of Toronto, Bryce undertook graduate studies in economics at Cambridge, where he was influenced by the ideas of John Maynard Keynes...
(1954–1963) - Robert Gordon RobertsonRobert Gordon RobertsonRobert Gordon Robertson, PC, CC, FRSC was Commissioner of the Northwest Territories from November 15, 1953 to July 12, 1963 who, having been sworn in at the age of 36, remains the youngest person to ever hold the office...
(1963–1975) - Peter Michael Pitfield (1975–1979, 1980–1982)
- Marcel MasséMarcel MasséMarcel Massé, PC, OC, QC is a former Canadian politician and civil servant.He served as Clerk of the Privy Council in 1979 during the government of Prime Minister Joe Clark...
(1979–1980) - Gordon OsbaldestonGordon OsbaldestonGordon Francis Joseph Osbaldeston, is a former Canadian civil servant.Born in Hamilton, Ontario, he received a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto in 1952 and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario in 1953. He was the Gold Medalist at St...
(1982–1985) - Paul M. Tellier (1985–1992)
- Glen ShortliffeGlen ShortliffeGlen Scott Shortliffe was a Canadian diplomat, civil servant, businessman, and Clerk of the Privy Council.Born in Edmonton, Alberta, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta in 1960....
(1992–1994) - Jocelyne BourgonJocelyne BourgonJocelyne Bourgon, PC, OC is a Canadian public servant.Born in Papineauville, Quebec, she studied in science at the University of Montreal and then management at the University of Ottawa. She joined the public service of Canada as a summer student with the Department of Transport in 1974. She was...
(1994–1999) - Mel CappeMel CappeMelvin Samuel "Mel" Cappe, OC is a Canadian civil servant and diplomat. Since June, 2006 he is the President and CEO of the Institute for Research on Public Policy in Montreal. He was most recently Canada's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom...
(1999–2002) - Alexander Himelfarb (2002–2006)
- Kevin G. LynchKevin G. LynchKevin G. Lynch, is a Canadian economist and former Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, Canada's most senior civil servant....
(2006–2009) - Wayne WoutersWayne WoutersWayne G. Wouters is a Canadian public servant and Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet. Canada’s most senior civil servant....
(2009-)