More fundamentally, however, it is difficult to compare the ministerial organization of the Canadian provinces without also taking into consideration that, owing to some asymmetric arrangements within the Canadian federation (with Quebec notably), the provinces are not all alike in the responsibilities they assume. This asymmetry is particularly apparent whenever the comparison involves the provinces’ spheres of action and the structures implemented for the purpose of framing their sectoral actions. Thus, for comparison purposes, it will be useful to distinguish between the organization of central ministries, which assume responsibilities in support of the Executive Council as well as the functions of managing the resources of the public administration, and the organization, through ministries, of the sectoral action of provincial governments.
Central ministries
Central ministries carry out tasks specific to the general administration of governments. Such duties include organizing the machinery of government, defining priorities and accountability criteria, and controlling the expenditure process.
As part of supporting Executive Council activities, the great majority of provinces (Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta) have Executive Council Offices (called Ministère du Conseil exécutif in Quebec) or at least an organization operating under the authority of the Premier and entitled to expenditure allocations under the management framework (as formally set out in the “Estimates” − i.e., expenditure budgets − of each province). The budget for this office (or central ministry) in these seven provinces thus cover the expenditures related to the secretariat activities of the Premier’s Office. In two provinces (Ontario and New Brunswick), the Premier’s Office constitute a specific expenditure item in the provincial Estimates and is, for this reason, distinct on a budget basis from the Executive Council Office (or Cabinet), which, specifically, oversees the secretariat activities of the Cabinet. British Columbia has the particularity of including expenditure allocations for the Executive Council secretariat as an expenditure item relating to the “Office of the Premier,” even though there is no ministry or office officially referred to as the “Executive Council Office.” Furthermore, generally speaking, these structures implemented to support the Executive Council are, in addition, given mandates having a particular political significance, such as electoral reform projects, women’s status, or intergovernmental relations.
In Quebec, management of public administration resources is a responsibility shared by the Ministère des Finances and the Conseil du trésor (Treasury Board). The Ministère des Finances is charge with setting the main budgetary priorities. The Conseil, with the support of its secretariat, works out the details pertaining to the breakdown of budget allocations (as compiled in the expenditure budgets) and also monitors the expenditures of public agencies. In terms of organization Quebec, Alberta and Nova Scotia are the only three provinces whose treasury board and finance ministry were distinct from one another :
- Politically : the President of the Treasury Board does not serve simultaneously as the Minister of Finance;
- Administratively : the Secretary of the Treasury Board does not simultaneously serve as the Deputy Minister of Finance;
- On budgetary matters : each entity is entitled to its own expenditure allocations.
This distribution of ministerial responsibilities, which mirrors that of the federal government, is rare when viewed in terms of interprovincial comparisons. In seven of Canada’s 10 provinces (Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia), the Minister of Finance is also President (Chair) of the Treasury Board. In terms of administrative and budgetary management, the Treasury Board secretariat (also occasionally referred to as the “Management Board”) is an integral part of the Ministry of Finance in all those provinces.
The Organization of Sectoral Ministries
If comparisons of the organization of the provincial central ministries provide evidence of a considerable diversity of institutional arrangements, the result of the historical, social and economic characteristics of the provinces, such diversity appears even yet stronger in comparisons of the organization of sectoral ministries. Thus, for example, only in the Atlantic Provinces and Quebec does one encounter ministries whose name expressly refers to their action in the fisheries sector. A comparative approach of this kind, based solely on criteria pertaining to official appellation, would serve only to account for how the missions of sectoral ministries are presented in terms of political priorities. In addition, for reasons relating to developments of a political (e.g., changes in government, cabinet reshuffles), economic and social nature, these ministries are particularly prone to reorganizations and name changes, thus making any attempt at comparative analysis rather difficult.
On the other hand, in certain areas specifically mentioned in the Constitution, ministerial organization presents a strong degree of homogeneity. Thus, for example, no province has a Ministry of Defence, as this mission comes under the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal government. In contrast, all provinces have a Ministry of Justice or an equivalent, as prescribed under section 92(14) of the Constitution Act, 1867. Likewise, all provincial governments, except that of Prince Edward Island, have a ministry whose mission is to manage their relations with municipalities. All provincial governments also have a ministry (or equivalent) that acts in the areas of health and education, although how these responsibilities of such ministries are defined is not alike across all provinces.
Concerning international relations, it is worth noting that only Quebec has established a ministry exclusively charged with assuming the government’s responsibilities in this area. Other provinces, such as Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario, have entrusted their Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs with managing international relations, particularly with a view to advancing the province’s interests by working with foreign governments. In Manitoba, the Department of Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade discharges the government’s international relations responsibilities. In Saskatchewan, a branch of the Executive Council (which reports directly to the Premier) is responsible for managing the province’s intergovernmental and international relations. Alberta is the only province, aside from Quebec, to have a ministry that includes international relations in its official name – i.e., the Ministry of International and Intergovernmental Relations; the ministry is charged with coordinating Alberta’s relationships with various levels of government in Canada and around the world. Thus, among Canada’s provinces, the overall trend has been to entrust international relations to a ministry that is charged with other responsibilities, particularly in the area of intergovernmental relations.