The Thursday Question 2:26: PCO

90% of The Centre

In the modern era – say, since 1968 – Canadian prime ministers have looked to two officials, and two offices below those officials, to make the federal government work for them.  The senior political aide has been the Chief of Staff (Principal Secretary in the 1970s) heading a political office known as PMO.  The senior civil servant has been the Clerk of the Privy Council heading PCO.  PMO gets cleaned out and rebuilt with every change of PM.  PCO is eternal and has had a stable role and structure for fifty years.  Understanding what PCO is, is not, can be, and cannot be is an early step when thinking about forming a government.

Let’s start by clearing away some nonsense that floats around.  PCO does not “report to the Prime Minister’s Office”.  It is not the “bureaucratic arm of PMO”.  Certain media outlets, even The Globe and Mail, often make these claims.  Norm Spector, a veteran of both PCO and PMO, fights a lonely Twitter battle against this fake news whenever it pops up.

Be precise: PCO is the PM’s department.  The Clerk reports to the PM just like the PMO Chief of Staff does.  The PM’s life might be easier, neater and tidier with only one source of advice, but a wise PM knows he or she is stronger with two sources of advice.

PCO has three roles reflecting the three titles of the Clerk of the Privy Council. The Clerk serves as Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, Secretary to the Cabinet, and Head of the Public Service.  Let’s take these jobs in turn.

1.      The Clerk is the PM’s Deputy Minister.  He or she makes sure the Government of Canada advances the PM’s priorities, tends to decisions that only the PM can make, and ensures the PM can be accountable to Parliament. 

The PM delegates responsibility for most government operations to ministers.  There are four things the PM cannot fully delegate to ministers, though.  These are: fiscal policy, parliamentary affairs, dealing with the premiers and dealing with foreign leaders (1). The PM also has some key responsibilities.  Setting the Cabinet agenda.  Establishing what each minister and agency is responsible for doing.  Serving as the government’s primary public spokesman or spokeswoman.

The essential elements of the PM’s job are also the essential elements of the Clerk’s role as PM’s deputy minister.  They are also the essential elements of what PCO’s role: