The Government of Ontario (French: Gouvernement de l'Ontario) is the body responsible for the administration of the Canadian province of Ontario. The term Government of Ontario refers specifically to the executive—political ministers of the Crown (the Cabinet/Executive Council), appointed on the advice of the premier, and the non-partisan Ontario Public Service (whom the Executive Council directs), who staff ministries and agencies to deliver government policies, programs, and services—which corporately brands itself as the Government of Ontario, or more formally, His Majesty's Government of Ontario (French: Gouvernement de l’Ontario de Sa Majesté).[1]
| Government of Ontario | |
|---|---|
 Logo of the Province of Ontario | |
| Overview | |
| Established | July 1, 1867 |
| State | Ontario |
| Country | Canada |
| Leader | Premier Doug Ford |
| Appointed by | Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont |
| Main organ | Executive Council |
| Responsible to | Legislative Assembly |
| Headquarters | Toronto |
| Website | www |
Role of the Crown
editKing Charles III, as monarch of Canada is also the King in Right of Ontario. As a Commonwealth realm, the Canadian monarch is shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations.[7] Within Canada, the monarch exercises power individually on behalf of the federal government, and the 10 provinces.
Lieutenant governor
editThe powers of the Crown are vested in the monarch and are exercised by the lieutenant governor. The advice of the premier and Executive Council is typically binding; the Constitution Act, 1867 requires executive power to be exercised only "by and with the Advice of the Executive Council".[8]
The lieutenant governor is appointed by the governor general, on the advice of the prime minister of Canada.[12] Thus, it is typically the lieutenant governor whom the premier and ministers advise, exercising much of the royal prerogative and granting royal assent.
While the advice of the premier and Executive Council is typically binding on the lieutenant governor, there are occasions when the lieutenant governor has refused advice. This usually occurs if the premier does not clearly command the confidence of the elected Legislative Assembly.
King-in-Council
editThe executive power is vested in the Crown and exercised "in-Council", meaning on the advice of the Executive Council; conventionally, this is the Cabinet, which is chaired by the premier and comprises ministers of the Crown.
Premier and Executive Council
editThe term Government of Ontario, or more formally, His Majesty's Government refers to the activities of the Lieutenant Governor-in-Council. The day-to-day operation and activities of the Government of Ontario are performed by the provincial departments and agencies, staffed by the non-partisan Ontario Public Service and directed by the elected government.
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Premier
editThe premier of Ontario is the first minister of the Crown. The premier acts as the head of government for the province, chairs and selects the membership of the Cabinet, and advises the Crown on the exercise of executive power and much of the royal prerogative. As premiers hold office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the elected Legislative Assembly, they typically sit as a MPP and lead the largest party or a coalition in the Assembly. Once sworn in, the premier holds office until their resignation or removal by the lieutenant governor after either a motion of no confidence or defeat in a general election.[13]
In Canada, the Cabinet (French: Conseil des ministres, lit. 'council of ministers') of provincial and territorial governments are known as an Executive Council (French: Conseil exécutif).
The premier of Ontario is Doug Ford of the Progressive Conservatives since the 2018 election; the 26th since Confederation.
Cabinet membership
edit
Crown corporations
editOntario Public Service
editThe Government of Ontario employs 63,000+ public servants in its non-partisan workforce called the Ontario Public Service (OPS).[15] The OPS helps the government design and deliver policies and programs. The head of the OPS is the Secretary of Cabinet and each ministry in the OPS has a Deputy Minister. The OPS public servants work in areas like administration, communications, data analytics, finance, information technology, law, policy, program development, service delivery, science and research.[16]
Over 80% of the OPS workforce is unionized, which includes the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and the Association of Management, Administrative and Professional Crown Employees of Ontario.[17]
The Government of Ontario is not the same as Broader Public Sector (BPS) organizations. While both provide goods and services to Ontarians, BPS organizations receive funding from the Government of Ontario, but are not a part of the government themselves. BPS organizations are also subject to legislation and directives.[18]
Public servants who are paid $100,000 or more are subject to the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act.[19] This list is colloquially known as the sunshine list.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Order in Council 174/2019". www.ontario.ca. Archived from the original on 16 July 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ^ Claude Bouchard (16 February 2016). "Jugement No. 200-17-018455-139" (PDF) (in French). Cour supérieure du Québec. p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 May 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2016 – via Le Devoir.
- ^ Romaniuk, Scott Nicholas; Wasylciw, Joshua K. (February 2015). "Canada's Evolving Crown: From a British Crown to a "Crown of Maples"". American, British and Canadian Studies Journal. 23 (1): 108–125. doi:10.1515/abcsj-2014-0030.
- ^ Department of Canadian Heritage (2015). "Crown of Maples: Constitutional Monarchy in Canada" (PDF). Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
- ^ "Queen and Canada". The Royal Household. Archived from the original on 20 February 2009. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
- ^ "The Queen of Canada". Government of Canada. Archived from the original on 24 February 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
- ^ [2][3][4][5][6]
- ^ Branch, Legislative Services (7 August 2020). "Consolidated federal laws of canada, THE CONSTITUTION ACTS, 1867 to 1982". laws-lois.justice.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- ^ Hicks, Bruce (2012). "The Westminster Approach to Prorogation, Dissolution and Fixed Date Elections" (PDF). Canadian Parliamentary Review. 35 (2): 20. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 May 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
- ^ MacLeod 2008, p. 36
- ^ Government of Canada (4 December 2015). "Why does the Governor General give the Speech?". Queen's Printer for Canada. Archived from the original on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
- ^ [9][10][11]
- ^ Brooks 2007, p. 235
- ^ "Premier Doug Ford Renews Team that will Deliver on Promise to Build Ontario".
- ^ "Senior leadership diversification in the Ontario Public Service – 2020 annual progress report | ontario.ca". www.ontario.ca. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ^ "About the Ontario Public Service | ontario.ca". www.ontario.ca. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ^ "OPS workforce demographics - Dataset - Ontario Data Catalogue". data.ontario.ca. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ^ "Broader public sector accountability | ontario.ca". www.ontario.ca. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ "Public sector salary disclosure 2022: all sectors and seconded employees". www.ontario.ca. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
Works cited
edit- Brooks, Stephen (2007). Canadian Democracy: An Introduction (5 ed.). Don Mills: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-543103-2.
- MacLeod, Kevin S. (2008), A Crown of Maples (PDF) (1 ed.), Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Canada, ISBN 978-0-662-46012-1, retrieved 21 June 2009
