How Canadians Govern Themselves - Parlement du Canada

How Canadians Govern ThemselvesPhoto: ©NCC/CCNThe Prime Minister lives at 24 Sussex Drive, a home originally named Gorffwysfa,Welsh for “a place of peace.”in a by-election. (This arrangement isalso generally followed when theLeader of the Opposition or other partyleader is not a Member.)The Prime Minister is appointed bythe Governor General. Ordinarily, theappointment is automatic. If theOpposition wins more than half theseats in an election, or if theGovernment is defeated in the House ofCommons and resigns, the GovernorGeneral must call on the Leader of theOpposition to form a new government.The Prime Minister used to bedescribed as “the first among equals” inthe Cabinet, or as “a moon amongminor stars.” This is no longer so. Heor she is now incomparably morepowerful than any colleague. The PrimeMinister chooses the Ministers in thefirst place, and can also ask any of themto resign; if the Minister refuses, thePrime Minister can advise the GovernorGeneral to remove that Minister andthe advice would invariably be followed.Cabinet decisions do not necessarily goby majority vote. A strong PrimeMinister, having listened to everyone’sopinion, may simply announce that hisor her view is the policy of theGovernment, even if most, or all, theother Ministers are opposed. Unless thedissenting Ministers are prepared toresign, they must bow to the decision.THE CABINETAs mentioned, the Prime Ministerchooses the members of the Cabinet. Allof them must be or become members ofthe Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.Privy Councillors are appointed by theGovernor General on the advice of thePrime Minister, and membership is forlife, unless a member is dismissed byThe Institutions of Our Federal Government39