The Executive

Executive Government in Canada: Cabinet Secrecy

One of the major principles of Cabinet government is that the deliberations of the ministry are secret. This is related to the idea that the cabinet is collectively responsible for its decisions and actions.

The principle of cabinet solidarity is important for governments wishing to maintain a united front in public. Often this united front extends to the government's relations with its own party members in Parliament.

It is now accepted, for example, that cabinet ministers will all support cabinet decisions when they are presented to the Caucus. This solidarity allows the executive to nearly always get its way with the parliamentary wing and contributes to the domination of the Parliament by the government of the day.

Cabinet secrecy is crucial to this control by the executive.

Facilitating full and frank debate

Ministers must be able to speak freely within the cabinet room. They need to be able to discuss issues and political strategy with each other in a frank and uninhibited manner. Discussions would be seriously circumscribed if ministers thought that their comments would be reported outside.

Fairness in government decision-making

The nature of government decisions is such that private individuals and organisations could benefit from advance knowledge of government plans. This is particularly true of financial decisions involving banking, interest rates, industry protection, and the like. Secrecy is necessary in the interests of fairness and justice to all.

Sometimes, decisions involve questions of defence and national security, hence secrecy is essential.

Achieving coherence and integrity within the government

Cabinet decisions are often arrived at after much debate, argument and negotiation. As in all things political, there are winners and losers. Cabinet secrecy prevents the government appearing divided, as well as minimising the chances that individual ministers will "leak" information to the media, or others, in order to promote their own interests or political ambitions. Cabinet documents are not normally made public for a period of 20 years.