What is the Privy Council of Canada?
Answer
The constitutional body that advises the King and Governor General on the exercise of the executive power of Canada, comprising current and former federal Cabinet members.
Explanation
The King's Privy Council for Canada (in French, le Conseil privé du Roi pour le Canada) is the constitutional body that advises the King and the Governor General on the exercise of the executive power of Canada. The Privy Council is established by section 11 of the Constitution Act, 1867. Members are appointed for life by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. About 100 to 130 living people are members of the Privy Council at any given time.
Privy Councillors are entitled to use the styling 'The Honourable' for life (and 'The Right Honourable' for Prime Ministers, Chief Justices of Canada, Governors General, and those granted the styling by special letters of dignity). Membership is automatic for federal Cabinet ministers (who are appointed before they take office), the Chief Justice of Canada, and certain other senior officials. Honorary Privy Councillor appointments are sometimes made to recognise distinguished public service, including occasionally to former provincial premiers, opposition leaders during state events, and (rarely) to foreign dignitaries.
The Privy Council does not function as a standing body. The full Privy Council has met only a handful of times in Canadian history, including for the proclamation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1952 and for the formal accession ceremonies of King Charles III in 2022. In practice, executive decisions are made by the federal Cabinet (officially the Committee of the Privy Council) acting through Orders in Council issued by 'the Governor in Council' (the Governor General acting on the advice of Cabinet). The Cabinet is supported by the Privy Council Office (PCO), the central department of the federal Public Service that serves the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
The current Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet is John Hannaford, appointed June 24, 2023 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The Clerk is the head of the federal Public Service of about 360,000 public servants and the senior non-political adviser to the Prime Minister. The Privy Council Office coordinates the work of federal departments, manages the Cabinet decision-making process, and serves as the secretariat for federal-provincial relations. The PCO has about 1,000 employees in offices in Ottawa-Gatineau.
Why this matters for your test
The Privy Council is the constitutional foundation of Canadian executive government. Recognising its role as advisory body to the Crown and the Cabinet's operation as the active part of the Council gives candidates two specific anchors.
Source: Privy Council Office; Constitution Act, 1867
