It's been awhile but I believe you are correct in that yes, indeed, the governor general is in charge, but like most of the time, that power is generally symbolic. Many people don't know that 'technically' the GG is also the 'commander in chief' of the armed forces. It isn't the GG who 'runs things' though, it's more accurate to say that 'the bureaucracy' runs things. Specifically, the country is governed, if necessary, by 'orders in council', which keep the country 'running'. The Privy Council generally oversees this, but that is also a formality, once again it is the bureaucracy that handles things.<br /> <br /> It might interest many people to note that the country itself is GOVERNED by orders in council (the assistant clerk of the Privy Council), NOT by elected officials. You'll notice that during the summer and most of the year Parliament isn't even in session, in effect, there is no government. <br /> <br /> Always remember that Canada is NOT a democracy, it is a constitutional MONARCHY with a system of responsible government. Governments may come and go, but the monarchy is ALWAYS there.

   

Welcome to the site Xemoka!<br /> <br /> What Marcarc said, with one caveat. The GG is the Commander In Chief of the Armed Forces. They swear an oath to the the Crown, and only the GG is the Crown in Canada. Nothing 'technically' about it. <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/wink.gif' alt='Wink'><br /> <br />

   

Orders in Council are approved, as the name implies, by the Governor General on the advice of "Council" (i.e. the cabinet).<br /> <br /> In practice Orders in Council are approved by a sub-committee of Cabinet (my understanding is that is usually the Treasury Board). The Clerk of the Privy Council (the senior public servent) plays a role in this, but it logistical and it is Cabinet that decides.<br /> <br /> After an election is called, the session of Parliament ends, however, cabinet ministers continue to carry out their duties until they are replaced (keep in mind that under the Constitution, there is no requirement for cabinet ministers to be elected to the Commons or appointed to the Senate).<br /> <br /> Cabinet can still meet, and make decisions, so there is no real vacuum of power.

   

Yes, perhaps 'bureaucracy' was a bit vague, but that is correct about the Treasury board. Keep in mind though that "Canada does not have an Executive Council but the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, modelled on the Privy Council of the United Kingdom with the Canadian Cabinet technically being a committee of the Privy Council". The privy council is made up of "all current and former federal cabinet ministers, speakers of the House of Commons and speakers of the Senate, premiers of the provinces of Canada, chief justices of the Supreme Court of Canada, and other distinguished persons recommended by the prime minister as a special honour" The next sentence after that quote maintains that the privy council almost never meets and rarely does anything-one wonders if they get extra cash for belonging to it?

   

The only members of the Privy Council that regularly meet are current members of the cabinet. While membership to the Privy Council is for life, there is no compensation apart from what is already given to a politician to fulfil their role. For instance:<br /> <br /> The Rt. Hon. Paul Martin, M.P. P.C. - automatically a member of the Privy Council - gets paid as PM<br /> <br /> Lord Conrad Black, P.C. - given the honour as a distinguished Canadain - does not get paid as a member of the Privy Council.<br /> <br /> The Hon. Jack Layton, M.P., P.C. - was made a member of the Privy Council, as I understand it, so that he could be privy to cabinet secrets, before he formed his mini-coalition with the Liberals. He gets paid the same salary he was revieving as leader of the fourth party, before he became "Honourable".<br /> <br /> So, the only active particpants of the Queen's Privy Council of Canada are those that are covered under the cloak of cabinet secrecy. For others, it simply allows them to put the title "Honourable" in front of their names.

   

What exactly do you mean by 'cabinet secrecy'?

   

Cabinet members are sworn to secrecy on their deliberations. Briefing notes, minutes of meetings, etc. are all secret. The theory goes that if cabinet meetings are secret, then cabinet ministers can be perfectly candid in their deliberations. After Cabinet has made a decision, all Ministers must read from the same play book (i.e. cabinet solidary) or they must resign.<br /> <br /> When the Honourable Jack Layton M.P., P.C., was sworn into the Privy Council, he could therefore be briefed on secret cabinet material, with the full knowledge (of government) that he could never disclose this information.