The position, almost 100 years old in Canada, was called a “parliamentary no man’s land,” in a 1981 research paper in the Canadian Parliamentary Review, and parliamentary secretaries were referred to as “executive backbenchers” or “political nobodies” in a 1999 research paper from the Institute on Governance.
So what’s the job? Is it meant to reward loyal MPs? Is it a way to keep maverick politicians in line? Does it help keep ministers from being spread too thin? Is it part of succession planning for future cabinet ministers?
“It can be all of those things at the same time,” says Tim Abray-Nyman, a political researcher at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont.
Not all governing-party MPs can be in cabinet, so layering responsibility throughout the government caucus helps the machinery of government keep working, keeps the troops happy, and gives backbenchers something to strive for.
The job description for parliamentary secretary is largely ambiguous, says Donald Savoie, a political expert from the University of Moncton. “Given that the position is not very well-defined in statute or in law or in practice, a lot hinges on the relationship” between the parliamentary secretary and the minister with whom they work, he said.
“They don’t seem to have a lot of effect on policy necessarily, although sometimes you will see the minister have them do a special report,” says David McGrane, a political scientist from the University of Saskatchewan. When the relationship works, some parliamentary secretaries follow ministers to new portfolios, such as Colin Carrie, who, in the most recent announcement, followed Leona Aglukkaq to Environment Canada from Health Canada.
When the relationship doesn’t work, “the ministers pay no attention to them at all and these poor people have nothing to do,” says David Zussman, an expert on the machinery of government from the University of Ottawa.
Who gets selected to be a parliamentary secretary?
–Someone who has been loyal to the party. “Historically, because the patronage system was very strong in the early days of Canadian parliamentary democracy … it made sense to have a system by which you could reward particularly loyal people,” says Abray-Nyman from Queen’s. “This provided you with an additional layer to reward people.”
–Someone who may become a problem that leaders want to keep in line. “The devil makes work for idle hands,” says McGrane, from the University of Saskatchewan. “It gives another set of jobs and tasks that the prime minister can use to keep the caucus in line and stave off caucus revolts.”
–Someone who can be a good spokesperson for the government. “Often people will comment on files that are not directly related to the ministry they serve. They are often seen as effective spokespeople for the government,” says Abray-Nyman. Examples include Pierre Poilievre and Dean Del Mastro: Both answered tough questions about government ethics when needed. Poilievre was promoted to democratic reform minister in July. Del Mastro remains a parliamentary secretary.
–Someone who could potentially be a future cabinet minister. “They have such a low-profile job, but it is a stepping stone for those who are successful, or perceived to be successful,” says Zussman, from the University of Ottawa. “This group will form the basis of new appointments to cabinet should (the prime minister) make them. They’re really up-and-comers. They’ve gone from single-A ball, to triple-A ball. They’re not in the big leagues yet.”
–Someone who has particular expertise in a particular area. Maybe it’s fisheries or, in the case of Deepak Obhrai, foreign affairs.
What does the job entail?
–Going to meetings with stakeholders to hear ideas, praise and complaints and bring those back to cabinet for discussion.
–Answering questions on a variety of subjects either in the House of Commons, to reporters or on political talk shows. “They’re kind of a backup for the minister,” McGrane says.
–Handling mundane House of Commons duties, such as tabling responses to written questions.
–Travelling domestically and abroad if the minister can’t go.
–Researching and writing reports, should the minister require it.
–Representing a region in caucus, or bringing that voice back to ministers if there is a lack of strong ministerial candidates from a province.
What are the benefits?
Every MP starts with a base salary of $160,200. Parliamentary secretaries receive an additional $16,000, considerably less than the $76,700 a cabinet minister receives. (Junior ministers, also known as ministers of state or secretaries of state, receive $57,500 on top of their base salary. But that’s another story.) Also, there is no car allowance for parliamentary secretaries, though ministers receive $2,000 a year.
Parliamentary secretaries also get to tell their constituents about their new title. “This, I think, allows an MP to go back home and say that they’re actually doing something,” says McGrane. “It doesn’t bring that much more credibility, but it does bring some credibility,” says Savoie.
When was this job invented?
The first parliamentary secretaries were Hugh Clark and Fleming McCurdy. The two were appointed as parliamentary secretaries to the ministers of external affairs and militia and defence, respectively, in 1916. At that time, they received an additional $5,000 for their new roles to help overburdened ministers during the First World War.
What does the political opposition think?
The NDP’s Charlie Angus says the government is “buying complacency and favour because all of these guys and gals get a bump in salary … and then they repeat the government talking points.
“Parliamentary secretaries seem to be trying to outdo each other to see who can be the more sycophantic sock puppet.”
But Angus isn’t specific about how his own party would improve the role of parliamentary secretaries. “These are issues we’re still looking at. Our main issue is how to make cabinet more efficient.”
Questions posed to the Liberals were not answered by Friday evening.
(More details can be found at http://www.pm.gc.ca)
jpress@postmedianews
Who Harper appointed this week:
-Mike Lake (Alberta.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of industry
-Deepak Obhrai (Alta.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs; parliamentary secretary for international human rights
-Gerald Keddy (Nova Scotia): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of national revenue and for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
-David Anderson (Sask.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs
-James Bezan (Man.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of national defence
-Colin Carrie (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of the environment
-Randy Kamp (B.C.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of fisheries and oceans
-Tom Lukiwski (Sask.): Parliamentary secretary to the leader of the government in the House of Commons
-Jeff Watson (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of transport
-Dean Del Mastro (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, and for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
-Rick Dystra (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of Canadian heritage
-Jacques Gourde (Que.): Parliamentary secretary to the prime minister, for official languages and for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
-Pierre Lemieux (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of agriculture
-Kelly Block (Sask.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of natural resources
-Peter Braid (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary for infrastructure and communities
-Lois Brown (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of international development
-Paul Calandra (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary to the prime minister and for intergovernmental affairs
-Bob Dechert (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of justice
-Cathy McLeod (B.C.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of labour and for Western Economic Diversification
-Andrew Saxton (B.C.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of finance
-Scott Armstrong (N.S.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of employment and social development
-Eve Adams (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of health
-Dan Albas (B.C.): Parliamentary secretary to the president of the Treasury Board
-Parm Gill (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of veterans affairs
-Robert Goguen (N.B.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of justice
-Roxanne James (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of public safety and emergency preparedness
-Chungsen Leung (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary for multiculturalism
-Costas Menegakis (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of citizenship and immigration
-Mark Strahl (B.C.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of aboriginal affairs and northern development
-Bernard Trottier (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of public works and government services
-Susan Truppe (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary for status of women
-Erin O’Toole (Ont.): Parliamentary secretary to the minister of international trade
(More details at the prime minister’s website.)
Original Article
Source: canada.com
Author: Jordan Press
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