Today@Dal

From Thursday's Globe and Mail:

The Conservative government changed the federal accountability guidelines for cabinet ministers and secretaries of state. This is the type of thing that can seem dry and administrative and probably won’t make headlines for long, but please take note: this is an important message from the Conservative government that conveys their interpretation of how parliamentary government works.

The issue at the heart of the change is the meaning and significance of ministerial responsibility – an essential component of a Westminster parliamentary system like ours. When the Conservatives came to federal office in 2006, the guidelines explained that ministers were responsible for the actions of their staffers, “whether or not the minister had prior knowledge.” But the 2011 version says not only that ministers don’t have to know everything that goes on their departments, but they don’t have to take responsibility for everything either. That’s a complete about-face. And the current guidelines, no matter how sensible they might seem on the surface, are not acceptable in a parliamentary government.

Ministerial responsibility in our system means that ministers must be accountable for what goes on in their departments. This includes the actions of political staffers who are appointed by the minister and are not accountable or answerable to the public. Ministers must answer questions in the House of Commons (usually in Question Period) and correct problems when they arise. If there is a problem, question, or concern, a minister cannot shirk responsibility by pleading ignorance. It is a minister’s job to know.

Read the rest of this editorial online.