POLI 319 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Chrystia Freeland, Global Affairs Canada, North American Free Trade Agreement
13 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
POLI 342
02.21.2018
Note: MofFA = Minister of Foreign Affairs
ACTORS AND PROCESSES IN
CANADIAN FOREIGN POLICY-MAKING
THE ROLE OF CABINET MINISTERS
The PM has exclusive access to important individuals and
decision making. But what do the ministers do?
Historical Evolution:
•Pierre Trudeau rearranged the system which lead to
PMs making the cabinet full of their close circle
•as the country grows, there is more to manage, new
challenges as a sovereign state.
The PM chairs the cabinet of elected officials — Cabinet
ministers.
Portfolio: all the issues that need to be addressed by the
minister. This is outlined in their mandate letters.
The cabinet minsters are responsible for the whole
administration of government, policy making. They
introduce legislation. Every minister has a different
responsibility
Chrystia Freeland: Minister of Foreign Affairs
•heads the new Global Affairs Canada, which also
includes Minister of Foreign Trade and Minister of
International Development, and la Francophonie
Responsibilities can change: for example, NAFTA is an
international trade agreement but Chrystia Freeland is
handling it (not minister of trade) so their is flexibility here.
This is usually up to the PM’s discretion.
•he also decided to take Stephan Dion, the last minister
of Foreign Affairs off of the portfolio and name him
ambassador to EU, so that Freeland could take over.
Freeland is also head of International center for Human
Rights and international develop research center.
HOW ARE THEY CHOSEN?
They are recommended / appointed by the PM
•mostly Quebec and Ontario
•right now we don’t have any representation of Arctic
Canada, which is important to Canada’s identity
•counter point: if we are going for per capita
representation, this isn’t far off the ratios
Size changes over time.
of 1 4
Document Summary
Chrystia freeland: minister of foreign affairs: heads the new global affairs canada, which also includes minister of foreign trade and minister of. Responsibilities can change: for example, nafta is an international trade agreement but chrystia freeland is handling it (not minister of trade) so their is exibility here. This is usually up to the pm"s discretion: he also decided to take stephan dion, the last minister. The pm has exclusive access to important individuals and decision making. But what do the ministers do? of foreign affairs off of the portfolio and name him ambassador to eu, so that freeland could take over. Historical evolution: pierre trudeau rearranged the system which lead to. Pms making the cabinet full of their close circle. Freeland is also head of international center for human. Rights and international develop research center: as the country grows, there is more to manage, new. How are they chosen? challenges as a sovereign state.
