Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat moved to Privy Council

Summary#

The government issued the Transfer of Duties Order: SI/2020-65 that moves responsibility for the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs to the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada. The order is recorded as P.C. 2020-640 dated September 4, 2020 and was published in the Canada Gazette on October 14, 2020.

What it does#

• Transfers control and supervision of the part of the federal public administration known as the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat.
• Moves that oversight away from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and gives it to the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.
• Does this under the Public Service Rearrangement and Transfer of Duties Act.

Who's affected#

• The most directly affected organization is the Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat and its staff.
• The offices of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada will see a change in responsibilities.
• Others involved in intergovernmental meetings (provincial/territorial contacts, federal departments that work with the Secretariat) may notice administrative or reporting changes.
• It is unclear from the notice whether there are any immediate budget or service-level changes.

Why it matters#

• It changes which minister is responsible for running and supervising the Secretariat.
• That can affect who makes administrative decisions about intergovernmental meetings and who answers related questions in government forums.
• This is an administrative reallocation of responsibilities, not a new policy change.