FELDSTED: This arrogant, condescending, dishonest piece of elitist ego is not an asset to the civil service, government or Canada

Michael Wernick to step down as clerk of Privy Council, cites lack of 'mutual trust' with opposition.  Wernick writes: 'The clerk (must) be seen by all political parties as an impartial arbiter'

Catharine Tunney ~~ CBC News ~~ Mar 18, 2019

In a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing his retirement, Wernick wrote that "recent events have led me to conclude that I cannot serve as clerk of the Privy Council and secretary to cabinet during the upcoming election campaign."

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This arrogant, condescending, dishonest piece of elitist ego is not an asset to the civil service, government or Canada.

Wernick is correct – the Clerk of the Privy council must be neutral, non-political and trusted by all parties and Members of Parliament – and report to the Governor General, not to the Prime Minister. Constitution Sections 9 and 11 are clear:

9. The Executive Government and Authority of and over Canada is hereby declared to continue and be vested in the Queen.

11. There shall be a Council to aid and advise in the Government of Canada, to be styled the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada; and the Persons who are to be Members of that Council shall be from Time to Time chosen and summoned by the Governor General and sworn in as Privy Councillors, and Members thereof may be from Time to Time removed by the Governor General.    

Wernick never uses his full title: Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet.

As Secretary to the Cabinet he cannot be non-political and cannot be trusted by opposition parties or Members of Parliament. He sits in the government’s inner circle and is part of the Prime Minister’s Office. Claims by the government, Wernick and the media that he is politically neutral, and non-partisan are preposterous. 

The executive power of the Governor General, acting for the Queen, were transferred to the Prime Minister by PM Mackenzie King in March 1940 by an Order in Council. 

The change was not approved by the Commons or the Senate and did not have Royal Assent ... it is not law. 

The Prime Minister does not have the constitutional authority to override the Queen. Mackenzie King invented the dual role of Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet. 

Prior to that they were separate roles.

We are suffering governments of dubious legality and subterfuge. We need to get this sorted out and reinstate the Privy Council as a separate entity from the Cabinet and Prime Minister, reporting to the Governor General. The Secretary to the Cabinet should be a separate position and is naturally partisan.

The Prime Minister’s Office should be restricted to a principle secretary and two clerks. The Prime Minister surrounding himself with a dozen highly paid advisors and strategists at public (taxpayer) cost is ridiculous. His advice and policy development should come from his cabinet and caucus, not from expensive hired help. That is not democratic governance.   

John Feldsted

Political Consultant & Strategist

Winnipeg, Manitoba