"One for all, and all for one"—Cabinet solidarity

When someone is sworn into the Privy Council for Canada, he or she is bound for life by an oath of secrecy. This oath is meant to ensure that Cabinet deliberations are kept between the four walls of the Cabinet meeting room and do not become public knowledge. Although Canada’s National Archives eventually release Cabinet papers, this comes many years after the lifetime of a particular government.

In addition to keeping discussions to themselves, Cabinet members adhere to the principle of Cabinet solidarity. What this means is that when a Cabinet Minister speaks in public, he or she is expressing the views of the government. If a Minister disagrees with the government’s position on a particular issue, that disagreement is kept out of public view. If the Minister cannot accept the government’s position and breaks with Cabinet solidarity by speaking publicly, this action demands that the Minister resign. Even after resigning, the former Minister must not reveal the details of Cabinet discussions or documents.

Students should be put in pairs. One student in each pair reads to the other the above reading on Cabinet solidarity. When complete, the pairs discuss the ideas behind Cabinet solidarity and secrecy to ensure they understand what the terms mean and how they are applied to the Government of Canada.

The class should then be placed into two groups.

Group 1 is to brainstorm a list of arguments in support of the statement "In a democratic society such as Canada, Cabinet solidarity and secrecy unreasonably and unnecessarily shield the political process from the eyes of citizens."

Group 2 is to brainstorm a list of arguments in support of the statement: "In a democratic society such as Canada, Cabinet solidarity and secrecy are reasonable and essential if government is to be effective."

Each group should note their arguments on the blackboard. The class as a whole should discuss them.