The Government of Ontario (French: Gouvernement de l'Ontario) is the body responsible for the administration of the Canadian province of Ontario. The term Government of Ontario refers specifically to the executive—political ministers of the Crown (the Cabinet/Executive Council), appointed on the advice of the premier, and the non-partisan Ontario Public Service (whom the Executive Council directs), who staff ministries and agencies to deliver government policies, programs, and services—which corporately brands itself as the Government of Ontario, or more formally, His Majesty's Government of Ontario (French: Gouvernement de l’Ontario de Sa Majesté).[1]
King Charles III, as monarch of Canada is also the King in Right of Ontario. As a Commonwealth realm, the Canadian monarch is shared with 14 other independent countries within the Commonwealth of Nations.[7] Within Canada, the monarch exercises power individually on behalf of the federal government, and the 10 provinces.
The powers of the Crown are vested in the monarch and are exercised by the lieutenant governor. The advice of the premier and Executive Council is typically binding; the Constitution Act, 1867 requires executive power to be exercised only "by and with the Advice of the Executive Council".[8]
While the advice of the premier and Executive Council is typically binding on the lieutenant governor, there are occasions when the lieutenant governor has refused advice. This usually occurs if the premier does not clearly command the confidence of the elected Legislative Assembly.
King-in-Council
The executive power is vested in the Crown and exercised "in-Council", meaning on the advice of the Executive Council; conventionally, this is the Cabinet, which is chaired by the premier and comprises ministers of the Crown.
Premier and Executive Council
The term Government of Ontario, or more formally, His Majesty's Government refers to the activities of the Lieutenant Governor-in-Council. The day-to-day operation and activities of the Government of Ontario are performed by the provincial departments and agencies, staffed by the non-partisan Ontario Public Service and directed by the elected government.
In Canada, the Cabinet (French: Conseil des ministres, lit. 'council of ministers') of provincial and territorial governments are known as an Executive Council (French: Conseil exécutif).
The Government of Ontario employs 63,000+ public servants in its non-partisan workforce called the Ontario Public Service (OPS).[15] The OPS helps the government design and deliver policies and programs. The head of the OPS is the Secretary of Cabinet and each ministry in the OPS has a Deputy Minister. The OPS public servants work in areas like administration, communications, data analytics, finance, information technology, law, policy, program development, service delivery, science and research.[16]
Public servants who are paid $100,000 or more are subject to the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act.[18] This list is colloquially known as the sunshine list.
^Claude Bouchard (16 February 2016). "Jugement No. 200-17-018455-139"(PDF) (in French). Cour supérieure du Québec. p. 16. Archived(PDF) from the original on 31 May 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2016 – via Le Devoir.
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