Deck 27: The Political Executive

Question 1

What is the MAIN function of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO)?

A) to convey information from the bureaucracy to the prime minister
B) to choose the cabinet
C) to carry out political functions for the prime minister
D) to keep an eye on the opposition's policy proposals

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Who makes up the Privy Council?

A) present cabinet ministers and former cabinet ministers
B) the prime minister and his cabinet
C) present and former cabinet ministers and other individuals on whom the government would like to bestow honour
D) the Queen, Governor General, prime minister and cabinet ministers

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following bodies could be called the secretariat to the cabinet?

A) Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
B) Privy Council Office (PCO)
C) Treasury Board
D) Priorities and Planning Committee
E) Privy Council

Answer 3

B

Question 4

What is the logic behind giving the minister of finance almost exclusive control over the budget?

A) Caucus members would only complicate the process.
B) The finance minister usually has a background and education in economics.
C) Cabinet ministers are self-interested and do not make decisions that are objectively beneficial to the whole country
D) The finance minister earns the trust of the prime minister.

Question 5

What is the most important difference between the Prime Minister's Office (PMO)and the Privy Council Office (PCO)?

A) The PMO includes the prime minister's friends, while the PCO is a more professional body.
B) The PMO staff are young and inexperienced, while the PCO is staffed by seasoned political veterans.
C) The PMO is partisan, while the PCO is non-partisan.
D) The PMO meets regularly, while the PCO rarely meets.

Question 6

Which statement best defines ministerial responsibility?

A) A minister should resign when there is a serious problem in his department.
B) A minister is responsible to the people through democratic elections.
C) The House of Commons has an obligation to rule responsibly.
D) The cabinet must retain the confidence of the assembly in order to rule.

Question 7

What is the best explanation for why the cabinet has expanded with the development of the welfare state?

A) As government takes on more roles in society, more staff is needed to manage affairs.
B) The influx of tax dollars allows for more political staff in the federal budget.
C) Both and increase in cabinet and the development of the welfare state were part of a job creation initiative.
D) As the welfare state affects all of society, the prime minister needs advice from a more diverse group of people.

Question 8

Which term refers to the category that includes the head of government,the ministry,as well as the personal advisers and assistants to these officers?

A) legislative executive
B) cabinet executive
C) political executive
D) ministerial executive

Question 9

In the United States,which body comprises a number of agencies vital to the president's policymaking role,for example,the Office of Management and Budget,the Council of Economic Advisers,and the NSC?

A) the National Security Council
B) the White House office
C) the Executive Office
D) the cabinet

Question 10

The argument can be made that the job of a Canadian cabinet minister is easier than that of his or her American counterpart.Which of the following points offers the strongest evidence for this argument?

A) American executive staff must fight for support in Congress, while party discipline mitigates this task for Canadian cabinet ministers.
B) American executive staff are appointed by the president, while Canadian cabinet ministers must first win a seat in the House of Commons.
C) American executive staff are not affected by the principle of responsible government, while Canadian cabinet ministers are.
D) American executive staff are divided into White House Staff and the Executive office, while all Canadian ministers are part of the Cabinet.

Question 11

In parliamentary government,which term refers to the group that includes but is not limited to cabinet members?

A) the Privy Council
B) deputy ministers
C) the ministry
D) members of the parliament

Question 12

There is some criticism about the expanding role of the executive.However,what is one of the benefits of executive dominance?

A) There are more experts to advise the prime minister
B) Cabinet provides more efficient forum for debating legislation than the legislature.
C) There has been an increase in ministerial responsibility.
D) Cabinet is made of the most competent representatives who deserve more power.

Question 13

In the United States,which offices assist the President in setting the policy and direction of government?

A) the PMO and PCO
B) the White House Office and the cabinet
C) the Executive Office and the Legislative Office
D) the Executive Office and the White House staff

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT a consequence of the expanding role of the political executive?

A) There has been dramatic growth in the administrative arm of government.
B) There has been an increasingly important role for the representative branch to play.
C) Departments, agencies, boards, and commissions have increased in number and size.
D) There has been dramatic growth in the size of the civil service.

Question 15

What is the head of the whole civil service called?

A) Deputy Minister
B) Clerk of the Privy Council
C) head of the Treasury Board
D) minister of finance

Question 16

Fundamentally,why might the increased influence of the central agencies be problematic?

A) The members are not experts.
B) The members are not elected, and are therefore not accountable to the electorate.
C) The members are young.
D) The members are partisan.

Question 17

What function do central agencies,such as the PMO,PCO,and Treasury Board serve?

A) They are instruments by which the prime minister and cabinet attempt to manage the entire public service.
B) They provide the prime minister with an effective information source about the opposition.
C) They keep the administration functioning.
D) They provide the opposition with their own source of information.

Question 18

Which of the following is a necessary function of the political executive?

A) to make sure members of parliament attend the session of parliament
B) to oversee the administration of laws
C) to keep party discipline strong
D) to make sure representatives follow the interests of their constituents

Question 19

In the United States,what is the name of the executive office that initiates legislation and policy?

A) parliamentary executive
B) presidential executive
C) ministerial executive
D) White House Staff

Question 20

Which of the following is a function of the Treasury Board?

A) It issues treasury bonds.
B) It investigates financial wrongdoings in government.
C) It is responsible for the government's fiscal soundness.
D) It is responsible for public administration and central control over expenditures.

Question 21

According to Donald Savoie's study,what is the implied relationship between "court government" and voter turnout?

A) Voters are confused about how court government works, and are unsure of how get involved.
B) Voters feel less connected to, and involved with, the political process because their representatives do not have significant influence.
C) Voters do not support court government and do not want to get involved.
D) Voters have faith in court government and do not feel the need to get involved.

Question 22

In Canada,the Treasury Board is responsible for public administration in general terms,including central control over expenditures.

Question 23

In which executive branch would a long-time friend of the prime minister who did not run for office most likely work?

A) Cabinet
B) Prime Minister's Office
C) Treasury Board
D) Privy Council Office

Question 24

In the Canadian parliamentary system,what does the term "portfolio" refer to?

A) a place where the MPs go to keep in touch with their constituents
B) one or more departments or agencies for which an individual minister has responsibility
C) the mandate of the Privy Council
D) the Department of Finance

Question 25

The political executive refers to the leadership of political parties in Canada.

Question 26

In Canada,the Department of Finance,the Treasury Board,the Prime Minister's Office,and the Privy Council Office are particularly important examples of so-called central agencies.

Question 27

The Clerk of the Privy Council is the head of the whole civil service.

Question 28

The Privy Council Office is responsible for the concerns of private members in the House of Commons.

Question 29

According to the doctrine of ministerial responsibility,a minister should resign when there is a serious problem in his department.

Question 30

The whole group that includes,but is not limited to,cabinet members is known as the ministry.

Question 31

The cabinet is responsible for the initiation of policy and administration of existing laws.

Question 32

The president of the United States has two offices that assist in setting the policy direction of the government: the White House Staff and the Executive Office.

Question 33

The Treasury Board oversees all of the government spending at the federal level in Canada.

Question 34

Responsible government refers to the practice of having regularly scheduled press conferences.

Question 35

The political executive has two main functions: to appoint the head of state and to oversee government expenditures.

Question 36

As the secretariat to the cabinet,the Prime Minister's Office is responsible for helping to manage overall government priorities.

Question 37

In the United States,which body is chaired by the president and brings together the secretary of state,secretary of defense,heads of intelligence agencies,and other senior officials concerned with foreign affairs?

A) the National Security Council
B) the White House Office
C) the Executive Office
D) the Cabinet

Question 38

In Canada,the Department of Finance prepares the budget and allocates money to the various departments,while the Treasury Board ensures that the money is spent for approved purposes,according to policy.

Question 39

What are the practices of logrolling or pork barrelling involved with?

A) They are activities that happen within ministries in the Canadian Parliament.
B) They are ways of devising trade-offs that will lead to a majority vote for legislation in the U.S. Congress.
C) They are involved with the yearly traditional practice of asking for more money from the Crown.
D) They are activities involved in a contest of wills between the American House of Representatives and the Senate.

Question 40

The Privy Council Office can be considered the "control centre" for the government of Canada.

Question 41

Does the increased size of government in the welfare state justify an increase in the number of cabinet ministers? In your response,consider the role of so-called central agencies and the reasons for ministerial appointments.

Question 42

What is the role of cabinet in a liberal democracy?

Question 43

The category that includes the head of government and the ministry or cabinet,as well as the personal advisers and assistants to these officers,is known as the________.

Question 44

Define and explain the significance of the so-called central agencies in Canada.Do these agencies give the prime minister an inordinate amount of power in the legislative arena? In your answer,discuss the views of Donald Savoie.

Question 45

In Canada,present and former cabinet ministers and other individuals on whom the government would like to bestow honour make up the ________.The ________ Office is considered the secretariat to the cabinet.The ________ is the head of the whole civil service.

Question 46

The doctrine in which ministers should offer to resign when there is a serious problem in a department in their portfolio is known as ___________.Under the principle of ___________,the political executive cannot remain in office without the support of a working majority in the popularly elected branch of the assembly

Question 47

In parliamentary government,the group that includes,but is not limited to,cabinet members is called the _________.

Question 48

Has ministerial responsibility lost its effectiveness in Canada?

Question 49

Discuss how the size of the Canadian federal cabinet has changed over time.Compare Canada with other governments.

Question 50

Define and explain the importance of the White House Staff and the Executive Office in the United States.

Question 51

Define and explain the significance of responsible government and ministerial responsibility

Question 52

The president of the United States has two offices that assist in setting the policy direction of the government: the ______________ Staff and the ____________.

Question 53

Compare and contrast the political executive in both parliamentary and presidential systems.Has the expanding role of the political executive influenced the governmental process?

Question 54

In Canada,the management of the government's business involves a number of so-called central agencies,of which four are particularly important: Department of ___________,the ___________ Board,and two staff organizations,namely,the ___________Office and the ______________ Office.

Question 55

What are the checks on executive power in both parliamentary and presidential systems? In your opinion,which system has more effective checks,and why?

Question 56

In Canada,the ____________ prepares the budget and allocates money to the various departments,while the __________ ensures that the money is spent for approved purposes,according to policy.