Freeland promises to cut number of cabinet ministers, PMO staff by half

Chrystia Freeland, a candidate running to become the next Liberal leader and prime minister, has announced her plan to reduce the federal cabinet and the number of staff in the Prime Minister’s Office by half if she is elected. In a press release on Wednesday, Freeland’s campaign stated that “leadership starts at the top, and that’s why, to start, we must right-size the cabinet and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).”

The campaign outlined that under Freeland’s leadership, the size of the cabinet would be reduced to “no more than 20 ministers” from the current roster of 38. The aim is to create a more focused and effective cabinet that balances regional diversity and breadth of experience to ensure that ministers can make meaningful contributions to governing.

Freeland’s campaign also mentioned that the cabinet would be supported by ministers of state, also known as junior ministers. This structure would allow for a more streamlined decision-making process and effective governance.

Christopher Cochrane, a political science professor at the University of Toronto, noted that while a smaller cabinet can be more focused and effective, it can also present challenges for a prime minister. Maintaining representational diversity in terms of regional, linguistic, ethnic, and gender representation becomes more complex with a smaller cabinet.

Furthermore, having a smaller cabinet can make it difficult for a prime minister to enforce caucus discipline. In Canada, there is a high ratio of MPs to cabinet seats, which creates an aspiration for MPs to one day be part of the cabinet, leading to increased loyalty to the prime minister.

To address these challenges, previous prime ministers have appointed fewer cabinet ministers and empowered junior ministers to take the lead on certain files within their ministry. This strategy allows for a focused cabinet while still ensuring that tasks are completed efficiently.

Freeland’s campaign also emphasized the need to reduce the number of staff in the PMO to empower cabinet members with more responsibility and end the overreach of PMO staff. This move is seen as a step towards making the government more effective and efficient in delivering services to the public.

In conclusion, Chrystia Freeland’s proposal to reduce the federal cabinet and PMO staff by half aims to create a more focused, efficient, and accountable government. If elected as the next Liberal leader and prime minister, Freeland’s plan could bring about significant changes in the way the government operates and delivers services to Canadians.