Central Agency may refer to a departmental central agency in government finance and administration or, generally, to any group whose terms of reference extend across all policy areas. The Department of Finance, for example, is responsible on behalf of all ministers for preparing the budget. The TREASURY BOARD Secretariat (TBS) develops, approves and subsequently monitors the spending plans of departments and agencies. The PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION, in conjunction with the TBS, is important in personnel management. The PRIVY COUNCIL OFFICE (PCO) provides the secretariats for CABINET and its committees, and is involved in wide-ranging liaison, co-ordinating and advisory functions stemming from its links with the Cabinet and prime minister, as well as the role of the clerk of PCO as head of the civil service. More intimately associated with the party and political responsibilities of the prime minister is a fifth central agency, the PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE.

Beginning in the late 1960s, increasing governmental activity and rapidly escalating expenditures encouraged experimentation with additional central agencies to co-ordinate sectors of the budgetary "envelope" into which the total budget was divided (program budgeting). By the mid-eighties, most such agencies were abandoned, although without reduction in the size and reach of the entrenched central agencies. Their controlling presence is intended to ensure that regular ("line") departments provide programs and services efficiently and effectively. However, central agencies face a constant dilemma of not allowing their responsibility for co-ordination/control to trespass unduly on the individual operating department's responsibility to PARLIAMENT for the care and management of its own portfolio.

Author J.E. HODGETTS


Links to Other Sites
The Canadian State: Documents & Dialogue
The Canadian State Web exhibition enables students to explore the various aspects of Canadian governance and to use a set of unique "real life" activities to create their own political party. The activities cover a wide variety of Social Science disciplines: History, Civics, Law, Language Arts, World Issues, Communications, and Canada in a North American Perspective. From Library and Archives Canada.

0
0
Absolutely free, with over 40,000 articles in French and English, The Canadian Encyclopedia is the ultimate online resource for all things Canadian, from history, sports, arts, science, technology, and much, much more. Get started at www.TheCanadianEncyclopedia.com
Feature Articles
Elections of 1979 and 1980

Calling elections is like Goldilocks visiting the three bears – which political stew will turn out to be too soon, too late, or just right...?

INSIDE TCE

Gallery
Browse the rich visual resources of The Canadian Encyclopedia through thematic galleries of Canadian Art, History, Nature, People, and Science and Technology.
Interactive Resources
Illustrations, lively text, animations, sounds and games help make learning about Canadian history, art, geography, architecture and other topics entertaining as well as informative.
Canucklehead
The ultimate test of your knowledge of Canada, trivial and otherwise. You can choose from more than 60 dynamic quizzes with visual or text clues. Your scores depend on the speed with which you answer and the number of clues you need. Results are sent to you by email and high scores are posted on the site.
Timeline
This unique resource includes more than 6000 events from Canadian and world history. It can be searched by era, subject, keyword or date. To find out what happened on your birthday, select the month and day of your birth.
100 Greatest Events
This selection of the 100 "greatest" events in Canadian history was made by editor in chief James H. Marsh to draw attention to events that have left an indelible memory in the minds of later generations.