Meet John Hannaford, Canada’s Powerful but Little-Known Privy Council Clerk

The newly appointed John Hannaford, a senior public servant and a former diplomat, is set to fill one of the most low-profile positions in the Canadian government. But don’t let that fool you. Hannaford is to become the Clerk of the Privy Council, a role that carries vast power and influence on par with the Prime Minister. According to Donald J. Savoie, a professor studying public administration at the University of Moncton, next to the Prime Minister, the Clerk of the Privy Council is the most powerful person in Ottawa.

The Clerk of the Privy Council is responsible for managing and coordinating cabinet meetings, supervising the public service, which is made up of nonpartisan bureaucrats who remain in their jobs as politicians come and go, and above all, advising the Prime Minister. Hannaford will be the gatekeeper who turns politicians’ policy ideas into action.

Crucially, Professor Savoie reveals that Hannaford meets with the Prime Minister several times each week to provide advice and insight into a range of matters, which include making key decisions that go beyond those made by the Cabinet. In fact, a Cabinet minister once described Cabinet meetings as a “focus group” for the Prime Minister.

Concentrating power in the Prime Minister’s hands is a trend that has been going on for decades under both Liberal and Conservative governance. The trend is not a power grab, but a necessary tool given the complexities of today’s current issues, such as climate change, that overlap departments and agencies. The Clerk’s role is to coordinate these efforts.

Despite its vast scope and power, the Clerk of the Privy Council tends to stay out of the public view. The government couldn’t provide a high-resolution photograph of Hannaford, and the Clerk himself was not available for interviews. The idea behind this practice is rooted in the concept that public service supports the current government, regardless of past political affiliations, and leaves politicians to serve as the public face.

While politicians have the mandate to come up with policies and programs, the execution falls on public servants. Consequently, the Clerk’s role of ensuring that the machinery of government runs smoothly is critical. Luc Juillet, a professor of public administration at the University of Ottawa, believes that this task is unglamorous and is unlikely to appeal to most politicians. Nevertheless, Hannaford’s appointment, coming from a background in international relations and defense, signals the shift towards dealing with international challenges. These challenges range from China’s alleged meddling in Canadian elections to climate change, which illustrates the Prime Minister’s greatest challenges ahead.

• The Hudson’s Bay Company donated its former flagship store to Winnipeg, resulting in debates among residents over whether it was an act of reconciliation with Indigenous people or simply an empty gesture.

• Premier Danielle Smith’s libertarian agenda and anti-vaccination stance put off some lifelong Conservative voters, despite her United Conservative Party winning the recent Alberta provincial election with a reduced number of seats.

• Wildfires continue to burn after causing damage, house fires, and thousands of evacuations in Halifax and its surrounding area.

• Individual cigarettes manufactured in Canada will bear an antismoking message on their paper, including the phrase “Poison in Every Puff,” as part of the anti-smoking awareness campaign.

Ian Austen is a native of Windsor, Ontario, educated in Toronto, and has been reporting on Canada for The New York Times for 16 years. Follow him on Twitter at @ianrausten.

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