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5.
a good deal of tact; but the alternative is perpetual demands from departmental heads for interviews with the P.M., often on matters of no real importance, with a consequential waste of time and energy.
With a competent man able to handle these three duties - head of the P.M.'s office, intelligence officer and liaison officer - I believe the burden of the P.M. would be enromously [enormously] lightened. Moreover, such a system would provide a permanent continuing administration machine, which would function if the P.M. had to be absent from the Cabinet, or was away sick, or on holiday.
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Bird's Eye View
The Prime Minister's Responsibilities
I. Prime Minister 's Office.
II. Privy Council.
III. Department of External Affairs.
IV. Parliament.
V. Commissions and other bodies.
VI. National Liberal Federation.
VII. Constituency.
VIII. Laurier House and Kingsmere.
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Prime Minister's Office
(Contacts - public, departmental, political, personal)
Engagements general - supervision of.
Interviews - refusal and granting of.
Correspondence -
Official - to be dealt with in office.
Important communications to be written in office and signed by Prime Minister:
e.g. Provincial Governments, important personages , etc.
Other letters to be written and signed by Prime Minister.
Correspondence to be assigned and dealt with departmentally.
Relations with Press and Public -
Press to be read and clipped - Items for Prime Minister's perusal.
Conferences with press.
Publicity general.
Preparation of Special Messages, Tributes, Addresses, etc.,
delivered over radio, given to press, or made in Parliament -
e.g. death of important personages, congratulatory messages, special articles and interviews for press.
Public Appearances - Schedule re and preparation for.
Departmental Routine - Estimates, staff, etc.
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Privy Council
Meetings of Cabinet -
Three afternoons a week - average. 12 to 1.30 p.m. - 5 days - when Parliament in session. Saturday - half day - additional.
Special Duties -
Preparation of agenda.
Reading, consideration of, and signing orders in council.
Consideration of policy on public matters.
Legislative programme.
Survey of work of departments.
Appointments to Public Service - (e.g. Lieutenant Governors, Senators, Judges, Civil Servants, etc. )
In advance, study of problems to be discussed - trade, finance, railways, defence, etc.
Preparation of material for use in Cabinet - all such material to be classified and kept up to date.
Announcement of Cabinet proceedings.
