Pols 342Pols 342Briefing the CabinetBriefing the Cabinet

Douglas BrownDouglas Brown

St. Francis Xavier UniversitySt. Francis Xavier University

March 2008March 2008

Briefing the Cabinet: OutlineBriefing the Cabinet: Outline

Part One: Part One: Overview of AssignmentOverview of Assignment Choosing Issues for Cabinet DecisionChoosing Issues for Cabinet Decision Dividing into TeamsDividing into Teams Presenting your casePresenting your case Policy analysis paperPolicy analysis paper

Part Two:Part Two: How Cabinet Memorandum and Briefing How Cabinet Memorandum and Briefing

worksworks

Overview of the AssignmentOverview of the Assignment

Student teams will present a briefing to cabinet Student teams will present a briefing to cabinet Rest of class will ask questions, vote on Rest of class will ask questions, vote on recommendationsrecommendationsTwo weeks later, individual team members must Two weeks later, individual team members must each pass in a policy analysis papereach pass in a policy analysis paperPresentation mark worth 20 percent plus another Presentation mark worth 20 percent plus another 5 percent for attendance in the next 4 and a half 5 percent for attendance in the next 4 and a half weeksweeksIndividual papers worth another 20 percent of Individual papers worth another 20 percent of final mark.final mark.

Briefing Team Presentations: Briefing Team Presentations: PurposePurpose

To learn by doing about policy decision-To learn by doing about policy decision-making in governmentmaking in governmentTo apply policy analysis to specific cases To apply policy analysis to specific cases To promote class involvement and To promote class involvement and discussion discussion To learn and apply team skillsTo learn and apply team skillsTo make effective presentationsTo make effective presentations

Team Process – preparation Team Process – preparation

Select members and date ..sign-up sheetSelect members and date ..sign-up sheet

Decide on policy topicDecide on policy topic

Team members meet to organize their workTeam members meet to organize their work

Research the issuesResearch the issues

Decide on who is to present whatDecide on who is to present what Main topicMain topic Parliamentary strategyParliamentary strategy Communications strategyCommunications strategy

Prepare presentationPrepare presentation

In-class processIn-class process

Team makes presentationTeam makes presentation

Devil’s advocate presents remarksDevil’s advocate presents remarks

Followed by discussion between the Cabinet Followed by discussion between the Cabinet (i.e. the rest of us) and the presenting team(i.e. the rest of us) and the presenting team

Cabinet votes on the team recommendationCabinet votes on the team recommendation

Cabinet members provide Prime Minister D. Cabinet members provide Prime Minister D. Brown with a confidential note on team’s Brown with a confidential note on team’s presentation and contentpresentation and content

Team presentation guidelinesTeam presentation guidelines

Maximum presentation length = 25 Maximum presentation length = 25 minutesminutesUse slides or other forms of overheads, Use slides or other forms of overheads, OR Handouts (If handouts, bring enough OR Handouts (If handouts, bring enough copies for cabinet, i.e 30 copies)copies for cabinet, i.e 30 copies)Presentations to indicate clearly upfront:Presentations to indicate clearly upfront: Title of MemorandumTitle of Memorandum Summary of Issue (1-2 sentences)Summary of Issue (1-2 sentences) Key recommendation to CabinetKey recommendation to Cabinet

Contents of Team PresentationsContents of Team Presentations

Brief policy history Brief policy history Rationale for proposalRationale for proposalHorizontal considerations if any (e.g. fed-Horizontal considerations if any (e.g. fed-prov relations, foreign relations, legal risks, prov relations, foreign relations, legal risks, etc.)etc.)Alternatives considered and Alternatives considered and recommendations to cabinetrecommendations to cabinetParliamentary strategyParliamentary strategyCommunications strategyCommunications strategy

Devil’s Advocate CommentsDevil’s Advocate Comments

Do own research and analysis Do own research and analysis Get a summary (or whole presentation) from Get a summary (or whole presentation) from briefing team on the day of presentation (to be briefing team on the day of presentation (to be provided no later than 3 hours before).provided no later than 3 hours before).Maximum five minutes presentationMaximum five minutes presentationComments to include:Comments to include: appraisal of the policy rationaleappraisal of the policy rationale analysis of the Briefing team’s alternatives analysis of the Briefing team’s alternatives assessment of the recommendation, and your advice assessment of the recommendation, and your advice

to Cabinet in that regard (agree/disagree).to Cabinet in that regard (agree/disagree).

Post-presentation assignmentPost-presentation assignment

Each student responsible for a policy Each student responsible for a policy analysis paper (worth 20 percent)analysis paper (worth 20 percent)

To be based on some aspect of the To be based on some aspect of the presentationpresentation

2000-2500 words, or about 10 pages2000-2500 words, or about 10 pages

Due within two weeks after presentationDue within two weeks after presentation

Team topics last yearTeam topics last year

Environment – Green Plan Environment – Green Plan

Health care Health care

Democratic Reform Democratic Reform

ImmigrationImmigration

Marijuana regulation Marijuana regulation

NAFTANAFTA

Potential Briefing TopicsPotential Briefing TopicsAgriculture and food Agriculture and food pricesprices

Industry support in Industry support in recessionrecession

NAFTA renegotiationNAFTA renegotiation

Aboriginal self-govt/ Aboriginal self-govt/ Kelowna AccordKelowna Accord

Carbon taxesCarbon taxes

Post-Kyoto Post-Kyoto negotiationsnegotiations

Arctic sovereigntyArctic sovereignty

AfghanistanAfghanistan

Child careChild care

ImmigrationImmigration

Marijuana legalizationMarijuana legalization

Olympic games Olympic games

Cross-border security Cross-border security and accessand access

Post-secondary Post-secondary education fundingeducation funding

Sustainable health careSustainable health care

How Cabinet Briefing WorksHow Cabinet Briefing Works

For formal decisions, there is always a For formal decisions, there is always a paper trail (even if sometimes ignored).paper trail (even if sometimes ignored).

But convincing cabinet also requires oral But convincing cabinet also requires oral briefing.briefing.

Oral briefing usually done at committee Oral briefing usually done at committee level (and dry-runs within department).level (and dry-runs within department).

Cabinet memorandums are the tip of the Cabinet memorandums are the tip of the iceberg in terms of policy analysis.iceberg in terms of policy analysis.

What’s in the Cabinet What’s in the Cabinet Memorandum?Memorandum?

Detailed policy rationaleDetailed policy rationale

Policy alternativesPolicy alternatives

A required checklist of related considerations A required checklist of related considerations (see handout)(see handout)

Assessment of risksAssessment of risks

Implementation issues: accountability for results, Implementation issues: accountability for results, financial, human resourcesfinancial, human resources

A specific recommendation from among the A specific recommendation from among the alternativesalternatives

More about the Cabinet memoMore about the Cabinet memo

Always has a specific sponsoring MinisterAlways has a specific sponsoring MinisterGoes first to the appropriate Cabinet Goes first to the appropriate Cabinet committee, then to full cabinetcommittee, then to full cabinetPrepared according to an established Prepared according to an established formatformatFormat often includes separate Format often includes separate memoranda on:memoranda on: Parliamentary strategyParliamentary strategy Communications strategyCommunications strategy