Governing Canada: A Guide to the Tradecraft of Politics

Have you ever wondered how the day-to-day business of government actually works? What do prime ministers and ministers do when away from the spotlight of Question Period? How does a government stay on track, and how can a career be derailed? How can a new minister balance the conflicting demands of their chief of staff, their department, their constituency office, and their family at home? In this practical handbook, Michael Wernick, a career public servant with decades of experience in the highest levels of Canadian government, shares candid advice and information that is usually only provided behind closed doors. From cautioning against common pitfalls for neophyte ministers to outlining the learnable skills that are needed to succeed, Wernick lays the business of governance bare. It's a first-time look behind the curtain at how government functions, and essential reading for anyone interested in the business of Canadian politics.

Table of Contents:
1 A View from the Desk in the Corner 2 Power in the Capital 3 Advice to a Prime Minister 4 Advice to a Minister 5 Advice to a Deputy Minister 6 Looking to the Future

About the Author :
Michael Wernick was Canada's twenty-third Clerk of the Privy Council – the top public servant in the federal government. His appointment capped a distinguished public service career in which he worked closely with three prime ministers and their Cabinets, as well as with four ministers as their deputy. Wernick has worked as a deputy minister in the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, as well as in the Privy Council Office. He lives in Ottawa.

Review :
Wernick…does not tell war stories, nor betray confidences, nor attempt to settle old scores. Instead, he offers all of us a front row seat to politics and policy making and he performs an important public service in drafting what is essentially an owner's manual to official Ottawa. It's a good, digestible read, which I highly recommend to Ottawa insiders and armchair observers alike. - Paul Deegan (Policy Magazine) This is as inside government as you can get…the writing is clear, concise, and doesn't rely on confusing jargon - Peter Mazereeuw (The Hill Times, The Hot Room Podcast) Succinct, evocative, blunt and never dull. - Ian Bailey (The Globe and Mail) The lore [Michael has] accumulated…is a valuable contribution to Canadians' understanding of how they're governed…[Governing Canada] is nearly devoid of juicy insider gossip—never Wernick's style—but full of pithy advice to political leaders in general. - Paul Wells (MacLean's Magazine) In Washington, D.C., and other capital cities, former staffers race to publish books after their administrations leave office, frequently to settle scores or enhance their own reputations…Governing Canada takes the high road. It unlocks Wernick's expertise and serves as a resource for an intended audience of aspiring politicians, policy and decision makers, business and non-profit leaders, diplomats, academics, students and the media, providing a detailed picture of how government works and the secrets to being successful. - Dan Rubenstein (Carleton Newsroom) Governing Canada offers a blueprint on Cabinet-making. - Nick Taylor-Vaisey (POLITICO Canada) This is a must-read book for anyone who wants to understand how government works. - David Herle (The Herle Burly Podcast) …invaluable for anyone studying public administration or seeking to move up the ranks of government. - Christopher Adams (Winnipeg Free Press) Governing Canada is…an account of the real world of government. Wernick believes, insider par excellence that he was, that all governments blend policy and politics. Their leaders must be bifocal, or they will fail…this is a book that accepts the political dimensions of government as indispensable. - Jeffrey Simpson (Literary Review of Canada)