Ministerial Responsibility: Primus Inter Pares

Primus inter pares: Primus inter pares is a Latin nostrum meaning first among equals . It is a stalwart phrase for describing the role and influence of prime ministers in their cabinets. The ministerial shuffle and populating of cabinet committees show that while there is one first and probably a few seconds, there are many more thirds gathered around the Centre Block table. And with that, not just ministerial responsibility and accountability to Parliament becomes more opaque but consensus, the mystical tie that binds all cabinets, increasingly flows from the top down. More Related to this Story, according to Globe and Mail. GERALD CAPLAN The privileges of power: a look at Edward Burkhardt and Stephen Harper With the dust settling on Mondays Cabinet shuffle it is time to dust off some Latin to understand better its significance and what it reveals. Harpers cabinet: The familiar faces, the demoted and the departed (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.