Mission

The Ministère du Conseil exécutif (MCE) performs specific and strategic functions in the area of state governance. Its main responsibility is to support the decision-making process of the government authorities, and for this purpose it conducts analysis, provides guidance and ensures coordination for the Premier and Cabinet. The MCE also undertakes various mandates for the government and coordinates the government’s communications.

Mandates

The MCE

  • advises and assists the Premier and Cabinet in their role at the head of the Québec state;
  • helps establish a government vision and ensure coherent actions;
  • advises and supports the government in the management of senior positions by helping train future resources, select qualified candidates, ensure skills upgrading, and assess the performance of senior position holders;
  • ensures coherence in government communications by coordinating digital communications, information campaigns and public announcements;
  • promotes harmonious relations with Indigenous communities;
  • coordinates relations with Francophone and Acadian communities in Canada;
  • ensures respect for Québec’s constitutional powers and the integrity of its institutions, and defends and promotes Québec’s interests in relations with the federal government and the governments of the other provinces and territories of Canada;
  • assists the Minister Responsible for Government Administration and Chair of the Conseil du trésor, Minister Responsible for Canadian Relations and the Canadian Francophonieand Minister Responsible  for Democratic Institutions, Electoral Reform and Access to Information, in particular to improve the effectiveness of Québec’s democratic institutions and electoral system, draft government guidelines on transparency, and amend, improve and promote the laws and regulations governing access to information and the protection of personal information;
  • assists the Minister of Justice, Minister Responsible for the French Language and Minister Responsible for Laicity and Parliamentary Reform in the Minister’s duties with regard to state laicity measures;
  • keeps records of Cabinet decisions and discussions, orders in council and ministerial oaths of office.

The MCE also provides support for several standing committees:

  • the Comité ministériel des services aux citoyens and the Comité ministériel de l’économie et de l’environnement, which give opinions and recommendations on all government policies and actions;
  • the Comité de législation, which coordinates the implementation of the government’s legislative program.

Role

The role of Cabinet is to define the goals of government activity and direct the state’s public administration. As the Conseil exécutif du Québec, it forms the Québec government together with the Lieutenant-Governor.

Cabinet is the government’s main decision-making body and directs the government’s actions and the application of laws. It is responsible for the essential activities of state administration, including

  • the adoption of orders in council and regulations, and the approval of the bills that Cabinet intends to submit to the National Assembly;
  • the definition of the financial framework (revenue and expenditure forecasts over the short and medium term);
  • the definition of policies and programs;
  • the strategic planning of governmental priorities;
  • the coordination of the actions of government departments and bodies;
  • the supervision of changes to and the development of the government apparatus;
  • the appointment of senior civil servants and the directors of public bodies and corporations.