DCHP-1 Online

executive council

• 1 Hist. during colonial times, a group of advisors appointed by the governor and responsible to him.

  • 1789  (1866)  Your Lordship will also state to me for His Majesty's information, the number and names of those persons whom you may think proper to recommend to His Majesty for seats in the Executive Council.
  • 1870  In any case the Executive Council is not a responsible Council, but is the Governor's Council, and therefore, we presume it to be advisable that he should have members representing different views, because no one will contend that all parts of the country desire the same, or would be satisfied with a similar line of policy.
  • 1963  A clear structure of government, modelled exactly . . . on the British Constitution in church and state, was provided in governor, executive council, legislative council, and representative assembly to correspond with King, Privy Council, Lords, and Commons.

• 2 the body of ministers forming the cabinet of a provincial government.

  • 1875  (1905)  It was in consequence of the policy adopted by my colleagues in the conduct of the reciprocity negotiations that I felt compelled to resign my position as President of the Executive Council.
  • 1958  At Confederation the Governor-General's council was designate the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, but the term Executive Council remains for the executives in the provinces.