Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08OTTAWA1511, UNCHARTERED WATERS" FOR THE GOVERNOR GENERAL

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08OTTAWA1511.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08OTTAWA1511 2008-12-03 19:19 2011-04-28 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Ottawa
VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHOT #1511/01 3381919
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 031919Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8805
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS OTTAWA 001511 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV CA
SUBJECT: "UNCHARTERED WATERS" FOR THE GOVERNOR GENERAL 
 
REF:  OTTAWA 1507 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: The usual ceremonial role of a Governor General 
may slip into a grey constitutional zone as she faces an imminent 
decision on a possible new federal election, prorogation of 
Parliament, or even formation of a new coalition government.  While 
Governors General in Canada have almost always followed the advice 
of their prime ministers, theoretically the Governor General could 
exercise unwritten vice-regal "reserve powers" and make an 
independent decision that flies in the face of what Prime Minister 
Stephen Harper requests.  Constitutional experts are divided, but 
agree that the Crown in Canada is possibly entering "unchartered 
waters."  End Summary. 
 
BROAD POWERS, THEORETICALLY 
--------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) The Canadian Governor General plays primarily a ceremonial 
role.  However, in this constitutional monarchy, the Crown retains 
the right to be consulted, to advise, and to warn.  As Queen 
Elizabeth II's representative, the Governor General theoretically 
possesses rarely used but possibly significant "reserve" or 
prerogative powers.  These vice-regal powers, called the 
"conventions of the Constitution," derive from the Constitution Act 
of 1867, which gave Canada a "constitution similar to that of the 
United Kingdom."  The conventions evolved from unwritten British 
parliamentary custom and precedent; experts have described them as 
"the residue of discretionary or arbitrary authority, which at any 
given time is left in the hands of the Crown" and which potentially 
include a significant degree of subjectivity. 
 
3. (U) There are three main reserve powers: to summon, prorogue, and 
dissolve Parliament; to dismiss a Prime Minister; and, to delay or 
refuse royal assent to legislation.  No Canadian governor general 
has ever dismissed a prime minister, however.  Royal assent has only 
been withheld once before in Canadian history, but only regarding 
provincial legislation in Alberta in the 1930s. 
 
4. (U) The Governor General's primary duties are to ensure that 
Canada has a stable and functioning government at all times and to 
act in the best interests of Canada.  In a minority government like 
that of the Conservatives under Prime Minister Harper, how to 
achieve this is governed more by guidelines than by hard rules.  By 
custom, the Governor General is expected to follow the advice of a 
sitting Prime Minister.  If the Governor General refuses that 
advice, a prime minister theoretically has no alternative but to 
resign.  Guidelines set down in 1950 by Sir Alan Lascelles, 
then-secretary to King George VI, advise that no "wise Sovereign" 
[or vice-regal representative] would deny a prime minister's request 
to dissolve Parliament unless "(1) the existing Parliament was still 
vital, viable and capable of doing its job; (2) a General Election 
would be detrimental to the national economy; (and) (3) he [the 
King] could rely on finding another Prime Minister who could carry 
on his Government, for a reasonable period, with a working majority 
in the House of Commons."  The advice potentially leaves 
considerable degree of discretion to the sovereign or his or her 
representative. 
 
5. (SBU) Similar discretion applies to the prerogative to prorogue 
Parliament. Usually a routine request to allow a government to 
refresh its legislative agenda, prorogation so soon after a federal 
election would be without precedent in Canada, especially when the 
second Harper government has not yet even presented any legislation. 
 In the present context, prorogation could effectively be a 
parliamentary "time-out" to defuse political tension and to delay or 
Qparliamentary "time-out" to defuse political tension and to delay or 
avoid a vote of non-confidence.  Some experts have argued that this 
would be undemocratic and an unprecedented mis-use of procedure. 
Others argued that the Governor General could use this discretion 
and match such a request with an also unprecedented "qualified 
prorogation" that would limit the PM's ability to govern until he 
faced the opposition in the House of Commons.  Some have suggested 
that limits could be similar to a caretaker government during an 
election campaign, which can conduct only routine business, without 
the ability to implement new policy. 
 
PRECEDENTS 
---------- 
 
6. (U) The "King-Byng" affair in 1926 helped define vice-regal 
authority.  Then-Governor General Lord Byng denied Liberal then-PM 
Mackenzie King's request to dissolve Parliament in the face of PM 
King's likely defeat on a non-confidence vote in the Commons shortly 
after the September 1925 federal election.  Lord Byng invited the 
leader of the opposition to form a government, which lasted only a 
few months.  King, who won the ensuing election, campaigned on the 
basis that a governor general must always accept the advice of the 
prime minister.  Subsequent Canadian governors general have allowed 
elections after short-lived minority governments in 1958 (nine 
months), 1963 (10 months), and 1979 (nine months.)  However, to call 
an election barely two months after a previous election would be 
unprecedented. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
7. (SBU) Governor General Michaelle Jean, who returned to Ottawa on 
December 3, will likely be guided by custom in the present 
situation, although the complexities of the current impasse (reftel 
and previous) mean that she may also end up establishing a new 
precedent for vice-regal authority.  Her primary challenge must be 
to act in the best interest of Canada, while preserving the 
non-partisan character of her office. 
WILKINS