Series S 51 - Cabinet Committee on an Integrated Environmental Strategy (Devine Government) series

The Government of Saskatchewan is based on the Canadian parliamentary system. There are three branches of government - legislative, judicial and executive with the latter represented by the Executive Council. In practical terms, the leader of the party with the most members of the Legislative Assembly is designated President of the Executive Council. He/she then chooses an executive council or cabinet of ministers to head various departments and hold responsibility for various portfolios. The number of members of executive council varies with the decision of the President. Cabinet ministers are usually, but not required to be, a member of the governing party and may also be appointed as minister-without-portfolio.

With the creation of the province of Saskatchewan in 1905, existing members of the territorial executive council were continued until the first general election on December 13, 1905. Walter Scott was elected as Premier and first President of the Executive Council. Members were known as Commissioners until December 18, 1909 when they became known as minister of their respective portfolio.

Executive Council currently (2019) has seven main branches: Cabinet Planning; Cabinet Secretariat (Office of the Cabinet Secretary and Clerk of the Executive Council); Communications Services; Corporate Services; Intergovernmental Affairs; Premier's Correspondence Unit; and Provincial Secretary.

The current (2019) President of the Executive Council is Scott Moe.

Prior to 1948, administrative support for the activities of the Executive Council was informal. During certain periods, the Premier, as President of the Executive Council, personally documented cabinet decisions and minutes. In some cases, support was provided directly by secretarial staff of the Premier's Office. In other cases, no formal documentation was kept and ministers were expected to remember decisions. During the 1945-1948 period, Minister of Education W. S. Lloyd wrote memoranda for some items discussed in Cabinet. The Legal Adviser to Cabinet on occasion also acted as a cabinet secretary and assisted Premier T.C. Douglas and W. S. Lloyd.

Formal recording of cabinet minutes began on August 31, 1948. In November 1948, Horace Stanley Lee was appointed as Cabinet Secretary and Executive Assistant to Premier Douglas.

Functions of the Secretariat varied over the 16 years between 1948 and 1964 as the position was, at times, combined or separate from the position of Clerk of the Executive Council and Assistant to the Clerk of the legislature.

Development of the structure of the Secretariat was suspended with the election of the Liberal government of Ross Thatcher in 1964. Liberal policy on Cabinet referred to policies in place during its last term in power. No formal minutes were kept of meetings and all decisions and direction centered on Premier Thatcher.

Following the defeat of the Liberal government in 1971, the functions of the Secretariat were restored and procedures reintroduced into practice. In 1972, The Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act (S.S.1972 L-11.1) formalized the structures and responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretariat. These were renewed in 2005 and 2007.