Ministerial Organizations (in Canada)
Organizations which have their establishment, organization and objectives provided for in legislation; they are presided over by a minister; and they exercise powers, duties and functions vested in the minister.
(d’Ombrain, Nicholas. 2007. “Ministerial Responsibility and the Machinery of Government." Canadian Public Administration. 50 (2): 195-217, p. 208.)
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The most important ministerial organizations are the ministerial departments. Their establishment, organization and objectives are provided for in legislation; they are presided over by a minister; and they exercise powers, duties and functions vested in the minister. The statutory department may be the best-known government organization, but (and in addition to the minister’s private office) there are several other varieties of ministerial organizations, including ministerial boards and commissions, agencies presided over by ministers, and non-statutory departments.