Page - 168 - in VULNERABLE - The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19

VULNERABLE168 ings take place in secret, it is precisely this secrecy that allows them to be effective. In these frank exchanges, ministers can discuss trade-offs across priorities and find common ground for action. The Council of Chief Medical Officers of Health meets regularly to discuss population and public health issues. By meeting and work- ing collaboratively over time on non-urgent issues, these public health officials develop familiarity and establish trust. This pays off when they are called on to quickly make decisions and exchange information in a crisis. In demonstrating that they can take science-based decisions collectively without political involvement on issues such as cannabis, tobacco, vaping, and substance abuse, the Chief Medical Officers of Health established a level of trust that has proven essential in respond- ing to the pandemic. Confidence is easy to lose, but hard to build. The institution of the Clerk of the Privy Council10 plays a coor- dinating role11 within the federal government. Although a creature of statute, the office of the most senior public servant is given no specific powers. The Clerk derives authority by speaking with the voice of the Prime Minister. The clerks use committees of Deputy Ministers to ensure coordination and concerted action, and they use the account- ability that Deputy Ministers have to the Prime Minister to enforce that coordination. The network of Canadian Cabinet Secretaries also builds rela- tions among heads of public services before crises arrive, which, as with the Chief Medical Officers of Health, builds trust and confidence to solve problems during a crisis. Before 9/11, Canadian Cabinet Secretaries had built up personal relationships that allowed them to coordinate across governments even when there was tension among their First Ministers. This network is used to this day. Public-Facing Institutions There are also governance institutions that are public-facing or that act as instruments of accountability. Auditors General (AGs) will have an ex  post role in holding government to account. The question for AGs will not be whether mistakes were made; it is inevitable that the Prime Minister <pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2020/05/07/prime-minister- announces-agreements-boost-wages-essential-workers>. 10. Public  Service  Employment  Act, SC 2003, c 22, s 126. 11. “Clerk and Deputy Clerk” (last modified 16 September 2019), online: Privy  Council  Office  <www.canada.ca/en/privy-council/corporate/clerk/role.html#toc0>.