ABSTRACT
The Canadian Parliament has two chambers – the House of Commons and the Senate. The House of Commons and Senate operate as separate organizations with their own core administrative services such as finance and human resources, though a number of resources and services are administered through joint agreements. The House of Commons is overseen by a Board of Internal Economy. There is a similarly strict divide in Canada between political staff advisors to politicians and the non-partisan permanent staff of Parliament. Parliamentary staff play a variety of support roles for parliamentarians. Parliamentary administrators engage externally in many ways, but again in restricted capacities. The Parliament of Canada enjoys a highly competent and non-partisan administration. It is complex organizationally but generally operates with a high level of collaboration and efficiency. Overall, there is a powerful sense of separate worlds in the Canadian Parliament, between the highly discreet, risk-averse permanent staff and nakedly partisan parliamentarians and their personal staff.
