The Office of the Departmental Assistant

Your Ministerial office is supported by the Office of the Departmental Assistant, a small group of departmental staff, paid for by the Department, who are assigned to facilitate the transmittal of non partisan departmental advice and provide administrative assistance within the scope of your portfolio responsibilities. The Departmental Assistant, who heads this group of staff, is the liaison between the Minister's office and the Department, and manages the interaction between your staff and the Department, as well the sharing of information and documents.

This office is currently comprised of:

Departmental Assistant

• Provides an effective communication link between the Minister’s Office, the Deputy Minister’s Office, as well as the offices of senior officials in the Department to support and advance. priorities/initiatives, and ensure that directions and decisions, as well as the flow of appropriate advice and information, are conveyed with clarity and timeliness.
• Responsibility Centre Manager for both the “Standard Office Accommodations” budget, and the “Departmental Liaison” budget.

The Assistant to the Departmental Assistant

• Coordinates the administrative logistics of meetings between the Minister’s Office and the Department, and the movement of dockets between the Department and the Minister’s office.
• Provides administrative support to the Departmental Assistant.

Office manager

• Provides financial and human resource support, advice and reports according to the Policies for Ministers’ Offices and Departmental requirements.
• Ensures efficient operation of day-to-day office requirements (i.e., health and safety standards; office supplies and furniture; IT equipment, etc.)

The Department can also provide public servant administrative support staff to the Minister’s office. The roles and responsibilities of these staff are outlined in the Policy for Ministers’ Offices, and may include a scheduling assistant for the Chief of Staff and administrative assistants to support the office, such as a receptionist. It is important to note that the salary for these positions would be funded by the Minister’s Office budget. The Departmental Assistant can assist in staffing these depending on your office’s needs.