building where the business of a government ministry is transacted

a department of a government

a departmentof a government

A cabinet Minister's complete area of responsibility (or portfolio) as defined by legislation. Each ministry consists of a department and, in many cases, several regulated funds and agencies. The Legislative Assembly does not vote on spending by regulated funds and agencies.

An administrative unit, also referred to as a department, dedicated to a specific federal program, service or policy area. This term is also used to refer generally to the government-of-the-day; for example, the First Ministry under Sir John A. Macdonald governed from 1867 to 1873.

the entire body of ministers in the government, encompassing Cabinet Ministers and any ministers not included in the Cabinet. (In some provinces, the term refers to a minister's department of state and is used in place of the term department.)

a government department

Influential members of the majority political party in the parliament are given the task of managing Public Service departments that are responsible for carrying on the business of running the country. They are appointed by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister.