Monthly Archives: August 2011

Fixed Elections in the Provinces, Part II


The list in Fixed Elections in the Provinces, Part I shows a clear trend toward the establishment of fixed-elections laws in Canada. British Columbia led the charge in 2001 and set the basic formula that all other provincial legislatures, and … Continue reading

Posted in Crown (Powers and Office), Dissolution, Fixed-Date Elections, Prime Minister's Powers | 4 Comments

Fixed Elections in the Provinces, Part I


Over the next few days, I will present and analyse the fixed-election laws in the provinces as a follow up to my post on section 56.1 of the Canada Elections Act and the early dissolution of 2008. The following provinces … Continue reading

Posted in Crown (Powers and Office), Dissolution, Fixed-Date Elections, Prime Minister's Powers | 7 Comments

Flawed Republican Arguments Sadden One Canadian


Bob Hepburn of the Toronto Star expressed his dismay over the Harper government’s decision to restore the Royal designations to the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Canadian Navy in his column Royal Return Saddens One Canadian. For the … Continue reading

Posted in Monarchism v Republicanism | 11 Comments

Fixed Elections: Stephen Harper Did Not “Break His Own Law” in 2008


Historical Context of Fixed Elections in Canada Admittedly, this controversy occurred three years ago and may no longer be as relevant, but many Canadians (even academics!) still remain confused (or harbour resentment) regarding Prime Minister Harper’s advice to dissolve the … Continue reading

Posted in Crown (Powers and Office), Dissolution, Fixed-Date Elections, Prime Minister's Powers | 12 Comments

The Components of Canada’s Written Constitution


In an earlier post on defining Canada’s constitution and its various written and unwritten components, I classified the types of written components and listed some of them. Thankfully, the Faculty of Law of the University of Ottawa provides an excellent … Continue reading

Posted in Constitution (Written) | 4 Comments