Monthly Archives: May 2012

The Deleterious Effects of Bipartisanship and the Separation of Powers on Good Government


Recall Election in Wisconsin: Wisconsin Would Have Solved Its Political Standoff Last Year Under A Parliamentary System! Governor Walker of Wisconsin now faces a recall election, scheduled for June 5th. I couldn’t help but conclude that if Wisconsin operated under … Continue reading

Posted in Loyal Opposition, Parliamentarism v Presidentialism, Separation of Powers | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Macdonald-Laurier Institute’s Debate on Prime Ministerial Power: Andrew Coyne vs. Sheila Copps


Introduction On 10 May 2012, the Macdonald-Laurier Institute held a debate on “Power Corrupts Canadian Prime Minister”, the fourth instalment of its History Wars series. Theoretically, Andrew Coyne argued in favour of the resolution and therefore against prime ministerial power, … Continue reading

Posted in Conferences and Speeches, Confidence Convention, Constructive Non-Confidence, Crown (Powers and Office), Prime Minister's Powers, Reform | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Commons Committee on Canadian Heritage: Officialization of Protocol


Introduction The Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (CHPC)met on Tuesday, 1 May 2012 in order to review national standards on protocol. The Committee called upon witnesses from the protocol sections of both the Department of Canadian Heritage (representing the … Continue reading

Posted in Constitutional Conventions, Officialization of Convention | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments