Author Archives: J.W.J. Bowden

About J.W.J. Bowden

My area of academic expertise lies in Canadian political institutions, especially the Crown, political executive, and conventions of Responsible Government; since 2011, I have made a valuable contribution to the scholarship by having been published and cited extensively. I’m also a contributing editor to the Dorchester Review and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Parliamentary and Political Law.

Beyond the Writ: The Expansion of the Caretaker Convention in the 21st Century Published in the Saskatchewan Law Review

Posted on 2024/05/13 by J.W.J. Bowden

  The Saskatchewan Law Review just published my and David Brock’s article “Beyond the Writ: The Expansion of the Caretaker Convention in the 21st Century,” presumably available at fine law school libraries everywhere. Here we chronicle and try to explain … Continue reading →

Posted in Caretaker Convention & Government Formation, Constitutional Conventions | 1 Comment

When The Speaker Admonishes the Prime Minister for Asking the Opposition Questions

Posted on 2024/05/06 by J.W.J. Bowden

House of Commons Procedure and Practice states clearly that the House of Commons holds the prime minister and ministers to account for their actions and decisions: “While there may be other purposes and ambitions involved in Question Period, its primary purpose … Continue reading →

Posted in Parliament, Speaker of the House of Commons | 1 Comment

When the Speaker Diffuses Tension with Humour: The “Choral Welcome” of October 27th, 2004

Posted on 2024/05/01 by J.W.J. Bowden

The Conservative opposition benches erupted into the chorus of Steam’s “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” when John Efford, the Minister of Natural Resources, rose in response to a provocative question in which Conservative MP Norman Doyle accused his … Continue reading →

Posted in Decorum, Parliament, Speaker of the House of Commons | 1 Comment

Out With The 338 & In With The 343: The New Federal Electoral Boundaries Just Entered into Force Today!

Posted on 2024/04/23 by J.W.J. Bowden

Any dissolution of Parliament on or after 23 April 2024 will mean that Canadians vote in a general election using the new electoral boundaries established in 2023. The House of Commons grew from 338 to 343 MPs, with Alberta gaining … Continue reading →

Posted in Electoral Redistributions | 3 Comments

Mimetic & Mendacious Mirth: The Secret to Jean Chretien’s Political Success and Enduring Appeal

Posted on 2024/03/05 by J.W.J. Bowden

The accolades poured in for Jean Chretien, Prime Minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003, as he became a nonagenarian in January. They came even from some unlikely sources, such as former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper.[1] Chretien’s enduring success … Continue reading →

Posted in Humour & Satire | 2 Comments