Author Archives: J.W.J. Bowden

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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.

Fashionable Complaining about Single-Member Plurality

Posted on 2022/10/17 by J.W.J. Bowden

Sanjay Ruparelia’s column in the Globe and Mail today typifies the confused and contradictory discourse over electoral reform here in Canada. He joins Fair Vote Canada in perpetuating this absurd myth that majoritarian electoral systems encourage descent into authoritarian rule … Continue reading →

Posted in Electoral Reform, Reform | Leave a comment

Bizarre and Uninformed American Views on Monarchy

Posted on 2022/09/19 by J.W.J. Bowden

In general, I really wish that Americans would stop commenting altogether on the Royal House of Windsor, especially after the demise of Crown and the death of Her Late Majesty Elizabeth II of happy memory. Americans lost their standing and … Continue reading →

Posted in Comparative, Parliamentarism v Presidentialism | 5 Comments

The Second Elizabethan Age Draws to a Close

Posted on 2022/09/08 by J.W.J. Bowden

The British earlier this year celebrated the Platinum Jubilee earlier this year by planting trees to form part of “The Queen’s Green Canopy.”  The venerable oak represents strength, endurance, and continuity and seemed the most fitting way to extend the … Continue reading →

Posted in Crown (Powers and Office), Succession (Sovereign) | 2 Comments

On Writing Well

Posted on 2022/09/01 by J.W.J. Bowden

Pierre Poilievre released a video this week on how he would table a Plain Language Bill to force the civil service to write better and make what it publishes easier to understand. The official language of government is neither French … Continue reading →

Posted in Random Thoughts | 2 Comments

Readjusting Electoral Districts in Federations: Malapportionment vs Gerrymandering

Posted on 2022/08/31 by J.W.J. Bowden

The decennial readjustment of the number of MP per province and establishing the boundaries of electoral districts for the federal House of Commons began in October 2021 and February 2022, respectively. Canadians often like to congratulate themselves for having eliminated … Continue reading →

Posted in Electoral Boundaries Readjustments | 2 Comments