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.

This Election Has Not Been A Time to Discuss Serious Issues: The Very Unserious Issue of Dual Citizenship

Posted on 2019/10/06 by J.W.J. Bowden

Introduction The media revealed earlier this week that Andrew Scheer is a natural-born citizen of both Canada and the United States. He inherited the American citizenship through his father. This piece of information has generated some considerable controversy, not least … Continue reading →

Posted in History of British North America | 2 Comments

The Caretaker Convention and the Appointment of Supreme Court Justices During Elections: 2015 vs 2019

Posted on 2019/09/27 by J.W.J. Bowden

Prime Minister Appoints New Justice to the Supreme Court During the Election On 24 April 2015, Marshall Rothstein announced that he would retire as a justice of the Supreme Court of Canada on 31 August 2015.[1] On 27 July 2015, … Continue reading →

Posted in Caretaker Convention & Government Formation, Constitutional Conventions | 6 Comments

The Caretaker Convention in 2019

Posted on 2019/09/15 by J.W.J. Bowden

Introduction Prime Minister Trudeau has advised Her Excellency Julie Payette to dissolve the 42nd Parliament and issue the writs for the 43rd general election, which will occur on 21 October 2019. So endeth the longest session in Canadian history. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Caretaker Convention & Government Formation, Constitutional Conventions | 3 Comments

The Prime Minister of Ontario Was Also a Member of Provincial Parliament

Posted on 2019/09/11 by J.W.J. Bowden

Introduction Ontario has paradoxically always held itself as superior to the other provinces yet also as the quintessential representation of Canada itself: Ontarians are the most likely of all Canadians to refer to and think of themselves as Canadian only, … Continue reading →

Posted in Crown (Powers and Office), Prime Minister's Powers | 1 Comment

Prince Edward Island’s First Successful Minority Government

Posted on 2019/08/20 by J.W.J. Bowden

MacLauchlan’s Early Dissolution Gambit Fails Premier Wade MacLauchlan on 26 March 2019 advised Lieutenant-Governor Antoinette Perry to dissolve the 65th General Assembly of Prince Edward Island and issue writs of election for polling day on 23 April 2019.[1] Prince Edward … Continue reading →

Posted in Caretaker Convention & Government Formation, Crown (Powers and Office), Fixed-Date Elections, Formation of Governments, Reform | 4 Comments