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.

Alpine Madness: Austria Takes The Caretaker Convention to the Extreme

Posted on 2019/07/04 by J.W.J. Bowden

Introduction A series of strange events has recently befallen Austria. It began with political scandal and the collapse of the coalition government between Sebastian Kurz’s People’s Party and Heinz-Christian Strache’s Freedom Party and ended a few weeks later with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Comparative, Confirmation Voting, Constructive Non-Confidence, Government Formation in Germany & Austria | 2 Comments

No Prorogation: The Long Parliamentary Sessions in Canada and the United Kingdom

Posted on 2019/06/09 by J.W.J. Bowden

Introduction The 42nd Parliament of Canada and the 57th Parliament of the United Kingdom have something in common: both of these current parliaments (as of 9 June 2019) are still on their first sessions. In Canada, no one but me … Continue reading →

Posted in Crown (Powers and Office), Prorogation | 4 Comments

Policy Options and Electoral Reform in Quebec

Posted on 2019/05/01 by J.W.J. Bowden

Some of you might be interested that Policy Options published “Quebec Poised to Adopt Proportional Election System,” an updated version of my piece on why Premier Legault is serious about switching Quebec to mixed-member proportional representation; some of you might not. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Electoral Reform, Reform | Leave a comment

Newfoundland & Labrador Will Also Go for An Early Election in May 2019

Posted on 2019/04/17 by J.W.J. Bowden

Introduction Since January 2019, speculation that Premier Ball of Newfoundland and Labrador will opt for an early election has mounted.[1] On 29 March, Ball confirmed that he would seek early dissolution so that the election itself occurs on or before … Continue reading →

Posted in Fixed-Date Elections, Reform | Leave a comment

Wade MacLauchlan of PEI Has Become the First Premier to Ignore a Fixed-Date Election Law Twice

Posted on 2019/04/07 by J.W.J. Bowden

Introduction Events have answered a question that I posed last year here on Parliamentum on 24 May 2018. I wondered, “Will Wade MacLauchlan Become the First Premier to Ignore a Fixed-Date Elections Law Twice?” Yes. Wade MacLauchlan has become the … Continue reading →

Posted in Crown (Powers and Office), Dissolution, Fixed-Date Elections, Reform | 11 Comments