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.

“Succeeding to the Canadian Throne”

Posted on 2012/12/04 by J.W.J. Bowden

Professor Philippe Lagassé and I have co-authored “Succeeding to the Canadian Throne” for the Ottawa Citizen. In this column, we explain why the Crown of Canada is a hereditary corporation sole and why succession to the Crown falls under the … Continue reading →

Posted in Corporation Sole, Crown (Powers and Office), Succession (Sovereign), The Personal Union | Tagged , | 17 Comments

Blogrolls *Are* Endorsements: Excellent and Interesting Blogs on the History and Practice of Westminster Parliamentarism

Posted on 2012/12/01 by J.W.J. Bowden

No practice in social media has made me bristle with indignation more than this ubiquitous and irritating phrase on Twitter, “Retweets are not endorsements.” You may also have seen the qualified, Mackenzie King-style version, “Retweets are not necessarily endorsements” (which … Continue reading →

Posted in Random Thoughts | Leave a comment

Only the Governors or Royals Should Confer Honours Upon Deserving Canadians

Posted on 2012/11/24 by J.W.J. Bowden

Prime Minister Stephen Harper has officially made a mockery of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal by awarding one to Justin Bieber, who in turn made the ceremony even more undignified by not having the courtesy to wear a suit. Harper … Continue reading →

Posted in Crown (Powers and Office), The Honours System | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Alexander Hamilton Recommended Responsible Government in 1788

Posted on 2012/11/10 by J.W.J. Bowden

Alexander Hamilton’s “executive packet” of The Federalist Papers (67-77) provides learned historical and comparative analyses of the Constitution of 1787 relative to the British system and to the systems of government in the several American states. Hamilton’s strong grasp of … Continue reading →

Posted in Confidence Convention, History of British North America, Origins, Responsible Government | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

What I Remember on the Fifth of November: The Glorious Revolution over Guy Fawkes

Posted on 2012/11/05 by J.W.J. Bowden

The Huffington Post published my column “The Truth about Guy Fawkes’ Day“, on what we should remember on the fifth of November. In this blog entry, I’ve posted some documentaries  on the Fifth of November 1605 and the Fifth of … Continue reading →

Posted in Constitutional Conventions, History of British North America | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment