Author Archives: J.W.J. Bowden

Unknown's avatar

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.

The Queen’s Annual Christmas Message

Posted on 2012/12/25 by J.W.J. Bowden

Introduction I wish you all a very happy Christmas and hope that this blog entry finds you well. Last year in “A Parliamentarist’s Christmas,” I explored the influences of ecclesiastical architecture on the neo-Gothic style of the Centre Bloc of … Continue reading →

Posted in Corporation Sole, Crown (Powers and Office), Succession (Sovereign), The Personal Union | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Succeeding to the Australian Throne

Posted on 2012/12/05 by J.W.J. Bowden

Succession in Australia Anne Twomey, a Professor of Law at the University of Sydney, has written extensively on the Crown of Australia and other issues of government. I consider her the foremost expert on constitutionalism and Westminster parliamentarism in our … Continue reading →

Posted in Crown (Powers and Office), Succession (Sovereign), The Personal Union | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

“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