Category Archives: Comparative

Sorry, Steve Paikin, but Mackenzie King Is Not The Longest-Serving Prime Minister in the Commonwealth

Posted on 2025/01/23 by J.W.J. Bowden

The myth which holds that Mackenzie King holds the record of “Canada’s longest-serving Prime Minister” persists. Steve Paikin has outdone himself now by going so far as to claim Mackenzie King holds the record of not merely Canada’s longest-serving Prime … Continue reading →

Posted in Caribbean Realms, Comparative, History of British North America | 1 Comment

My New Article on Canadian Sub-Imperialism in the Commonwealth Caribbean 

Posted on 2024/12/27 by J.W.J. Bowden

The Canadian Foreign Policy Journal pleasantly surprised me on 18 December by publishing the electronic version of my article “From Sea to Sea to the Caribbean Sea: Canadian Sub-Imperialism in the British West Indies and Commonwealth Caribbean, 1917-2014.” I had … Continue reading →

Posted in Caribbean Realms, Commonwealth Realms, Comparative, My Published Works | Leave a comment

The Presidential Bicameral Adjournment Clause Is Almost An American Equivalent to Prorogation

Posted on 2024/11/22 by J.W.J. Bowden

An American Connection Over the last thirteen years, I have been pleasantly surprised to find that Parliamentum attracts a surprising number of readers from the United States, about one-quarter to one-third of the total depending on the year. I occasionally … Continue reading →

Posted in Comparative, History of British North America, Parliamentarism v Presidentialism | Leave a comment

The Commonwealth Realms Diverge: Whether the Prime Minister Determines the Duration of the Ministry or Not

Posted on 2024/07/10 by J.W.J. Bowden

Introduction Britons went to the polls on 4 July 2024 and ended up giving Labour a massive majority of 411 out of 650 MPs. By the next morning, outgoing Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had already tendered his resignation to … Continue reading →

Posted in Appointment of PM, Caretaker Convention & Government Formation, Commonwealth Realms, Comparative, Constitutional Conventions, Crown (Powers and Office) | Leave a comment

Replacing the Prime Minister During An Election: A Forgotten Canadian Precedent

Posted on 2024/06/11 by J.W.J. Bowden

 Amusing Historical Parallels Voters feel exhausted after years of endless constitutional wrangling and a divisive referendum on the country`s new constitutional arrangements, and they further resent that the political class bogged itself down in this constitutional quagmire and all but … Continue reading →

Posted in Appointment of PM, Caretaker Convention & Government Formation, Commonwealth Realms, Comparative, Constitutional Conventions, Crown (Powers and Office), Electing & Ousting Party Leaders, Party Discipline | 5 Comments