Category Archives: Constitutional Conventions

No Discretion: On Royal Assent and the Governor General

Posted on 2011/12/12 by J.W.J. Bowden

Introduction Under our system of responsible government, the Sovereign or Governor General exercises his prerogative powers on the advice of the Crown-in-Council, and his constitutional powers relating to Parliament on the advice of the Prime Minister alone. Responsible government means … Continue reading →

Posted in Crown (Powers and Office), Governor's Discretion, Officialization of Convention, Royal Assent | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 33 Comments

The Speakership of the New Zealand House of Representatives

Posted on 2011/12/11 by J.W.J. Bowden

The Canadian Parliamentary Review has just published an article by the Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives, Lockwood Smith, which he based on a speech that delivered in 2010. In “The Speakership: A New Zealand Perspective”, Smith reviews … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles and Books, Constitutional Conventions, Parliamentary Privilege, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Origins of Centralizing Executive Authority in the Prime Minister

Posted on 2011/11/27 by J.W.J. Bowden

Introduction The scholarly consensus on cabinet government in Canada argues that from Prime Minister Trudeau’s first government (1968 to 1979, the 20th Ministry) onward, the powers of the prime minister have become more centralized relative to both those of cabinet … Continue reading →

Posted in Crown (Powers and Office), Governor's Discretion, Officialization of Convention, Prime Minister's Powers, Prorogation | Tagged , , , , , | 17 Comments

The First Edition of the British Cabinet Manual Is Now Available

Posted on 2011/10/26 by J.W.J. Bowden

After waiting in eager anticipation for months (as only an aspiring constitutional scholar could), I jumped for joy earlier this week when the British Cabinet Office finally released the first edition of The Cabinet Manual: A Guide to Laws, Conventions … Continue reading →

Posted in Constitution (Written), Officialization of Convention | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Manual of Official Procedure of the Government of Canada

Posted on 2011/10/18 by J.W.J. Bowden

Three consecutive minority parliaments from 2004 to 2011 renewed interest in the creation of a cabinet manual describing the unwritten rules, or constitutional conventions, that underpin Westminster parliamentarism. The United Kingdom just established its Draft Cabinet Manual in 2010, with … Continue reading →

Posted in Officialization of Convention | 14 Comments