Category Archives: Cabinet’s Powers

The House of Commons Should Not Authorize Military Deployments

Posted on 2016/09/11 by J.W.J. Bowden

On 8 September 2016, Maxime Bernier criticized the Trudeau II government on his official Facebook group for having decided not to put the deployment of the Canadian Armed Forces to UN operations in Africa to a vote in the House … Continue reading →

Posted in Cabinet's Powers, Crown (Powers and Office), Separation of Powers | 2 Comments

The McGuinty Government Repeals a Law While Parliament Is Prorogued

Posted on 2013/01/23 by J.W.J. Bowden

In one of its last acts as a Ministry, the McGuinty Government has promulgated section 20 of the Putting Students First Act and thus secured its repeal — all while the provincial parliament is prorogued and in an intersession. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Cabinet's Powers, Crown (Powers and Office), Prorogation, Separation of Powers | 1 Comment

The Demise of Responsible Government and the Crown Prerogative on Defence

Posted on 2012/02/26 by J.W.J. Bowden

Perilous Precedents: Parliamentary Approval of Troop Deployments Many scholars have lamented the Harper government’s alleged “abuse” of Crown prerogatives on prorogation and dissolution, and its overall attitude toward Parliament (i.e., the House of Commons). I of course disagree with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Articles and Books, Cabinet's Powers, Crown (Powers and Office), Reaffirmation of, Responsible Government | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

The True Nature of Crown Prerogative and Responsible Government

Posted on 2012/02/23 by J.W.J. Bowden

When PhDs Don’t Understand Westminster Parliamentarism The debates in Westminster parliamentarism on the role of Crown-in-Parliament vs. the Crown-in-Council mostly result from legitimate differences of interpretation of Crown prerogative, such as between Dawson’s and Forsey’s respective schools of thought. Unfortunately, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cabinet's Powers, Crown (Powers and Office), Prime Minister's Powers, Reaffirmation of, Responsible Government | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

The Accidental Development of Cabinet Government

Posted on 2011/07/14 by J.W.J. Bowden

Our system of Westminster parliamentarism depends upon unwritten constitutional conventions. I will discuss my take on convention in further detail in subsequent posts, but generally, a constitutional convention evolves from a custom or practice that served a valuable purpose and … Continue reading →

Posted in Cabinet's Powers, Origins | 8 Comments