Category Archives: Direct Democracy

Constitutional Issues in the Albertan Leaders’ Debate

Posted on 2012/04/13 by J.W.J. Bowden

This leadership debate dredged up several interesting constitutional issues and revealed a great deal of ignorance toward the principles of Responsible Government, the use of direct democracy (in this case, initiative-referendums and government-led referendums)in Canadian history, and the role of … Continue reading →

Posted in Constructive Non-Confidence, Direct Democracy, Fixed-Date Elections, Reform | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Liberal Party’s “Roadmap to Renewal” Leads To Closed Primaries

Posted on 2011/11/21 by J.W.J. Bowden

The Liberal Party of Canada has elaborated on its plans to hold something akin to an open primary in the selection of its next leader in the Roadmap to Renewal. I mentioned the proposal in an earlier entry before the … Continue reading →

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The Liberals Adopt Primaries for Selecting Next Leader?

Posted on 2011/11/08 by J.W.J. Bowden

The Globe and Mail reported today that the Liberal Party will elect its next leader by “US-style primary,” which conceals the different types of primaries that the various American states use: open, closed, jungle, etc. Judging by Ibbitson’s description, the … Continue reading →

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Cabinet Appointments and By-Elections: Canada’s Lost History of Populism, Part 1

Posted on 2011/09/30 by J.W.J. Bowden

Peter Russell mentioned in his summary of the King-Byng Affair of 1926 that the old custom that parliamentarians appointed to cabinet would resign their seats and run in a by-election complicated the 15th Parliament even more than the gubernatorial-prime ministerial … Continue reading →

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Open Primaries in The Westminster System

Posted on 2011/08/31 by J.W.J. Bowden

In 2008, British Conservative MP Douglas Carswell and British Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan co-authored a veritable manifesto for direct democracy and wholescale renewal of the Conservative Party, called The Plan: Twelve Months to Renew Britain.  They represent what I would … Continue reading →

Posted in Direct Democracy | 6 Comments