Happy Dominion Day! Let’s Celebrate the Incoherence of “Canada at 150”

Posted on 2017/07/01 by J.W.J. Bowden

The July 1st Specials

Happy Dominion Day! Or “Happy Canada Day” to the uninitiated. Here are some my articles and blog posts pertaining to the celebrations on July 1st.

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Posted in Dominion Day, Dorchester Review, History of British North America | Leave a comment

Clark’s Resignation, Horgan’s Appointment, and Responsible Government In British Columbia

Posted on 2017/06/30 by J.W.J. Bowden

I took this photo in June 2013 when I visited Government House in Victoria. The grounds host an array of beautiful gardens, which Victoria’s mild oceanic climate sustains year round.

The Vote in the Legislative Assembly

At around 5:30 Pacific Daylight Time on 29 June 2017, the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia carried New Democratic Party leader John Horgan’s motion of non-confidence and thereby defeated the Clark Ministry, by a vote of 44 New Democratic and Green MLAs to 42 Liberal MLAs.[1]

2  Mr. Horgan to move in amendment, seconded by Ms. Furstenau —

Be it resolved that the motion “We, Her Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in Session assembled, beg leave to thank Your Honour for the gracious Speech which Your Honour has addressed to us at the opening of the present Session,” be amended by adding the following:

“but Her Honour’s present government does not have the confidence of this House.” (MOVED.)[2]

In principle, Horgan’s amendment attaching a statement of non-confidence to the Address-in-Reply was redundant, because the Address-in-Reply to the Speech from the Throne  itself serves as a vote of confidence anyway. But whether the assembly votes against the motion to adopt the Address-in-Reply or votes in favour of an opposition amendment to the Address-in-Reply, the outcome remains the same: the assembly withdraws its confidence from the Ministry. The three Greens MLAs held up their end of the supply agreement and voted with the New Democrats.

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Posted in Caretaker Convention & Government Formation, Dissolution, Formation of Governments | 4 Comments

Some Discretion: On Dissolution and the Lieutenant Governor

Posted on 2017/06/29 by J.W.J. Bowden

 

Here are the general principles at play in dissolving legislatures and appointing premiers if Premier Clark’s ministry loses the confidence of the legislative assembly today. Continue reading →

Posted in Appointment of PM, Caretaker Convention & Government Formation, Crown (Powers and Office), Dissolution, Formation of Governments, Lieutenant Governors | 1 Comment

What The Conservative-DUP Agreement Says about Votes of Confidence Under the Fixed-Term Parliaments Act

Posted on 2017/06/26 by J.W.J. Bowden

Arlene Foster, leader of the Democratic Union Party, and Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party

The Conservative and Unionist Party and the Democratic Unionist Party have finally hammered out a supply agreement that would give May’s minority government a parliamentary majority.

You can read it here: Confidence and Supply Agreement between the Conservative Party and the DUP.

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Posted in Confidence Convention, Fixed-Date Elections, Formation of Governments | 2 Comments

The Politics of Prorogation in Canada

Posted on 2017/06/19 by J.W.J. Bowden


Sample for Upcoming Issue of The Dorchester Review

The Trudeau II government has confirmed that it will proceed with pushing through changes to the Standing Orders of the House of Commons pertaining to prorogation, as Aaron Wherry has reported.

I first prepared this piece in March, when the government first announced its discussion paper on reforming the Standing Orders but before the opposition filibustered the Procedure and House Affairs Committee. In any event, I had always focussed on the proposed reforms surrounding prorogation and not on the reforms to Question Period.

Most of the following piece will appear in volume 7, issue 1 of The Dorchester Review in a few weeks, but I have updated the manuscript now that we can examine the text of the motion for how precisely it will ask the House to amend the Standing Orders. 

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Posted in Crown (Powers and Office), Dorchester Review, Prorogation | 3 Comments