“It’s not just a partisan rant from those who are dissatisfied with the current state of politics. Experts say Canada’s government really is more controlling and less tolerant of dissent than most other democracies in the free world … “The party leadership controls, one way or the other, in Parliament and outside, nominations and the allocations of members to committee. It controls the people who ask questions at Question Period. It controls who is allowed to speak in debate,” he says.”
To see the entire article quoted above, click here.
“For whereas in Australia MPs hire and fire the leader, here the reverse is very nearly the case: MPs do not just depend on the leader’s favour for advancement, but may not even run for office without the leader’s signature … This did not begin with Warawa, in short, and it will not end here. The question is whether opposition MPs will join the fray. The shuttering of Warawa’s motion, after all, was an all-party affair: it was his motion this time, but it could be theirs next. There’s a fight worth having, here, but it isn’t Conservatives vs. Opposition, or pro-life vs. pro-choice. It’s for the freedom of all MPs against the dictates of a system that, as in no other democracy, has vested all power in the party leader.”
To see the entire article quoted above, click here.
During his successful Liberal leadership campaign, Justin Trudeau promised, among other democratic reforms, to open nominations in all ridings and not appoint candidates, and to free MPs to vote against Cabinet unless the bill is an election platform, budget or Charter of Rights measure. However, he did not promise other restrictions on his powers as party leader that most commentators think are needed to free and empower MPs, and he did not promise to change any laws to restrict his powers and the powers of all party leaders.
To see details about Trudeau’s promises, click here.
Should a new Canadian Constitution set out clear rules that restrict the power of political party leaders to run the legislature however they want and to control politicians in their party (as a majority of Canadians want)? You can send a letter letting key politicians across Canada know what you think HERE.