Jerry J. Fortin

Of course you do! Really, and how is it that we hold them to account without any way to remove them from office? In fact we don't even get a say in whether or not they get into office, because the people are not allowed under this system to choose their own leader. The government does the will of the Prime Minister, period. The proof in in the pudding , what happens when one of the government MP's votes against the government because the constituents demand it? The constituents are the will of the people, not the anointed partisan hacks bellying up to the public trough. Getting a once a mandate vote, and only on who to vote for not on any of the issues does not constitute a democratic system. Aside from that, waiting till all the damage is done over the duration of the mandate, we are then allowed to dump them, how very nice. Not my idea of a responsible government. No doubt you are suggesting that the Governor General holds all the power, even on paper that is incorrect and you must surely know that. The Governor General does in fact have some reserve powers in theory. They are supposed to be able to dismiss Prime Ministers and dissolve government, or withhold royal consent in times of constitutional crisis but these powers are not used very damned often. In fact should the Governor General attempt such a thing in these days the poop would hit the fan big time.

This is a direct result of the efforts to privatize the pension plan. You now have yet another board of directors seeking compensation for their efforts. Of course they get paid whether we win or lose, just like all the other boards. The time has come for the government to start regulating executive compensation.

I don't agree. The truth is subjective.

Partisan is the game in Canada. Sad but true, free votes are rare and the interests of the leaders and partisan factions are served ahead of the best interests of citizens.

So why does this cost me more than a teller did. Now I get a freaking bank tax or "service fee" just for the privilege of using a card so that the bank can SAVE money?

The concentration of power is far more pronounced here than it is in the US! The one thing that we have that I do like is "Question Period", because in theory at least the government can be held to account. Of course like many things in the country it doesn't really work that way. In my view our system has only the perception of being better, in application it fares less well.

To each their own I guess. Yet somehow I think the reason that most nations use the British system is because of the demise of the British empire and the rise of the colonies. We were simply to lazy to do for ourselves and we adopted their system when we left their control.

I don't even speak English fluently.

I look forward to the face to face confrontation of a general election and all that it will entail. Let the dogs of war fly and to the victor belong the spoils.

I think you folks are a little goofy! The problem of patronage expands with the duration of the party in power. So as long as you have no problem with these folks appointing their friends, families and supporters onto the public payroll then I guess it isn't that important. I do have a problem with bureaucracies in general and view patronage appointments as a further problem, so I will naturally desire to oppose unfettered access to the public trough.

Nothing really bad about Harper, or Iggy for that matter. It is only a matter of preferred ideology, no big deal. Layton strikes me as a little to far to the left but that is just me I guess.

What of the democratic insanity of JFK or FDR or for that matter BC or BO. The system is the deal not the party. Look at this system at little more carefully. It is far superior in all democratic respects than ours. The people are the key to how a system actually works, they decide how to apply it. Even the Magna Carta looks like crap when compared to the American "Declaration of Independence", their constitution pales in comparison in my view, but that is just me. The concept of a republic is not new, but how the Americans use it is. It took a lot of guts to stand up for themselves and form their own country. It took a lot of brains to design a system of government that eclipsed the British system they lived under. The worked hard and achieved something brilliant.

Yeah that is the ticket! Impose limits on guys not elected, but let the elected guys stay in power for ever. That is progress for you.

Neither the Conservatives or the Liberals have the handle natural ruling party. They certainly don't deserve it if they did. What most nations really need is to take a few steps away from nationalism and stop fearing the real world. The real game is simple, the nation that can convert the most resources into usable products wins. Now here in Canada we have resources out the ass, yet we lack to a large degree the ability to manufacture anything. Our normal course of action is to ship out raw material and bring in finished products. This may work fine for a colony feeding a large market wise civilization but it doesn't really work in the best interests of the colony. We need to wake up and smell the coffee. This is one of those magical moments where the government is hell bent of spending money and there is a real desire to build some infrastructure. Now is the tie to invest in some secondary industrial development.

No matter which way you slice it, the essence of a Canadian has nothing to do with their ability to speak both official languages.

So Harper hides in the Commons to make accusations that cannot be pursued in public. Interesting.

A system of government that lays claim to being a democracy and hides behind the legislative efforts that created a bureaucracy as insulation from the legitimate effect and consequences of flawed policy can hardly be described as being just. The wording travesty of democracy is an apt description for the entire system.

You are exactly right.

Now there is something wrong with that little facet isn't there....

Which is of course the source of the breach of conduct. Can you imagine the outrage if that had been done to Harper by the CBC?

No it isn't, it is only a recognition of some Canadian heritage.

Yet I would suggest that it is not the "essence" of being Canadian. In fact I would go a step further and suggest that the statement is a little off key.

Merit would be nice, but patronage is the rule. It is not very often that the party in power selected someone from outside the partisan circle.

The Senate is Canada's way of recognizing the efforts of Canadians in a very patronizing way.

I was not referring to the Senate, just the patronage.