[email protected] Posted April 5, 2007 Author Report Posted April 5, 2007 There can and should be a mechanism for removing the PM/P either by the house or by citizen recall. Thresholds should be quite high here, it should be very rare - like a Nixon event. If the house wishes to express non confidence then simply pass a resolution of no confidence. Why pick the Westminster model which does not allow actual debate? Once again, citizen recall is based on the fiction that an elected representative is beholden to represent the particular bias of one's own constituents on a vote-by-vote basis. This is absurd. Representatives are elected to represent the voter for a term of office, not to be a clerk for every fickle voter. And under the present system, the House can simply pass a resolution of no confidence against the Government if it so chooses. PM MacKenzie King actually had a slim majority but lost the confidence of the House in 1925. In my humble opinion, the Westminster model is about the only political institution in Canada that actually works quite well. Indeed, we've had a couple of new parties created and entered Parliament within the last twenty years. That is a sign of the health and vitality of the system. Indeed, I would be happy to argue (if that were the topic) that it isn't so much that the Westminster model is particularly good, rather it is a matter that US Presidential model is deeply flawed. I can't imagine anyone wanting such a poor functioning system adopted here. I am not a defender nor an advocate for the US system as a whole but is does seems odd to me when people claim that the US system is deeply flawed and yet, over the long term, the US has racked up an incredible array of accomplishments versus next to none for Canada. That would seem to argue the US system is operating pretty well versus Canada. Quote
Canadian Blue Posted April 6, 2007 Report Posted April 6, 2007 I am not a defender nor an advocate for the US system as a whole but is does seems odd to me when people claim that the US system is deeply flawed and yet, over the long term, the US has racked up an incredible array of accomplishments versus next to none for Canada. That would seem to argue the US system is operating pretty well versus Canada. What do you mean by "accomplishments"? Quote "Keep your government hands off my medicare!" - GOP activist
[email protected] Posted April 6, 2007 Author Report Posted April 6, 2007 I am not a defender nor an advocate for the US system as a whole but is does seems odd to me when people claim that the US system is deeply flawed and yet, over the long term, the US has racked up an incredible array of accomplishments versus next to none for Canada. That would seem to argue the US system is operating pretty well versus Canada. What do you mean by "accomplishments"? Standards they have set, or crises they have survived, accomplishments as historical events, the amount of influence they had/have, basic features of their way of life, basic features of their country, economic strength, contributions to culture, science, prospects for the future ... Quote
Canadian Blue Posted April 6, 2007 Report Posted April 6, 2007 I highly doubt that what you described was because of the electoral system they had. Quote "Keep your government hands off my medicare!" - GOP activist
[email protected] Posted April 8, 2007 Author Report Posted April 8, 2007 I highly doubt that what you described was because of the electoral system they had. Didn't say it had to do with the electoral system. Rather it comes from the ability to have issues raised from a variety of quarters and dealt with using debate to produce high quality solutions. Quote
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