Polisci 2D03 - Week 4.docx - Canadian Democracy...

Canadian Democracy
Parliamentary: Government in Practice
Conceptions of Democratic Performance
Representative
- Allowing voice to be included
- Thick definition of democracy
- Consensus is rare
- Had to get things done
- Seen as more legitimate
Efficient
- Getting things done
- More concentrated power
- No need for consensus
- Easy to get things done
- Seen as more effective
Trudeau on Democracy
During his candidacy someone asks him “Which nation, besides Canada, which nation’s
administration do you most admire, and why?”
The future prime minister’s odd answer: “ You know, there’s a level of admiration I actually have
for China ….”
China? Why China?
“ Because their basic dictatorship is allowing them to actually turn their economy around on a
dime and say ‘we need to go green fastest…we need to start investing in solar.'”
Parliamentary Government by Convention
- Selection of the Prime Minister
- Which party forms government
- Rights of the opposition parties
- Role of the judicial branch of government
- The principle of responsible government
- Are all vital, so vital that challenged can lead to crisis
- But they are not found in any written document
British Parliamentary hybrid
- Can be seen as a ‘set of political traditions’
- Borrowed from Britain, rather than a series of documents
- But we didn’t take all of the British traditions
- Notably Britain is a unitary government
- We scaffolded federalism onto a unitary design
British style: Head of state and Legislature
- The distinguishing feature of the “British style” is the relationship between various
institutions.
- Parliament consists of both Monarch – the head of state and the legislature.
- Head of state is the Queen of Canada.
- Queen’s representative is the Governor General.

Support for having the Queen Divided
Support
- Affection for the Queen
- Tradition
- Inertia
- Ceremony
- Prime Minister doesn’t get
assassinated
Opposition
- Elitist
- Costly
- Non-democratic
- 2017 – 43% opposed to ending Monarchy
after Queen’s death, but 41% in support,
16% don’t know (forum).
Governor General (GG)
- GG is a federal appointment by the Prime Minister.
- When she is not in the country this falls on the Governor General.
o Decided what party forms government
o Dissolves Parliament
o Gives royal assent to all legislation before it comes law.
o Reads the Throne Speech charting the way.
- However, in practice is the role is ceremonial, or symbolic.
- Considerable controversy over Julie Payette – mocked those who believe in God, but also
less active in ceremony.
Privy Council & Caucus
- Clerk of the Privy Council, Ian Shugart
- Highest ranking civil servant
- Non-partisan
- Privy Council includes all cabinet members (past and present)
- Only present members exercise power
- PM is head of Cabinet and Caucus
- Caucus includes all elected Liberal party members
SNC Controversies
- During SNC scandal Wernick resigned as it was seen that he overstepped his mandate in
his defense of the PMO, and the pressure put on Jody Wilson Raybould.