While I can get your intent in that you feel that the PM should have a mandate (again, arguably that mandate is fulfilled if they are capable of maintaining confidence of the house), Canadians are ignorant about our system of government (anecdotally, I know Canadians who consume more American news media and pay attention to their elections, but don’t do the same domestically, likely contributing) which is a problem (and a point of irritation for me).
I understand how the system works which is why I disagree with it. I am also against FPTP, for Mandatory voting, and against the party system in general. Doesn’t mean that is “how the system works”, and that doesn’t mean I am an “Ignorant Canadian” for stating something is wrong when it is.
The fact of the matter is right now only members of the Liberal Party of Canada get to decide on who the next Prime Minister is without that person being required to run an election campaign. All you need is a Liberal membership, $350,000, and a few hundred Liberal signatures for the top job. Which is wrong.
Electoral reform means electoral reform, and unelected people allowed a chance at becoming the Prime Minister is one of the things we should reform. Especially when internal party leadership elections are one of the big targets for election interference.
Funny enough, the only precedents for a Prime Minister not winning an election are Liberals. I assume this is because Canadians would lose their collective minds if Conservatives pulled the same thing.
First off, on reading, yeah sorry. I meant no offense, was the headline on the article I chose and I said, it really bothers me how disengaged Canadians are from our political system to the detriment of us all.
To be pedantic, Arthur Meighen was a Tory PM appointed after Borden resigned, and again after the Byng-King affair. More recently, Kim Campbell was appointed after the resignation of Mulroney
I do agree with you wrt our system needing changing, I’m vehemently in favour of literally anything but fptp but prefer something like stv. Personally, I’d also be in favour of rescinding the mandatory election dates put in place in what, 2007-2008 and really would like to return to the per-vote subsidies (just get money out of politics period).
No offense taken, apologies if I came off that way. I agree with you on how disengaged Canadians are politically, and it bothers me greatly.
Fair points. One thing I would like to point out is Arthur Meighen led under the Conservatives before they became the Progressive Conservative party in 1942, and the Progressive Conservative Party occupied the space that the modern Liberal party occupies so I personally place PC’s into the Liberal camp when I say “Liberal Precedents”.
I wish more people agreed on the system needing changing, and really committing to it. I would really like to see a complete overhaul from the Constitution up, but know there is zero chance of that happening while Canada is still Canada.
Fixed election dates are a weird one for me. I think redundancies to keep a system from being easily corrupted are good, but I also think that fixed election dates aren’t a good redundancy. It felt like something people would see as a good thing without having any real benefit. I agree we need to get money out of politics as well, but I do not see how that is possible when the primary reason a Government exists is to hoard resources which inevitably draws in people who want them.
If I am being honest with myself, I don’t actually believe Democracy works. Specifically at the scale it is being required to work, and the conditions it is being expected to work in. Globally we need some new ideas.
While I can get your intent in that you feel that the PM should have a mandate (again, arguably that mandate is fulfilled if they are capable of maintaining confidence of the house), Canadians are ignorant about our system of government (anecdotally, I know Canadians who consume more American news media and pay attention to their elections, but don’t do the same domestically, likely contributing) which is a problem (and a point of irritation for me).
I understand how the system works which is why I disagree with it. I am also against FPTP, for Mandatory voting, and against the party system in general. Doesn’t mean that is “how the system works”, and that doesn’t mean I am an “Ignorant Canadian” for stating something is wrong when it is.
The fact of the matter is right now only members of the Liberal Party of Canada get to decide on who the next Prime Minister is without that person being required to run an election campaign. All you need is a Liberal membership, $350,000, and a few hundred Liberal signatures for the top job. Which is wrong.
Electoral reform means electoral reform, and unelected people allowed a chance at becoming the Prime Minister is one of the things we should reform. Especially when internal party leadership elections are one of the big targets for election interference.
Funny enough, the only precedents for a Prime Minister not winning an election are Liberals. I assume this is because Canadians would lose their collective minds if Conservatives pulled the same thing.
First off, on reading, yeah sorry. I meant no offense, was the headline on the article I chose and I said, it really bothers me how disengaged Canadians are from our political system to the detriment of us all.
To be pedantic, Arthur Meighen was a Tory PM appointed after Borden resigned, and again after the Byng-King affair. More recently, Kim Campbell was appointed after the resignation of Mulroney
I do agree with you wrt our system needing changing, I’m vehemently in favour of literally anything but fptp but prefer something like stv. Personally, I’d also be in favour of rescinding the mandatory election dates put in place in what, 2007-2008 and really would like to return to the per-vote subsidies (just get money out of politics period).
No offense taken, apologies if I came off that way. I agree with you on how disengaged Canadians are politically, and it bothers me greatly.
Fair points. One thing I would like to point out is Arthur Meighen led under the Conservatives before they became the Progressive Conservative party in 1942, and the Progressive Conservative Party occupied the space that the modern Liberal party occupies so I personally place PC’s into the Liberal camp when I say “Liberal Precedents”.
I wish more people agreed on the system needing changing, and really committing to it. I would really like to see a complete overhaul from the Constitution up, but know there is zero chance of that happening while Canada is still Canada.
Fixed election dates are a weird one for me. I think redundancies to keep a system from being easily corrupted are good, but I also think that fixed election dates aren’t a good redundancy. It felt like something people would see as a good thing without having any real benefit. I agree we need to get money out of politics as well, but I do not see how that is possible when the primary reason a Government exists is to hoard resources which inevitably draws in people who want them.
If I am being honest with myself, I don’t actually believe Democracy works. Specifically at the scale it is being required to work, and the conditions it is being expected to work in. Globally we need some new ideas.