Note: An earlier version of this article had a calculation error in regards to the Bloc Quebecois. I have corrected it and added additional information in italics regarding calculating voting power. I have been posting about electoral reform for a while now. Mostly this has been concerning a new system
Continue readingTag: House of Commons
Democracy Under Fire: Like Lemmings off a Cliff
Canadians who have been taking notice will be aware that C51, the police state law, has past 3rd reading in the house and now goes before the Senate for final reading. It will come as no surprise that the Conservatives vote en-block for the bill for even if some of
Continue readingWhy do we allow face coverings in the House of Commons?
The Prime Minister explains to the House why face coverings are unacceptable to Canadians
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Your Information is in the Mail
I see a Con MP is proposing to increase the $5 fee for an Access to Information Request which given what Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault saysmay at first seem like a reasonable idea. “We need more investigators, and it is not my office that is in a crisis, it is the fact that
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: NDP Introduces Mixed-member Proportional Representation Motion
New Democrats introduce in the House of Commons a motion for a mixed-member proportional representation electoral system at the federal level. The post NDP Introduces Mixed-member Proportional Representation Motion appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Vitriolic nastiness does not breed respect.
Stephen Lewis , the former Ontario NDP leader, United Nations ambassador and lifelong human rights advocate recently took aim at the “pre-paleolithic Neanderthals” in office and their role in the decline of Parliament, the suppression of dissent, the plight of First Nations, their blinkered climate-change policy and our plummeting world
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: ………Democracy Under Fire?
“The objective of these attackswas to instil fear and panic in our country, as I said yesterday, Canadians will not be intimidated. Here we are, in our seats, in our chamber, in the very heart of our democracy.” Stephen Harper in the House of Commons Thursday October 23rd. This phrase
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Open Letter to Canadian MPs: Vote Against Conservatives’ Bill C-13
Over 30 individuals and organizations concerned with women’s equality online call on Canadian MPs to vote against the Conservatives’ Bill C-13, the deceptively named “Protecting Canadians from Online Crime Act”. The post Open Letter to Canadian MPs: Vote Against Conservatives’ Bill C-13 appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: And so it starts……
The first volleys in the election war to come that is, we have our ‘fearless leader’ “protecting Canadians” by sending a few planes and a handful of personnel over to Iran to drop a few bombs on the terrorist hordes. We have the first of many more to come promises
Continue readingAlberta Diary: Ten Questions about the Harper Government’s embrace of war with ISIS-ISIL-IS
Ready, Aye, Ready! Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird whips up the War Party in the House of Commons. Below: Stephen Harper, the prime minister, and Edmonton Centre MP Laurie Hawn. Stephen Harper, John Baird, Laurie Hawn and the rest of the boys yesterday finally got the war in Iraq they’ve
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Trudeau “cannot and will not” support Harper’s Iraq war motion
Responding to Harper’s Iraq war motion, introduced Friday, Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau said his party “cannot and will not support this Prime Minister’s motion.” The post Trudeau “cannot and will not” support Harper’s Iraq war motion appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Harper Speech Announces Canada’s Air Strikes Against ISIS
Here’s an unedited text of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s speech in the House of Commons on Friday, announcing Canada’s air strikes against ISIS in Iraq. The post Harper Speech Announces Canada’s Air Strikes Against ISIS appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Conservatives Kill NDP Motion To Civilize Question Period
On Tuesday, the House voted 144-132 to defeat an NDP motion seeking to empower the Speaker to police irrelevant answers during Question Period. The post Conservatives Kill NDP Motion To Civilize Question Period appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Conservative MP, Commons Speaker Desecrated Parliament
A simple question by NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair during Question Period led to a bizarre exchange with a Conservative MP and exposed House of Commons Speaker Andrew Scheer’s incompetence and lack of neutrality. The post Conservative MP, Commons Speaker Desecrated Parliament appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Right-Wing Observer: Our Conservative Speaker and the Protection of Democracy
Andrew Scheer says he has to stick to past practice in executing his role as the allegedly un-biased Speaker of the House of Commons. It is not his role to police the quality of questions and answers, unless the House asks him to do so. And apparently, despite Thomas Mulcair’s
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: MPs Obstructed, Undermined and Impeded!
Recently Green Party Leader Elizabeth May spoke to her fellow MP’s and the Speaker of The House regarding the governments ever increasing practice of limiting debate upon important legislation before The House. She contends that the rights of her and her colleagues in parliament have been “obstructed, undermined and impeded”
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: Essential Reading for Democracy.
There have been a number of articles highlighting former Conservative MP Mr. Rathgeber’s new book Irresponsible Government: The Decline of Parliamentary Democracy in Canada in recent days.That he outlines the tight control that the PMO exercises over the Conservative MP’s is hardly a surprise given that he quit the Conservative
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: NDP MP Craig Scott proposes an “adapted-for-Canada” system of proportional representation
NDP MP Craig Scott proposes an “adapted-for-Canada” system of proportional representation as a route to parliamentary reform and democratic renewal. The post NDP MP Craig Scott proposes an “adapted-for-Canada” system of proportional representation appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: Harper’s abuse of Challenger jets, government resources unacceptable
by: Obert Madondo | April 2, 2014 The Conservatives’ abuse of the Challenger jets and other government resources might end soon if the New Democrats are successful with their latest motion. On Tuesday, the NDP tabled an opposition day motion in the House of Commons that would limit the use of the jests
Continue readingDemocracy Under Fire: The Undemocratic Election Act
“The things in it that are good could have been so much better, but the things that are bad are unforgivable in a democracy.” Recently Green Party Leader Elizabeth May had an opportunity to speak to the Commons Committee considering Bill C23, The ‘Fair’ Elections Act. What follows are some
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