tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2761538946854485154.post5234124425696339248..comments2024-03-11T03:02:29.875-06:00Comments on Simple Massing Priest: ". . . Losing its moral authority to govern."Malcolm+http://www.blogger.com/profile/08469936715413110334noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2761538946854485154.post-85942109358856686852010-01-24T10:44:53.739-06:002010-01-24T10:44:53.739-06:00Good article Malcolm. These are the values of our ...Good article Malcolm. These are the values of our leadership that will become us.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2761538946854485154.post-1817392070009844782010-01-23T23:54:56.914-06:002010-01-23T23:54:56.914-06:00I rather think it is, but, as you see, a good syst...I rather think it is, but, as you see, a good system may be no match for a bad leader.<br /><br />There are two principle differences between our mode of governance and yours.<br /><br />1. The functions of Head of State and Head of Government are vested in two different offices (the Governor General who represents the Queen and the Prime Minister).<br /><br />2. The Executive Branch (the Prime Minister and Cabinet) are all members of the Legislative Branch and are required to maintain the confidence of the House of Commons.<br /><br />The main weaknesses of our system are:<br /><br />Our Head of State is hereditary and our de facto Head of State is appointed. Notionally the Governor General is appointed by the Queen, but she acts on the advice of the Prime Minister - so essentially the PM appoints his boss. The problem is that any fix raises even bigger problems.<br /><br />Our Senate is (as I have said previously) a festering pustule on the arse end of our democracy. It is long since overdue for abolition.<br /><br />Our First Past the Post electoral system tends to create false majorities. The Chretien Liberals formed majority governments with as little as 38% of the vote against a divided right.Malcolm+https://www.blogger.com/profile/08469936715413110334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2761538946854485154.post-16456042479990931382010-01-23T21:55:45.526-06:002010-01-23T21:55:45.526-06:00I wish I understood Canadian government (and parli...I wish I understood Canadian government (and parliamentary government in general) better - it seems like a much more sensible system than the one we have.The Religious Pícarohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03620636294081499041noreply@blogger.com