Prime Minister, Crown, Writs, Dissolving... What?

[Chris]

Okay, so... I know just how messed up the formal procedures of the Canadian parliamentary and election processes can seem. So, I thought I would put together a quick explanation of exactly how the Government got "defeated," why some people say the election already started, and some are saying it starts tomorrow, and why the prime minister is "visiting" the Governor General tomorrow, and why things are "dissolving," what the writ is, and why someone wants to drop it, and so on and so forth.

If anyone has any questions about anything else, please post it here and I can do my best to give you an answer, or look it up if it's beyond me!

How was the Government defeated?

In Canada, the Government also has to enjoy the support (or the "confidence") of a majority of our elected representatives in the House of Commons. Usually, this isn't a problem, since for most of our history, the single governing party has controlled an absolute majority of seats. This becomes a problem when a governing party has only a plurality; it must always seek and receive the support of enough opposition members, on each key vote, to pass its measures. Usually, the Government is only "defeated" (or declared to have lost the House's confidence) if it loses on a money vote.

However, the Government can also be defeated explicitly, by passing a motion of "no confidence." This is a motion that says, expressly, that the House of Commons does not support the Government of Canada. Once the Government has been defeated, on either a money vote or through one of these motions, then it must either resign (which has never happened), or ask the Governor General for a general election.

When does the election start, and who makes it happen?

This is one of the areas where there is some confusion; the prime minister and his Government aren't the ones with the formal power to start a general election. When the Government is defeated (as described above), the prime minister must visit the Governor General to request that an election be held. This is because ending a session -- or "dissolving" it -- is one of the few prerogative powers of the Crown. The prime minister must visit the Governor General (as the Crown's representative in Canada) to let him know that he's lost the House's support, and to advise the Governor General to therefore order a dissolution to make way for a general election.

So, since the prime minister is visiting the Governor General tomorrow morning, the election hasn't actually started yet. This is why some newscasts are saying that the election has started, and others are saying that an election looms, or starts soon. The prime minister is the chief advisor to the Crown, and since he's the one who advises when a general election takes place (for the Governor General to make the actual order), it's just a heck of a lot easier, most of the time, to say that the "Government has called an election."

Honestly, what the f*ck is a "writ"?

A writ is just a paper issued by an administrative body. In Canada, there are three hundred eight writs, one issued for each electoral district, by the Chief Electoral Officer, on the orders of the Governor General. The phrase "dropping the writ" describes the writs being "dropped" at each of these districts, therefore causing the start of the general election for each of those districts.

[CDNBear]

Why did it take the opposition less then an hour to fully read something that should have taken a day to read?

Why did the opposition then force an unnecessary election, over something they obviously haven't read?

[dazed&confused]

What if the GG decides to ignore Harpers request & calls on Iggy etal to attempt to form a government ala Arthur Meighan & "King-Byng" (an outlandish option I know). If they happen to be able to form a cohesive unit to govern would the clock start ticking on a fixed election date of October 2015 or would we still be looking at October 2012 (anniversary of the 40th's 4th year)?

[dazed&confused]

Why did it take the opposition less then an hour to fully read something that should have taken a day to read?

Why did the opposition then force an unnecessary election, over something they obviously haven't read?

Isn't the election over ethics & the facts were laid clear during committee. A glossing over of the majority report would all all that was required to show the Conservatives were in contempt, I'm surprised it took an hour to figure that out.

The proposed budget (if thats what you are intimating) never got further than presentation so therefore it wasn't necessary to fine tooth comb it.

[CDNBear]

Isn't the election over ethics & the facts were laid clear during committee. A glossing over of the majority report would all all that was required to show the Conservatives were in contempt, I'm surprised it took an hour to figure that out.

Ummm, from the news, it would appear that the "budget" was defeated, triggering a non confidence vote.

As for the report on the supposed contempt of Parliament by the Conservatives. There are, non partisan people, that think the majority, all of which are partisan hacks, came to a predetermined conclusion.

The proposed budget (if thats what you are intimating) never got further than presentation so therefore it wasn't necessary to fine tooth comb it.

But that is what was used to trigger the non confidence vote.

Are you saying that the budget was just the tool the opposition surreptitiously used to defeat the gov't?

[CDNBear]

You're right dazed!

I just caught up on the news, and I stand corrected as to what the vote was on.

But I still stand behind my opinion, that it was a forced issue, decided by partisan politics, and a predetermined conclusion.

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

What if the GG decides to ignore Harpers request & calls on Iggy etal to attempt to form a government ala Arthur Meighan & "King-Byng" (an outlandish option I know). If they happen to be able to form a cohesive unit to govern would the clock start ticking on a fixed election date of October 2015 or would we still be looking at October 2012 (anniversary of the 40th's 4th year)?

It would be hard pressed for the GG to justify giving the government to Iggy and the scallywags given that most of the country does not support this option. It is the GGs right to try this if he so chooses. The 2012 date would be the date used as I believe the 4 years is the date between elections.

Isn't the election over ethics & the facts were laid clear during committee. A glossing over of the majority report would all all that was required to show the Conservatives were in contempt, I'm surprised it took an hour to figure that out.

The proposed budget (if thats what you are intimating) never got further than presentation so therefore it wasn't necessary to fine tooth comb it.

A committee (not surprisingly made up primarly of opposition MPs) produced a partisan report. Iggy and the Scallywags chose to use this as the means of non-confidence because it allowed them to wiggle and lie about whether they would or would not have supported the budget. It was clear that they would not have however. They will try to make this a 'hot button' election issue but really, it just highlights their stupidity to head to an election trailing in the polls by 20%. I hope they get slaughtered.

[Locutus]

Yep.

The self-righteous moral high ground cliff edge that Iggy's nails are clinging too will be his undoing.

S-p-o-n-s-o-r-s-h-i-p scandal.


Maybe Mikey can go back to mopping floors at Harvard.

[dazed&confused]

Yep.

The self-righteous moral high ground cliff edge that Iggy's nails are clinging too will be his undoing.

S-p-o-n-s-o-r-s-h-i-p scandal.


Maybe Mikey can go back to mopping floors at Harvard.

Lets see what the Harper Government has to answer for (just off the top of my head)

In & out

Bruce Carson

F35 Cost underestimates

Law & order agenda Costs (Jails et al)

Afghan Detainee issue

G8/20 costs

Sponsorship looks small potatoes vs the above. We shouldn't forget about the Bev Oda or the Maxim Bernier episode either or the villification of Helena Geurgis.

[CDNBear]

Lets see what the Harper Government has to answer for (just off the top of my head)

In & out

An ongoing court battle, in which the Conservatives were once cleared, is still underway.

Bruce Carson

An ex aide and non issue.

F35 Cost underestimates

What isn't being under estimated, is the benefits to Canadian industry, because we signed on to buy new jets.

Law & order agenda Costs (Jails et al)

And your point is?

Afghan Detainee issue

An issue created by the Liberals, in signing us to the Afghanistan conflict.

G8/20 costs

Are you still griping about the fake lake?

We shouldn't forget about the Bev Oda or the Maxim Bernier episode either or the villification of Helena Geurgis.

Oda is a moron, and Geurgis is proof Karma happens.