Group of Tory Backbenchers Pushing To Limit Prime Minister's Power

[tay]

The Tory backbench may have the best idea to emerge from the Conservative ranks since Harper rose to power.


A Conservative backbencher, Michael Chong, plans to introduce An Act to Amend the Canada Elections Act and the Parliament of Canada Act next week that would pose an enormous threat to the survival of authoritarian types like the sitting prime minister.

Passed into law, the Act would allow caucus to oust a prime minister by majority vote, triggering a leadership contest. If would allow caucus, again by a simply majority, to decide who would be allowed into caucus or expelled. It would scrap the provision that candidates needed the written endorsement of their party leader to run for office.




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Andrew Coyne: Reform Act bill would change Canada’s parliament forever | National Post

 

[CDNBear]

Wow, you just have to love all the undemocratic back flips politicians are doing these days.

 

[petros]

It's the Reform/Progreesive divde inspiring this. It was bound to happen.

 

[Goober]

Wow, you just have to love all the undemocratic back flips politicians are doing these days.

How? The bill does have some good points.

 

[CDNBear]

How? The bill does have some good points.

Whomever is placed in office as a replacement, was not the leader the party had when it was voted in.

 

[Goober]

Whomever is placed in office as a replacement, was not the leader the party had when it was voted in.

Think Chretien.

from the link.
2. It would similarly empower caucus to decide whether an MP should be permitted to sit amongst their number. A vote to expel (or to readmit) would be held under the same rules as a leadership review: 15% of caucus to trigger, 50% plus one to decide. A member would also be readmitted automatically on being re-elected to the House under the party banner. In other words, membership in caucus would no longer simply be up to the leader to decide.

3. It would remove the current provision in the Elections Act requiring any candidate for election to have his nomination papers signed by the party leader. Instead, the required endorsement would come from a “nomination officer,” elected by the members of the riding association. In other words, the riding association, and not the leader, would decide who its nominee was. There would be no leader’s veto.

The Reform Act would turn each of these on its head. Henceforth, party leaders would serve at the pleasure of caucus, and not the other way around. Leaders would still be powerful — in the case of the prime minister, immensely powerful. They just would not be all-powerful.
I said this was a revolution, but in truth it would do no more than to restore the basic principles of the Westminster model on which we were founded, and under which we were governed for many years. The convention that party leaders must maintain the confidence of caucus at all times may have fallen into disuse in Canada, but it remains very much in force in other parliamentary democracies — witness the removal of Julia Gillard as leader of the Australian Labour party (and prime minister) last June. Likewise, the power given to Canadian party leaders to decide the fate of every candidate or member is one that, to my knowledge, exists in no other parliamentary system.

 

[damngrumpy]

I truly believe people will allow Prime Ministers to remain as long as they don't
decide they are elevated to the position of King of the Dominion when that
happens the welcome mat gets pulled pretty quick and that is happening.
opinion polls and scandals are now coming forth. The problem is this is an
orchestrated attack. There is more to come and its coming out one issue at
a time. The Party is now seeing the wolves begin to circle, they don't want new
blood some just want blood. I think Harpie made a great mistake when the party
silently cheered for the Wildrose Party and they didn't win. Many of the current
Reform wing of the Federal Tories are with Wild Rose behind the curtain.
I have always thought this would be Harpers last run he won't be Prime Minister
when the election comes and if he is the Tories are done. people want change
and in a vacuum anyone will do for the electorate. Elections are always based
on emotion not reason.

 

[CDNBear]

Think Chretien.

I'd say the same thing.

 

[Goober]

I'd say the same thing.

Would you agree if it lead to a full leadership review - vote by all Party members? Not just MP's.

 

[CDNBear]

Would you agree if it lead to a full leadership review - vote by all Party members? Not just MP's.

Nope, back to the polls.

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

That's why they are backbenchers.

 

[darkbeaver]

Backbenchers are usually the still honest as yet uncorrupted rendering them unsuitable for public office and party power because they cannot be blackmailed by film or photo. Harper is a common zionist collaborator who should eventually face Canadian justice for treason.

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

Backbenchers are usually the still honest as yet uncorrupted rendering them unsuitable for public office and party power because they cannot be blackmailed by film or photo. Harper is a common zionist collaborator who should eventually face Canadian justice for treason.

Join us Darkbeaver, we're having a Zionist bake sale followed by a dance at the Mazel Tov Centre. All proceeds go toward the cause and we'll even give you a complimentary Zionist and Proud of it T-shirt.

 

[CDNBear]

Join us Darkbeaver, we're having a Zionist bake sale followed by a dance at the Mazel Tov Centre. All proceeds go toward the cause and we'll even give you a complimentary Zionist and Proud of it T-shirt.

Don't forget the the Hebrew addition of your book.

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

Don't forget the the Hebrew addition of your book.

Shucks, almost forgot.

 

[Goober]

Myself I am in favor if it leads to a leadership vote by all Party members- same as a convention.
The UK has it- and at least there the PM answers questions- not in Canada though.

 

[lone wolf]

When a Prime Minister behaves like a spoiled brat, it's time to remind him/her that it's not his/her sandbox.

 

[taxslave]

There is already a system in place. First the party has an annual leadership convention where the faithful decide if they want to keep the current leader and then every four years all voters get to decide if the party made the right decision. This way the PM can worry about the job at hand instead of running what would amount to a continuos election campaign. Works well.

 

[Cliffy]

There is already a system in place. First the party has an annual leadership convention where the faithful decide if they want to keep the current leader and then every four years all voters get to decide if the party made the right decision. This way the PM can worry about the job at hand instead of running what would amount to a continuos election campaign. Works well.

Only if it a party that you favour.

 

[BornRuff]

Nope, back to the polls.

How would that work? Go back to the polls with the same leader?