Asking all English Canadians

[notyoueither]

It was widely accepted she could have offered the government to Harper if the Liberals fell right off the bat. I think it is just about too late now. Have to go back to the polls if the next budget fails.

[Wezil]

You are probably right. Time elapsed would be the factor. Certainly explains Layton's distress during the Throne Speech kerfuffle.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Tingkai
The current GG is a woman, Adrienne Clarkson (Her late father Bill Poy was a friend of my family. Quite a nice guy and very intelligent).

[edit: deleted bit that repeats what NYE said]

The GG is unlikely to ever use the veto power, just as the Queen does not. Instead, they work behind the scenes (less so for the GG) using moral suasion.

If you want an example of the GG actual power, just look at the current minority government. If the government loses a no-confidence vote then two things can happen: an election is called or the other parties form a government.

Who decides? The G-G, and in this situation, she would consult with Queen and the Queen would have the final say.

My point is that, if the G-G doesn't wield the power because he knows he (or she) wouldn't be obeyed, he effectively doesn't have that power.

And this other power you mention seems relatively minor and I doubt he would invite them out of the order of their respective percent of the vote.

[Wezil]

Twelve pages now. I'm afraid to dig into what that may mean about us...

How long are threads allowed to fester and grow before being closed in favour of a new edition?

[notyoueither]

You don't really understand Canada, sky. We have three real principles. Peace, order, and good government.

The Queen and the GG are an assurance of good government. If a 'bad government' ever tried to screw things up, the Crown would be there as a way of stopping it, and to change that would require seven of ten provinces to agree that the Monarch be tossed. In short, it is a Canadian idea of a check or a balance.

Incidently, Royal Assent has been withheld in Canada a number of times in the last 100 years. We do occassionally have governments who want to go beyond their powers. One memorable, to a historian, time was when the Government of Alberta decided to undermine currency and the banking system.

[Kuciwalker]

I think you guys are nuts to give an official answerable only to some hereditary monarch any real power.

[notyoueither]

We think you're nuts to have a head of state who has to politic like Bush and Kerry.

[notyoueither]

Or Chirac and Le Pen.

[Kuciwalker]

Touche

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Wezil
Twelve pages now. I'm afraid to dig into what that may mean about us...

How long are threads allowed to fester and grow before being closed in favour of a new edition?

500 posts.

This ain't nothin'

You should see some of the screaming matches that some of them have been. There was one where we spammed it for the last 100 to 500 posts with song lyrics as snide comments on each other just so we could stop arguing. It never did get locked, we just left it alone out of a sense of order.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
My point is that, if the G-G doesn't wield the power because he knows he (or she) wouldn't be obeyed, he effectively doesn't have that power.

And this other power you mention seems relatively minor and I doubt he would invite them out of the order of their respective percent of the vote.

Kuci, you're arguing against NYE and me. That should be clear proof that you're wrong.

[Kuciwalker]

It's clear proof that Canadians are nuts

I was working from the assumption that you guys are sane. It must be the cold

[Wezil]

Originally posted by notyoueither
One memorable, to a historian, time was when the Government of Alberta decided to undermine currency and the banking system.

Bible Bill was good for historians. He had three bills punted.

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
It's clear proof that Canadians are nuts

I was working from the assumption that you guys are sane. It must be the cold

A. We've not had the need for a civil war, even though the successionists have had their day and are now in decline.

B. We form our governments based on rep by pop, and not some EC system like in the US, or indirect election like in the EU.

C. We've never been on the losing side of a hot, or cold, war.

D. We like the cold.

[Tingkai]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
It must be the cold

Not cold enough yet.

Still above zero in Lake Louise, although the mountains already has a 17-inch snowbase. More snow, more snow!