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On January 18, 2019, the Canadian Study of Parliament Group held a seminar entitled "Gearing Up for the Next Election" to hear from experts about the preparations necessary in advance of the fall 2019 election. The well-attended gathering brought together political strategists as well as the Chief Electoral Officer and Parliamentary Budget Officer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On Friday, November 16, 2018, the Canadian Study of Parliament Group held a Parliamentary Business Seminar on Parliamentary Diplomacy, inviting experts to discuss various aspects of parliamentary involvement in foreign affairs. One panel explored how parliamentary diplomacy occurs in Canada while a second panel gathered current and former parliamentarians who participated in parliamentary diplomacy to offer their personal and professional reflections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How can we establish equitable gender representation in Canadian politics and parliament? What obstacles stand in the way of this goal? And, what can serving Canadian parliamentarians tell us about the challenges they have either experienced or witnessed among their colleagues. In this article, the authors use primary interviews with six MPs and a secondary literature review to explore theories used in support of methods designed to improve gender representation. They conclude by suggesting that methods to improve gender representation in politics need to be fulsome and diverse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides an overview of the Canadian Parliament's rules concerning private Members' bills (PMB). Statistics are provided on PMBs that received Royal Assent from 1984 to 2015. The evolution of the parliamentary rules governing the treatment of PMBs is discussed. The article also discussed the difference between a PMB and a government legislation, and ways to address any constitutional or shortcomings in a PMB and some measures to implement a greater focus on PMBs.

The article discusses the highlights of Canada's President of the National Assembly's speech about the arrest of a member of the assembly by Quebec's anti-corruption unit (UPAC) and the principles and conclusions of the directive he issued on the case, delivered at the 35th Canadian Presiding Officers' Conference in January 2018. Topics discussed include the parliamentarians' rights and privileges in the context of police work and separation of the powers of the state.

The author outlines the role and responsibilities of clerks in Canada's parliamentary assemblies, how they develop their procedural knowledge and the selection and appointment process. She describes her experience working as a tour guide and clerk at the Legislative Assembly for 37 years and the changes in the workplace. Also mentioned are the administrative role of clerks, on the job acquisition of procedural knowledge and the competitive process in selection of clerks.

Every Member of Parliament represents a constituency. Yet the amount of attention paid to the Member constituency relationship by scholars is quite small compared to its importance in our democratic system. Members must spend time building connections to their constituencies, understanding concerns, and mediating these tensions within a party caucus if party policy conflicts with what an MP is hearing locally. Additional responsibilities such as being in cabinet or having a constituency far from Ottawa where travel is difficult can create other challenges. The Canadian Study of Parliament Group organized a seminar on March 16, 2018 which brought parliamentarians, academics, parliamentary staff and journalists together to explore ideas of constituency representation and engagement. This article summarizes the seminar's sessions and provides some insight into how these various groups of stakeholders think about the nature of constituencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most valuable and perishable commodity one has, as a Member of Parliament (MP), is time. How we use our time in Ottawa and in the riding speaks to the value we bring to the people who elect us. The efficiency of Members' time is an integral principle throughout our Parliamentary procedures and conventions. Making efficient and effective use the Member's time in Ottawa is paramount. In this article, the author explores how the creation of parallel chambers in two sister Westminster Parliaments has provided ways to make maximum use of the time MPs have during a parliament to engage in debate and discussion. In addition to streamlining the legislative process and reducing the need and/or use of closure and time allocation, the concurrent chambers have been used to test new proposals for procedures that eventually have been adopted by the main chamber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partisanship permits groups of like-minded people who share similar ideas to organize themselves efficiently in politics. It's an accepted and acceptable part of parliamentary democracy. But when hyper-partisanship takes hold in politics it can be detrimental to the way parliamentarians serve their constituents and severely diminish how they see their representatives. In this article, the author reflects on his experiences in Alberta's Assembly and suggests three ways he, his colleagues, and other parliamentarians across the country can reverse the trend towards hyper-partisanship. First, he suggests parliamentarians treat our political adversaries as colleagues, and seek opportunities to get to know them away from the legislature. Second, he urges parliamentarians to seek options for dealing with legislation in a less partisan, more collaborative environment in committee. Finally, he recommends making a conscious effort to elevate the level of debate, discussion, and decorum in each of our respective Legislatures. This article was originally presented to the 39th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Canadian Regional Seminar in Charlottetown, on October 11, 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exposure of the remains of the Parliament of United-Canada in recent years by Pointe-à-Callière culminated in 2017 with massive archaeological excavations. Coinciding with Montreal's 375th anniversary and Confederation's 150th, the discoveries made at this important place in the political history of Montreal, Québec and Canada are significant; the site's spatial extent and the wealth of material remains discovered have captured our imagination. All through the summer, visitors have been able to come close to archaeologists in an environment that promoted comprehension of a site characterized by the remarkable state of preservation of its architectural remains. But a number of surprises were awaiting: the richness of the artifacts recovered and documents thus far unknown challenge our understanding of this fundamental episode in Canadian history. Here are some highlights of this ongoing investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses parliamentary activities and government of Manitoba including 2nd session of the 41st legislature, budget debate and committee of supply. Topics dsicussed include Advocate for Children and Youth Act, which expands the mandate of the Children's Advocate of Manitoba, Finance Minister Cameron Friesen delivered his second budget highlighting investments to Manitoba Health and how Committee of Supply began consideration of the Estimates of the Departmental Expenditures.

This article aims to further a conversation about the role of religion, faith, and spirituality in public institutions in Canada by examining the practice of prayer in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The authors provide a background of prayer in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, an overview of the differing customs in provincial and territorial legislative assemblies in Canada, and also public controversies and court cases which have arisen in response to these conventions. Following an analysis of prayers delivered at the opening of legislative sessions of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 1992 to 2016, the article concludes by comparing the content of prayers delivered to self-reported rates of religiosity, spirituality, and faith amongst the general British Columbia population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The federal election of October 19, 2015 established a high water mark in the representation of racial diversity in Parliament with the election of 45 MPs with visible minority origins. Their relative presence jumped over four percentage points compared to the 2011 general election and their larger number markedly narrowed the population-based gap in representation. As an account of this improvement in the representation of visible minority MPs, the focus here is on aspects of the candidate nomination process, with an approach informed by the supposition that heightened competition among the three largest parties engendered a greater degree of vote-seeking among immigrant and minority communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is now nearly 20 years since Australia introduced a prominent piece of legislation known as the Charter of Budget Honesty Act (1998) to improve the transparency and the discipline of its budget process. This article examines the success of the charter, as well as its limitations, in the context of Australian budget process, including an analysis of its most pertinent components, so as to then reflect more broadly on the impact of budget honesty mechanisms for parliaments with a similar structure and history, including Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the course of the past two years, a confluence of events has dramatically altered Canada's Senate. The upper chamber's response to the Auditor General's Report on Senators' Expenses, the absence of a government caucus in the Senate at the start of the 42nd Parliament, and a new appointment process that brought in a significant number of Independent senators have all contributed to institutional change. In this article, based on his remarks to the 34th Canadian Presiding Officers Conference, Senator George J. Furey provides some observations of the impact of these events from his unique vantage point as Speaker. While acknowledging that these changes have created some tensions, he concludes that this transition can be defined by openness, flexibility, adaptability and a general willingness to move forward slowly without forcing permanent rule changes until the landscape is better defined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two significant Supreme Court rulings from the 1990s have opened the door to using Hansard Debates to divine a parliament's intent in court cases which challenge understandings of laws. Although the Supreme Court rulings stressed that use of Hansard as a source in legal proceedings should be strictly limited, subsequent lower courts have not always observed these limits. In this article, the author outlines these developments and explains how the more liberal use of Hansard in courts can be problematic. He concludes by cautioning parliamentarians to be mindful of how the words they use during debate may be used by the courts in the future, and urges the courts to consider how some parliamentarians might begin using their speeches in parliament to win in court what they could not in a legislature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2018 we lost one of the most significant voices participating in the study, discussion, and promotion of Canada's parliamentary democracy. C.E.S. Franks' was well known amongst scholars for his decades of work based at Queen's University; but he was also known among the Canadian public as an expert commentator frequently sought out by journalists who covered Canadian politics. In this article, the author pays tribute to Franks by highlighting his seminal work, The Parliament of Canada (1987), and explaining how its insights remain relevant to any debate on how and why Parliament could or should be reformed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the legislative reports presented at the 1st session of the new Legislature of Manitoba held on May 16, 2016. Topics discussed include the appointment of Myrna Driedger as Speaker, budget debate of Finance Minister Cameron Friesen and the Mental Health Amendment Act and the Francophone Community and Enhancement and Support Act.

Information about several papers discussed in the 54th CPA-Canadian Regional Conference held in July 17-22, 2016 in Saint John's Newfoundland and Labrador, is presented. Topics discussed include women in conflict prevention roles, role of women in politics and the proposal to create a subcommittee called Commonwealth Parliamentarians with disabilities (CPwD). The meeting featured notable speakers which include Kevin Murphy, Linda Reid and Patricia Arab.

Now in its 18th year, the Saskatchewan Teachers' Institute on Parliamentary Democracy has given nearly three hundred teachers from across province the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the political system by observing it in action. Through meetings with the Lieutenant Governor, Speaker, Ministers, Caucus leaders, Whips, and Chairs, as well as with Private Members, media and the judiciary, the non-partisan professional development program provides teachers with an all-encompassing overview of the realities of democracy and its importance in our society, thereby equipping them with valuable knowledge to convey the issues and intricacies of modern Parliament to their students. The Institute also promotes the sharing of ideas, resources and methodologies for teaching about parliamentary democracy with fellow participants. In this article, the author recounts his experience as a teacher-intraining who participated in a recent edition of the program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canada's recent run of hung parliaments (2004-2011) gave rise to a number of proposals intended to stabilize minority government. One such proposal recommends fixing the confidence convention by adopting a constructive vote of non-confidence that requires non-confidence votes to simultaneously elect a new head of government. Aucoin, Jarvis and Turnbull suggest that constructive non-confidence will increase parliamentary stability, legitimize mid-term transitions and reduce executive dominance. Yet, a cursory investigation of research on the constructive non-confidence votes demonstrates a dearth of evidence on the rule's effects. This article fills this gap by reviewing other jurisdictions' experiences with constructive non-confidence in order to unpack how the rule might work within the Canadian context. The comparative research demonstrates that though constructive non-confidence will enhance parliamentary stability, it will do so at the cost of decreasing the legitimacy of mid-term transitions and bolstering executive dominance over parliament. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parliamentary committees in Canada are undeniably important resources for interest groups - particularly in terms of gaining information, articulating one's message on public record, and establishing oneself as a legitimate stakeholder in the eyes of politicians, government and the public. However, one of the intended functions of standing committees -- to serve as a venue for non-governmental influence on policy -- has largely proved to be a canard in Canada's House of Commons. The first part of this article prioritizes the challenges facing non-governmental actors who wish to exert policy influence through parliamentary committees. It asserts that standing committees' function of carrying out studies has more surmountable challenges than the function of legislative reviews. The second part of the article emphasizes that two developments are imperative in order to realize the potential committee studies hold: first, the open-ended nature of studies and the inadequacy of follow-up mechanisms should be addressed (with the scope of questions designed to feed into a pipeline of future legislative activity wherever feasible), and second, long-overdue accountability mechanisms should be introduced to ensure that the government responds to committee reports upon request. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The provisions of the Constitution Act, 1867 respecting the qualification and disqualification of Senators are outdated. They can be modernized without controversy and early action to accomplish that could be the impetus for Parliament and the Legislatures to address more significant aspects of Senate reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the 2014 Supreme Court of Canada reference making transformative reform or abolition of the Senate unlikely in the near future, the author asks if informal or incremental reforms have occurred in the past 30 years. Using quantitative data, he finds that the upper chamber has become more representative of aspects of Canadian diversity in the sociological sense. Women, Aboriginal people and official-language minorities are represented in greater numbers in the Senate than in the House of Commons. The data concerning the Senate's effect on legislative business in Parliament reveals a somewhat uneven record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the legislative developments during the third Session of the 41st legislature on March 7, 2018 of Manitoba. It states that new Leader of the Official Opposition and NDP leader Wab Kinew passed a non-confidence motion during his contribution to the budget debate on March 13, 2018.

The article reports on New Brunswick's politics and government. Topics discussed include membership changes such as joining of cabinet by Andrew Harvey, and Gilles LePage, Minister of Labour, Employment and Population Growth; plantation of a "Vimy Oak" sapling on the grounds of the Legislature in recognition of National Peacekeepers' Day; and review of government departments by the standing committees on Public Accounts and Crown Corporations, chaired by Trevor Holder and Chuck Chiasson.

The article offers information on Yukon's politics and government. Topics discussed include introduction of government bills such as Public Airports Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Act (2017); hosting of 10th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) Outreach Program by CWP along with role of Nils Clarke, a Politician in the Program; and information on Accounts Committee Reports by Auditor General of Canada, Michael Ferguson and role of women in politics.

The article offers information on Manitoba's politics and government. Topics discussed include the Second session of the 41st Legislature along with consideration of Auditor General Report on the management of the Manitoba's Apprenticeship Program; information on signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to implement security measures at the Legislative Precinct to improve security planning and response protocols; and the party standings in the Manitoba Legislature such as New Democratic Party.

The article offers information on topics related to the legislative and government activities in Prince Edward Island. Topics discussed include the provincial general election that was held on May 4, 2015, the election of Francis Watts as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the province, and the speech of Lieutenant-Governor H. Frank Lewis at the opening of the first session of the 65th General Assembly on June 3, 2015.

The article offers information related to the politics and government of Manitoba, a province in Canada. Topics discussed include the operating expenditure of provincial government, the move of politician Heather Stefanson during an opposition day motion about his request to conduct a comprehensive audit of the Investors Group Field construction project, and the changes adopted by the Legislative Assembly to its rules, orders and forms of proceeding.

The article discusses miscellaneous information related to parliamentary activity of Yukon which includes 34th legislative assembly, federal budget planning and amendments to the human rights act and vital statistics act. Topics discussed include how Premier and Minister of Finance Sandy Silver moved first reading of Bill No. 201, amendment of Human Rights Act and the Vital Statistics Act and death of former commissioner Jim Smith.

The article discusses miscellaneous information related to parliamentary activities of New Brunswick including legislation and resolution passed by the parliament, Select Committee on Cannabis and multimedia presentation. Topics include An Act to Amend the Political Process Financing Act, introduced by Minister of Health Victor Boudreau, legislature passed a resolution introduced by politician Bruce Fitch and multimedia presentation projected upon front exterior of Legislative Assembly.

The article offers miscellaneous information related to parliamentary of Prince Edward Island which includes the Sixty-fifth general assembly, speaker's ruling and Retirement of Sergeant-at-Arms and Director of Security. Topics discussed include how politician Jamie Fox introduced Bill No. 104, An Act to Amend the Highway Traffic act, how speaker Francis Watts ruled on a Point of Privilege raised by Leader of the Opposition Jamie Fox and retirement of J. McDonald.

The article presents information on the political system in the Senate in Canada. Topics mentioned include the use of unparliamentary language of the speakers on Senate Modernization, the amendment of the Budget Implementation Act for consumer protection and the changes on the composition of the Senate through the appointment of new committee members.

The article presents information on the political activities in New Brunswick. Topics mentioned include the challenges faced by the province towards educational system, the capital budget for health infrastructure and education and the amendment of the bills for the economic development of the province.

The article presents information on the political activities in Manitoba. Topics mentioned include second session of the 41st Legislature regarding the finances, services, and economic growth of the province, the appointment of Andrew Micklefield as government house leader in the Manitoba Legislature and the political parties in the province such as Progressive Conservatives, New Democratic Party and the independent members.

The article presents information on the selected publications related to parliamentary studies of the Library of Parliament in Canada from November 2016 to February 2017. Topics mentioned include the cooperative federalism and progressive interpretation of the Constitution towards climate change agreements, the parliamentary practice of the parliamentarians and the constitutional authority of the legislative bodies.

Executive branches of government are exercising increased control over decision-making, using a wide range of strategies to develop policy preferences and oversee their implementation. Canada, for instance, has seen a steady presidentialization of its parliamentary system, characterized by a heightened centralization of decision-making in the Prime Minister's Office. The first part of this paper identifies a number of the cognitive biases that impede sound decision-making by the executive and examines two demanding, yet effective, strategies - multiple advocacy arid the use of honest brokers-for mitigating subsequent distortions. The second part of the paper discusses challenges to effective policy implementation in light of the systematic disconnections between the executive and the public service. Finally, the merits of political patronage appointments as a means of mitigating these challenges are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Northwest Territories' consensus system, as in the party system, a government is appointed by the formal executive and members of the executive council are accountable to the House. However, the selection of executive council members in the two systems differs significantly and perhaps consequentially for the confidence convention in responsible government. In this article, born out of a debate between the authors sponsored by the Northwest Territories Regional Group of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada, David M. Brock and Alan Cash explore some of the factors to consider if and when the convention is put to the test in a consensus system. They conclude by noting that with recent changes to the Northwest Territories Act as well as emerging conventions regarding the removal of members of the Executive Council, one may now safely argue that the confidence convention could be applied in the Northwest Territories in a manner similar to the application found in party systems. However, the prerogative of the House, emphasized and codified in consensus government, limits the discretion of the first minister and mitigates the power of the executive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers updates related to by-elections, parliamentary offices, and assembly in Canada in 2014. It highlights the official entry of the candidates, who were elected in the by-elections of December 9, 2013 in the electoral divisions, into the House at the resumption of parliamentary proceedings. It also highlights the decision of the Board of Internal Economy to complete the competition procedure for a new ombudsman.

In this article, the author looks at the issue of the impartiality of chairs of the House of Commons standing committees during the 41st Parliament. He explains the importance of the Standing Orders of the House of Commons, constitutional conventions on responsible government and the disciplinary mechanisms influencing the behaviour of committee members. He suggests reforms to improve the operation of Canada's House of Commons by examining the situation in the United Kingdom and the way in which the Standing Orders of the House of Commons have evolved over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following is a revised and abridged version of the October 21, 2013 debate on MP Brad Trost's private member's motion (Motion No. 431) which proposes to instruct the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs to: (a) consider the election of committee chairs by means of a preferential ballot system by all the members of House of Commons, at the beginning of each session and prior to the establishment of the membership of the standing committees; (b) study the practices of other Westminster-style Parliaments in relation to the election of Committee Chairs; (c) propose any necessary modifications to the Standing Orders and practices of the House; and (d) report its findings to the House no later than six months following the adoption of this order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equality is a key tenet of democracy. With respect to the financing of federal political parties, one issue relevant to equality concerns has received surprisingly little attention: the phasing out of political parties' annual per-vote subsidy, set to occur in 2015. Donations from individuals will henceforth become the parties' primary source of funding; but not all Canadians donate equally. By examining a sample of disclosed donors from Elections Canada databases, combined with census data on neighbourhood income levels, this study establishes that donors are substantially more likely to come from wealthier sections of Canadian society. Despite a relatively low cap on donations - individuals can currently give no more than $1,200 annually - wealthier Canadians carry disproportionate weight in the total aggregate of donation dollars. The study concludes by briefly comparing federal rules to regulations at the provincial level and suggesting methods of mitigating inequalities in the political finance system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Senate plays a critical role in the form and function of the Canadian Parliament. In this article, the Hon. Noöl A. Kinsella highlights the Senate's role as a regional counterweight to representation by population, an independent source of legislative review, an excellent source for investigative policy studies, and a place where appointments can sometimes balance disparities in representation of the Canadian population in the elected chamber. This article is revised from remarks made to the 31st Canadian Presiding Officers' Conference in Ottawa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on various topics discussed during the sitting of the House of Commons in Canada on January 28-April 30, 2013. Justice Minister Rob Nicholson introduced a bill, which seeks to change the law regarding royal succession. Speaker Andrew Scheer gave his ruling on a point of order raised by Sean Casey regarding the government's response to a written question that he submitted. It also announces that Bernard Valcourt was named Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.

This article provides an introduction to the territory of Nunavut and its place in the Canadian federation. It also offers an overview of the Legislative Assembly's structure and operations. It concludes with a discussion of some emerging challenges and opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information related to the legislative of provinces and territories in Canada. It mentions that the first session of the 27th legislature in Saskatchewan commenced March 5, 2012, and Finance Minister Ken Krawetz presented the provincial budget for 2012-2013 on March 21. It notes that the Assembly passed one Private Member’s Bill and six Government Bills during the Fifth Session of the 27th Legislature in Alberta.

The article presents updates on the legislative activities in the House of Commons in Canada. It notes that the First Session of the Forty-First Parliament resumed on September 19, 2011 from summer adjournment and adjourned for winter break on December 15, 2011, while scheduled to resume sitting on January 30, 2012. It looks into several bills that are at the stages of reading which include Fair Representation Act, Safe Streets and Communities Act, and Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act.

On December 16, 2011 Bill C-20 An Act to amend the Constitution Act, 1867, the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act and the Canada Elections Act received Royal Assent (now Chapter 26 of the Statutes of Canada, 2011). It increased the number of seats in the House of Commons from 308 to 338 by giving extra seats to Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec. While representation in the House of Commons is now settled for at least a decade the issue of representation by population will arise again as mandated in section 52 of the Constitution Act, 1867 and protected in section 42 of the Constitution Act, 1982. This article makes a number of suggestions for the next time rep by pop is debated in Canada. Among other things it calls for improved provisions for the smaller provinces, a new mechanism for adjusting the Electoral Quotient and future constitutional negotiations to deal with problems that have developed over the years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Brunswick entered Confederation in 1867 with the rudiments of the Westminster model of legislative democracy -- representative and responsible government -- already in place. These particular institutions were typical of those in other British colonies at the time, which were characterized by a relatively small electorate, a limited scope for governmental activity, and elitist decision-making practices. But while the parliamentary institutions and political culture in other former British colonies developed and matured over the course of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, New Brunswick seemed caught in a time trap. Until the 1960s which were characterised by sweeping changes in governance, social services, education and income redistribution, all under the visionary programme known as Equal Opportunity shepherded by Liberal Premier Louis Robichaud. Since then, a parade of premiers and party leaders have tried to put their own stamp on the province. When the Liberals were defeated in 2010, it marked the first time a New Brunswick Government had been defeated after just one term. This paper portrays legislative democracy in New Brunswick as it has evolved from its 18th-century origins into the early years of the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]