Monday, November 28, 2005

Fun with a Parliamentary System

Those of you who are up on your Canadian politics will know that there is a No-Confidence Vote pending in the House of Commons against the Government of Prime Minister Paul Martin. [Currently scheduled for 6:45 PM EST] If passed, the No Confidence Vote will effectively dissolve the House and mandate new Federal Elections in January.
 
This is largely the plot of Star Wars Episode I... without that midichlorian bullshit. 
 
I've often found this pecularity of the Westminster System to be particularly intriguing.  Actually, I suppose that our system here is the pecularity; I mean, the British System was around long before ours.  [Don't even get me started on the French!]
 
I suppose that it's a trade off as we do kick out and reelect 468 (or so) of the same bozos every two years, while theirs may last a full five.  Of course, they get Question Time, while we get Spin Time. 
 
Anyway, I long for the day that a sitting President (or his/her representative) is called to task by the opposition on the floor of the House.  Sad that the Founding Fathers didn't keep this little bit of drama, and instead opted for a separation of powers. 
 
Of course, we don't have Le Bloc-Quebecois either, so there you go.

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