Non-Americans: Do You Engage in Back and Forth at Election Time

by Band on the Run 16 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  talesin

  Basically, registering for a party allows you to vote in that state's primary election.

  We don't have to register for a party here, EVER. All Canadians do is register with Elections Canada (for a federal election) or Elections Nova Scotia (or the applicable province) for provincial elections.

  The Federal list is compiled using the census - when an election is forthcoming, any Canadian can call their local "Returning Officer" to find out if they are registered at the proper address. Then, you go to the polling station with your lease or a power bill (proof of address), and can vote. No Photo ID required.

  Is it possible for the PM to receive less than a majority of his party?

  The results are tabulated much the same, again, as Joe Grundy said it is done in England. The country is divided up into 'ridings' - the party with the majority of ridings, is the ruling party. The Prime Minister must run and get elected in her/his riding, or else she/he will have to have one of the elected Members of Parliament step down and try to have that seat won in a bi-election.

  Who actually sets public policy?

  Any MP/party can put forward a bill to Parliament. It is debated and voted on by the Parliament. It then goes to the Senate, which is a group of retired buffoons who are appointed for life. There is a debate in Canada now as to whether the Senate is just a big waste of money, and a way for partisans of one party or another to 'kill' legislation that was passed by the Parliament.

  Laws can also be struck down by the Supreme Court of Canada.

  t
• 

  shamus100

  Seeing you guys fighting and arguing over American politics is very amusing.

  Agreed.
• 

  cedars

  I wasn't "awake" during the last UK election, so I have no idea what it was like on this forum back then between UK posters.

  I have noted how fiercely the elections are contested in the US. You certainly don't get mud-slinging by either political party (with TV commercials etc) to nearly the same standard. Heck, we've only just started having party-leader debates on TV!

  Apart from these debates, which by-and-large are quite gentlemanly, all you get on the TV is "now we will show you a party-political broadcast by such-and-such party", and generally it's quite a calm/collected speech by the party leader in question, or an advert that tries to make a point. Nothing like what I've seen they show on US TV channels, with presidential candidates being lampooned by the opposing party.

  Mind you, Americans do tend to get worked up easily! Back in blighty we like to handle our elections with a bit more decorum. Anything else just simply isn't cricket!

  Cedars
• 

  talesin

  BOTR

  PEI did hesitate to join Confederation in 1867, but hosted the inaugural meeting of Confederation. PEI joined the Dominion of Canada in 1873.

  In September 1864, Prince Edward Island hosted the Charlottetown Conference , which was the first meeting in the process leading to the Quebec Resolutions and the creation of Canada in 1867. Prince Edward Island did not find the terms of union favourable and balked at joining in 1867, choosing to remain a colony of the United Kingdom . In the late 1860s, the colony examined various options, including the possibility of becoming a discrete dominion unto itself, as well as entertaining delegations from the United States , who were interested in Prince Edward Island joining the United States of America

  In 1871, the colony began construction of a railway and, frustrated by Great Britain's Colonial Office, began negotiations with the United States. [citation needed] In 1873, Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald , anxious to thwart American expansionism and facing the distraction of the Pacific Scandal , negotiated for Prince Edward Island to join Canada. The Dominion Government of Canada assumed the colony's extensive railway debts and agreed to finance a buy-out of the last of the colony's absentee landlords to free the island of leasehold tenure and from any new immigrants entering the island (accomplished through the passage of the Land Purchase Act, 1875 ). [23] Prince Edward Island entered Confederation on July 1, 1873.

  From Wiki,

  The Nova Scotia Legislature , consisting of the Lieutenant Governor (sometimes referred to as the Governor ) and the House of Assembly , [1] is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia , Canada . The Assembly is the oldest in Canada, having first sat in 1758, [2] and in 1848 was the site of the first responsible government in colonies of the British Empire

  Though we were still a colony, we had our own legislature well before the American Revolution.
• 

  Band on the Run

  It is amazing that I majored in Political Science and have no idea of Canadian systems. During law school, I studied American Legal History and discovered that Americans were fighting for English civil rights. Americans were treated more as British citizens than subjects. The English government never exercised much power here until shortly before the war. Our colonial general assemblies assumed vast powers. We were used to self governance. The unwritten nature of the English Const'n contributed to misunderstandings.

  So I still don't know why Canada did not join the struggle.

  I was raised that George III was a tyrant, the most evil king ever. During class, we read correspondence from Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and others that praised him lavishly --until the time of the Stamp Act.

  I think the myth of American exceptionalism persist b/c we know so little about our countries. Even our neighbor fellow colonies that were under British rule at the same time.

  Frankly, I know more about British and French history. It is crazy.

  Is there a good source for this info. that would not involve massive reading?
• 

  dreamgolfer

  i find Wikipedia fast and refreshing
• 

  LouBelle

  South African Politics - *insert insane laughter* politics - right. We, in SA, are aparently living the democratic dream! Sure everyone is free to vote. The thing is there is no back and forth discussion / debate at election time. The ruling party - the ANC - cannot stand up and debate, they cannot stand up and speak effectively to the opposition. They cannot answer questions spontaneously. So we do note have debate or discussions that are aired.

  We don't even elect candidates for the presidency. That is done by select members in each party and you only get one representative per party. So you may want to vote for that party but hate the representative - tough. THese representatives then go on little rallying campaigns.

  Again in SA - you may have about 14 parties to choose from. The main two are ANC - the current ruling government, or the Democratic Alliance - the official opposition. The other parties are smaller and hold only a couple of seats in parliament.

  If we had the back and forth banter / debates / discussions and the airing of them, I do believe support would grow for the opposition.