Democracy, not technocracy

My column this week on Loonie Politics looks at the expectations around the expert panel on the options analysis for the fighter jet replacements, along with the various calls for even more Auditor General investigations and the call for other officers of parliament and civil servants to take more of the powers away from the Prime Minister and cabinet, and notes the dangers of ceding power to unaccountable technocrats, which is antithetical to our system of ministerial responsibility and Responsible Government.

Time for a rethink on leadership contests

My column this week on Loonie Politics looks at the collapse of the PC leadership contest in Newfoundland and Labrador, and the various other leadership contests underway in provincial parties across the country and posits that the chaos and bad choices that have resulted after months-long contests with millions of dollars spent, combined with the loss of accountability, means that perhaps the time has come to finally have the adult conversation about returning to a system of caucus selection with our party leaders.

Choosing a Minority

My column this week on Loonie Politics looks at the absurd editorial board endorsement that the Globe and Mail gave for the Progressive Conservatives in the Ontario election, in which they called for a minority government – as though it were possible for voters to consciously choose that. Along the way, I suggest ways to change the endorsement system to better reflect our system of elections, and wonder about the kind of civic illiteracy that these kinds of columns promote.

A looming Senate crisis is history repeating

My column on Loonie Politics this week looks at the announced early departures of two Senators – three shortly after it was published – and how the growing number of vacancies in the Upper Chamber is building a repeat of the problems caused in 2009 when that glut of 18 appointments were made at once, and how it stressed the system. Plus, I got to make reference to a Dame Shirley Bassey song, so that was fun.