Candiate, educate thyself

I have an op-ed in the July 31st print edition of the Ottawa Citizen, which asks that candidates running for the 2015 federal election start educating themselves as to the way that Parliament works, and what the roles of an MP really are. It was a good way to tie into a number of other pieces I've been writing lately, along with my recent reading of Tragedy in the Commons, and I hope that it provides some inspiration both to candidates, as well as voters looking to ask them questions in debates as the election approaches.

Co-opting backbenchers

My column this week on Loonie Politics looks at the increasing phenomenon of backbench MPs making spending or policy announcements "on behalf of" ministers of the Crown, and how that subverts them from their proper role in our parliamentary system, and co-opts them from being able to do their proper oversight in a rather deliberate way. It's not just bringing home the bacon if it's making your job irrelevant.

Why Parties Matter

My column this week on Loonie Politics takes issue with recent columns by others calling for the abolition of political parties, because I argue that they are looking at the wrong things, ignoring the things they should be paying attention to, and in the end, advocating exactly the wrong solution to the  problems that exist. It was also another excuse to turn to one of my favourite topics, being civic literacy, and to explaining the parts of our system that most people don't realise exist for a reason.

Declined ballots are nonsense

My column this week on Loonie Politics (a couple of days late owing to the holiday) looks at the attention paid recently to the "declined ballot" option available in Ontario and the attempt to get that made a federal option, and why it's not only a bad idea, but a fundamental betrayal of our very system of government.