Chong's Reformed Reform Act still misses the main mark

My column this week on Loonie Politics looks at the second iteration of Michael Chong's Reform Act, and where he took the right cues, where he took the wrong cues, and how despite it all, he still misses the overall point about leadership selection and removal in this country. Unless that is actually addressed, Chong's bill becomes a half-measure that just muddies the water further.

Take heed with Senate transformation proposals

My column this week on Loonie Politics looks at another Senate transformation proposal, this time from a Senate Liberal, which is largely fixated on turning the chamber into a collection of regional caucuses. In taking a look through said proposal, I compare it to the way things operate currently and the reasons why things exist the way they do in order to see if it would indeed be an improvement. (Spoiler alert: I'm not sold).

There are no interim first ministers

My column this week on Loonie Politics not only looks at the confusion left in people's minds in the wake of Alberta premier Alison Redford's resignation and the appointment of an interim leader to become premier in her wake, but broadens it to look at how the Reform Act could further muddy the waters around leadership and accountability in our politics.

No, we don't need any more Officers of Parliament

I have a second column this week on Loonie Politics, in which I respond to Independent MP Brent Rathgeber's suggestion that we make the Speaker an Officer of Parliament. I have done a lot of reading by scholars of our political institutions who have made the case that the proliferation of Officers of Parliament have weakened the role of opposition in our parliamentary system, and I've witnessed this with the creation of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, and felt the need to respond to that suggestion.

Sun News Network - March 19 appearance

I made an appearance on "Straight Talk with Pat Bolland" on Sun News Network this morning, where I spoke about my Loonie Politics column this week and the issue of Alison Redford and her caucus dynamics given the way the leadership process works. It sounds like they were pleased with the appearance, and they sound keen to have me back when the Reform Act moves ahead.

Redford vs Caucus

My column this week on Loonie Politics looks at the situation of Alberta premier Alison Redford and the unrest in her caucus, and I tie it into the ongoing problems we're seeing in the Canadian party system with the methods of leadership selection in this country. Until we take a serious look at those methods of selection rather than how to deal with leaders once they're in place, I'm certain that we're likely to continue finding problems with keeping leaders accountable.

Inviting her to run

My column this week on Loonie Politics looks at the Liberals' social media campaign over the last weekend designed to encourage more women to run for office, and how it compares to past efforts by that party and others to try and make get that engagement. It was fun to write, and to try and engage some of the scholarship on that particular topic, along with tying it into the Samara study from a few weeks ago to put it into better context.