Note to Canadians: You don’t vote for Prime Minister.
The events of the last few days have been crazy. I’ve lived here ten years but I’m still used to the American system. I found a timeline that’s useful. From what I do understand, basically the other parties didn’t like the Conservatives Financial Update and saw an opportunity to get rid of Harper.
Something occurred to me today while listening to talk radio. Many Canadians do not understand their own political system. I heard many callers say various versions of the following: “I voted for Stephen Harper for Prime Minister” or “Canadians voted for Stephen Harper.” That’s not true. Each Canadian voted for a Member of Parliament to represent their riding. Parliament decides who governs. Parliament selects the Prime Minister. So, the coalition may be wrong and it may be bad for Canada but it certainly seems to be legal.
And isn’t it crazy that huge power now resides with the Bloq Quebecois who want Quebec to separate from Canada and the Governor General who was appointed as a figurehead?
I agree with your take on the political system. However, Canadians vote for the MP of their riding who’s Party Leader they like. For example, if you want Mr. Harper as PM you would vote for the Conservative MP. And vice-versa for Liberal MP if you wanted Dion. That’s how people think and that’s how they vote. As far parliament deciding who rules, I was under the assumption it was the party that had the most seats., which translates in to Percentage of popular support. One thing is clear, some things need to change.
Yes, people do vote for a candidate based on their party affiliation and the presumptive candidate for PM. However, they don’t actually vote for PM. They may think that they do but they don’t. After the election, the party may change leaders and the new leader becomes the new PM. Plus, if nobody has a majority of seats, the decision about who forms the government becomes murky.
I prefer the US system.
It’s true we don’t vote directly for PM. However, since many (most?) people don’t even know who’s running in their riding, a lot make their choice strictly on which party’s leader they approve of. I had to go searching online to find out anything about our local candidates, and have never seen, never mind met, any of them. So I voted for the party I believed in the most – and that party’s leader plays a big part in my choice – and hoped for the best.
By voting for my local candidate, I was voting for the PM I wanted by proxy.
I know that’s what people do. I get that.
What I’m saying is that the coalition was not illegal. It may have been wrong and against the spirit of the election but it fit within the letter of the law.
That was the point of the post. Canadians think that they are voting for PM but they are not.
thanks for the info!
i think the stanley cup will be the flames this year
Edmonton fails!!!! :p hockey rules, baseball sucks, badminton rocks, canada OWNS!!!! RUNESHHHCAPE BEATS YOU ALL. im lvl 97 in runeshhhhcape aafkjhalkjghaghajkghaslkjghalshfslakjdgflsakjghaslkjfhgas;lkdjghaldkjfshglsdkjfhgsd hljdskghlfdsjhgsdlfg dlfghsdlfjghsdfljghsdglsdfkjghas;rarihtgajhfsgas gasjgasjg sfgha;sdjgha;dsfjghsda;gjhdsg;asjhg;lasdfgkadf’gksdfh;glskdfhg;sadfhgjafdsh;ga sgs;glaskjhgs;ajg agh;sagjsfklghas;lgsfdjghsalkgashfg;ksa;hg;dlkhgsafk;g
OWNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*this is no longer a serious conversation!* ha ha lol har har he he lmao rofl lololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololol ahahahahahahahhahahahahahhaha i own, u fail!!!
School cancelled today?
you voted for a bunch of liars rather
http://thenonconformer.wordpress.com/2010/01/07/conservative-prime-minister-stephen-harpers-naked-self-interest/