Comments on: Liberal Head https://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/ Thought-provoking commentary on life, politics, religion and social issues. Thu, 02 Mar 2006 23:42:56 +0000 hourly 1 By: Mary Siever https://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/comment-page-1/#comment-4833 Thu, 02 Mar 2006 23:42:56 +0000 http://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/#comment-4833 Myron

Thanks for visiting Our Thoughts. Good luck in your education and your future and I know that one day we will again see you running for office and that one day you will be successful. Thank YOU for your commitment to making Canada a better place.

]]> By: Myron Wolf Child https://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/comment-page-1/#comment-4830 Thu, 02 Mar 2006 21:34:24 +0000 http://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/#comment-4830 Dear Canadians,

In middle February, I announced my intentions to seek elect office for the position of Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Due to personal commitments and my education, I am hereby dropping my name from the list.

Thanks again and good luck to those involved.

Myron Wolf Child

]]> By: ltbugaf https://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/comment-page-1/#comment-4433 Thu, 16 Feb 2006 14:47:05 +0000 http://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/#comment-4433 In the US, we don’t have a Prime Minister (as you know, of course) but we do have party chairmen and a Speaker of the House of Representatives, as well as a President Pro Tempore of the Senate. The Speaker is, I suppose, the closest thing we have to the PM in the way he/she is chosen. The Speaker must be an elected Member of Congress. It’s not possible to replace some other member with the person the party wants as Speaker. A good example came up in 1994, when Speaker Tom Foley lost the election in his district. At the same time, the Republicans took control from the Democrats. But even if the Democrats had stayed in power, they couldn’t have put Foley back in as Speaker. They have to choose from those who are elected. If some member chose to resign, the party couldn’t simply designate someone to take his place; a special election would have to be held in the district.

]]> By: Kim Siever https://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/comment-page-1/#comment-4432 Thu, 16 Feb 2006 14:26:34 +0000 http://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/#comment-4432 It’s not just the system that does it; the vast majority of Canadians vote for parties. It is very rare to find a voter that votes for an individual.

See here for an example of this.

Given that we live in a so called democracy, howver, eany citizen or group of citizens has the the right to demand a MP to be recalled.

]]> By: ltbugaf https://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/comment-page-1/#comment-4431 Thu, 16 Feb 2006 13:04:51 +0000 http://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/#comment-4431 And the constituents of the MP who’s stepping aside–they don’t have anything to say about who represents them? After having elected MP 1, they just have to shut up and take MP 2 because the party voted that way?

If that’s so, I guess it underscores how parliamentary systems put a greater emphasis on party than on individual representatives.

]]> By: Kim Siever https://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/comment-page-1/#comment-4429 Thu, 16 Feb 2006 05:09:33 +0000 http://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/#comment-4429 Party members get together at a convention and they vote on the leader candidates. If the person elected does not have a seat, he will usually ask for a current MP to step aside for him.

]]> By: ltbugaf https://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/comment-page-1/#comment-4424 Thu, 16 Feb 2006 02:52:17 +0000 http://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/#comment-4424 I’m really confused. I didn’t think the system allowed someone to become head of the party without even being in Parliament. Doesn’t the head of the party function as a “shadow prime minister” on the other side? Am I confusing the head of the opposition party with the opposition leader in Parliament? I thought they were the same under your system.

If you get sick and tired of explaining Canadian government and politics to a Yank, just ignore me.

]]> By: Mary Siever https://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/comment-page-1/#comment-4418 Thu, 16 Feb 2006 01:17:39 +0000 http://www.ourthoughts.ca/2006/02/15/liberal-head/#comment-4418 i think this is GREAT! and i wish him all the best. I admire how much he wants to do for this country and his optimism and hard work so far. He’s to be greatly lauded for what he has done and the plans he has for the future.

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