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Leadership-prinzip replacing democracy in Canadian politics |
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Niagara Falls, Ontario, Saturday, January 5, 2008 by: Joe Hueglin |
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Sad it is that while the news is filled with the trials of Kenya and Pakistan over their struggles toward achieving stable representative government in Canada the flow of power from local Riding Associations to party leadership hierarchies has occurred with little notice. This week the Liberal Party candidate in Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River and the Conservative Party candidate in Toronto Centre Riding in upcoming by elections were named without reference to the will of their Parties' rank and file constituency members. The selection of Candidates standing for election to the House of Commons through Riding Nomination Conventions has been usurped to the point whereby candidates actively campaigning have been peremptorily removed from their duly nominated elected positions. |
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Politics deals with the gaining, maintaining and using power. Power flowing upward is messy for at times individual Members of Parliament stand up overly strongly for the well being of their constituents in the view of the Prime Minister's Office or that of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition. The alternative, candidates for election to the House of Commons being appointed rather than being freely elected at Riding Nomination Conventions, is the Leadership-prinzip replacing democracy for the power of Leaders and their immediate advisors is unduly increased. While hopefully the actions taken by Leaders of both the parties with any expectation of governing Canada will not become accepted as the norm for the future. They will be, however, unless what has been little noticed until now is forcefully brought forward. |
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Reference: | ||||||||
1. Führerprinzip |
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