Ontario Premier Resigns

[james_davis_nicoll]

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty has announced a surprise end to his tenure as Liberal leader, saying that it is time for his party to put a new leader at its helm.

Comments

[jsburbidge.livejournal.com]

It's a little unusual in this situation; usually parliaments get prorogued about every two years or so. (There was a parliament in the 1970s which had only one session during its entire life, and the associated Statutes of Canada volumes are unusually extended.)

On reflection, though, I can see exactly why McGuinty prorogued the legislature. Parallels to the interval between Harris and Eves, or Davis and Whats-his-name-in-the-checked-suits are beside the point: McGuinty has a minority government and it would really, really tempting for the opposition parties to force an election while the Liberals are between permanent leaders.

[doc-lemming.livejournal.com]

I don't doubt what you say, but I'm curious about the context for saying "usually parliaments get prorogued about every two years or so." I recall that when Harper first prorogued parliament a few years ago, various journalists had to go look it up, and I recall somebody saying it hadn't been done since the 1930s.

It's entirely possible that (a) he or she was wrong, or (b) the manner of the proroguation was special: that is, parliament might be prorogued as a matter of course under some circumstances, and those circumstances did not obtain, so Harper doing so was unusual.

It's an area where my ignorance is vast, and even my ignorance of my ignorance is vast.

[jsburbidge.livejournal.com]

The simple answer is that journalists aren't lawyers. Prorogation is a standard part of the legislative process: it occurs not only every time there's an election but every time the Government of the day decides that it needs to set a new agenda. Every time there's a Speech from the Throne, you can assume that it follows a prorogation.

Prior to 1984, the "annual volumes" of the Statutes of Canada were published only at the end of a session of Parliament, so you can see the history and length of the sessions by just reading the spines of the volumes. (Prior to the publication in the volumes, you have to go to the Canada Gazette).

[jsburbidge.livejournal.com]

Just to add: what Harper did -- the prorogation to avoid having his government fall as the result of an immediate vote of no confidence -- is an abuse of the system with echoes of the Civil War. I'd characterize McGuinty's actions as standard politics.