PhD Candidate Paul Thomas writes about Prorogation

October 22, 2013

 

On October 20th 2013, The Ottawa Citizen published an article written by PhD Candidate Paul Thomas. Thomas writes about Canada’s use of prorogation and compares our parliamentary system with the “mother of all Parliaments,” the United Kingdom.

“Prorogation has become a hot-button issue in Canada, and is often seen as a tool for the government to avoid parliamentary oversight. Yet at the “mother of all Parliaments” in the United Kingdom, prorogation happens regularly and attracts no protest. The difference is that prorogation in Britain is (1) predictable, happening at roughly the same time each year; (2) final, putting an end to nearly all unfinished business; and (3) brief, lasting just a few days. Together these differences mean that rather than helping the government to avoid Parliament, prorogation in the UK actually provides several benefits to the opposition.”

To read Paul’s full article click on the link below:
The Ottawa Citizen – Look overseas for prorogation lesson