http://www2.macleans.ca Canada's only national weekly current affairs magazine. Wed, 22 May 2013 04:14:51 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/05/02/the-free-mp/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/05/02/the-free-mp/#comments Thu, 02 May 2013 17:59:11 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=379902 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/05/02/the-free-mp/feed/ 0 Elizabeth May explains her proposal http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/05/01/elizabeth-may-challenges-the-system/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/05/01/elizabeth-may-challenges-the-system/#comments Wed, 01 May 2013 20:16:19 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=379463 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/05/01/elizabeth-may-challenges-the-system/feed/ 0 The Green MP seeks to amend the Elections Act http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/03/13/the-senate-the-only-thing-standing-between-us-and-tyranny/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/03/13/the-senate-the-only-thing-standing-between-us-and-tyranny/#comments Wed, 13 Mar 2013 18:34:22 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=359886 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/03/13/the-senate-the-only-thing-standing-between-us-and-tyranny/feed/ 0 Bert Brown fears what abolishment would bring http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/15/petitioning-parliament/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/15/petitioning-parliament/#comments Fri, 15 Feb 2013 21:13:02 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=351381 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/15/petitioning-parliament/feed/ 0 NDP MP Kennedy Stewart has tabled a motion to study opening up the House... http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/15/being-brent-rathgeber/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/15/being-brent-rathgeber/#comments Fri, 15 Feb 2013 19:31:19 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=351370 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/15/being-brent-rathgeber/feed/ 0 He's just an MP with a blog http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/04/the-key-to-improving-decorum-lies-in-reducing-minimum-engagement/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/04/the-key-to-improving-decorum-lies-in-reducing-minimum-engagement/#comments Mon, 04 Feb 2013 16:03:53 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=346312 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/04/the-key-to-improving-decorum-lies-in-reducing-minimum-engagement/feed/ 0 A Conservative MP considers House reform http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/04/justin-trudeaus-democratic-reforms/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/04/justin-trudeaus-democratic-reforms/#comments Mon, 04 Feb 2013 13:00:25 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=346248 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/04/justin-trudeaus-democratic-reforms/feed/ 0 The Liberal leadership candidate promises fewer free votes than the Conservatives did in 2006 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/01/heres-your-problem/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/01/heres-your-problem/#comments Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:13:25 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=345807 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/02/01/heres-your-problem/feed/ 0 Never mind civility, first free the backbench MP http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/31/time-management/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/31/time-management/#comments Thu, 31 Jan 2013 16:24:03 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=345152 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/31/time-management/feed/ 0 The government moves to limit debate http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/29/when-reforming-the-electoral-system-goes-partisan/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/29/when-reforming-the-electoral-system-goes-partisan/#comments Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:43:17 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=344080 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/29/when-reforming-the-electoral-system-goes-partisan/feed/ 0 Andrew Young objects to the idea of a one-time pact to reform the electoral... http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/29/the-cullen-plan-for-civility/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/29/the-cullen-plan-for-civility/#comments Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:46:02 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=343977 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/29/the-cullen-plan-for-civility/feed/ 0 The NDP tries to improve decorum http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/28/her-plan-is-simple/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/28/her-plan-is-simple/#comments Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:30:01 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=343415 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/28/her-plan-is-simple/feed/ 0 An email from the Joyce Murray campaign yesterday: Ms. Murray is pleased with the... http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/26/dont-go-chasing-waterfalls/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/26/dont-go-chasing-waterfalls/#comments Sat, 26 Jan 2013 14:00:00 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=342554 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/26/dont-go-chasing-waterfalls/feed/ 0 The case against a one-time pact to bury first-past-the-post http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/23/nobodys-home/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/23/nobodys-home/#comments Wed, 23 Jan 2013 13:00:07 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=340729 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/23/nobodys-home/feed/ 0 Tim Harper notes the eerie silence around the nation’s legislatures. Anecdotally, it appears Canadians... http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/18/elizabeth-mays-proposal-for-electoral-reform/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/18/elizabeth-mays-proposal-for-electoral-reform/#comments Fri, 18 Jan 2013 21:12:51 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=339217 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/18/elizabeth-mays-proposal-for-electoral-reform/feed/ 0 Here is a copy of the letter Elizabeth May sent to opposition MPs about... http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/18/elizabeth-may-and-political-cooperation/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/18/elizabeth-may-and-political-cooperation/#comments Fri, 18 Jan 2013 16:01:55 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=338985 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/18/elizabeth-may-and-political-cooperation/feed/ 0 In December, Elizabeth May apparently wrote a letter to New Democrats, Liberals and independent... http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/17/garneau-endorses-a-ranked-ballot/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/17/garneau-endorses-a-ranked-ballot/#comments Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:20:49 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=338356 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/17/garneau-endorses-a-ranked-ballot/feed/ 0 The Liberal leadership contender writes to party members with his thoughts on democratic reform.... http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/16/the-house-of-automatons/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/16/the-house-of-automatons/#comments Wed, 16 Jan 2013 13:00:35 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=337366 http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/01/16/the-house-of-automatons/feed/ 0 Conservative backbencher Brent Rathgeber goes off message, suggests free votes for all MPs http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/12/01/fixing-the-system-2/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/12/01/fixing-the-system-2/#comments Sat, 01 Dec 2012 16:17:54 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=322358 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/12/01/fixing-the-system-2/feed/ 0 Chris Selley calls for a move to a ranked ballot. In the longer term,... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/11/06/is-parliament-dying/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/11/06/is-parliament-dying/#comments Tue, 06 Nov 2012 16:04:24 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=311767 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/11/06/is-parliament-dying/feed/ 0 Michael Ignatieff worries. “I think something really bad has happened to parliamentary democracies all... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/10/10/this-week-in-fixing-parliament/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/10/10/this-week-in-fixing-parliament/#comments Wed, 10 Oct 2012 20:08:28 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=301936 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/10/10/this-week-in-fixing-parliament/feed/ 0 Kady O’Malley suggests the time allotted for statements by members be moved (in my... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/08/20/our-voting-system-is-weakening-canadas-cohesion/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/08/20/our-voting-system-is-weakening-canadas-cohesion/#comments Mon, 20 Aug 2012 18:17:40 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=284934 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/08/20/our-voting-system-is-weakening-canadas-cohesion/feed/ 0 Stephane Dion’s speech on electoral reform to the Green party convention this past weekend.... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/06/07/whatever-happened-to-qp-reform/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/06/07/whatever-happened-to-qp-reform/#comments Thu, 07 Jun 2012 15:38:09 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=264919 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/06/07/whatever-happened-to-qp-reform/feed/ 0 After Michael Chong’s motion to reform QP was passed at second reading during the... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/06/01/shake-up-the-house/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/06/01/shake-up-the-house/#comments Fri, 01 Jun 2012 20:13:46 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=263316 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/06/01/shake-up-the-house/feed/ 0 Bruce Hyer is resurrecting his October 2010 proposal to randomize seating in the House... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/28/indie-rock/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/28/indie-rock/#comments Mon, 28 May 2012 12:00:21 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=261530 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/28/indie-rock/feed/ 0 In interview with Tom Cark, Bruce Hyer says he is enjoying independence, he’ll never... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/07/our-troubled-house/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/07/our-troubled-house/#comments Mon, 07 May 2012 12:00:15 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=257227 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/07/our-troubled-house/feed/ 0 The New Democrats have called a news conference for 10:30am this morning to outline... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/04/power-parliament-and-the-prime-minister/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/04/power-parliament-and-the-prime-minister/#comments Fri, 04 May 2012 20:57:34 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=257187 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/04/power-parliament-and-the-prime-minister/feed/ 0 Donner winners Mark Jarvis and Lori Turnbull argue that the Prime Minister has become... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/02/in-praise-of-democracy/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/02/in-praise-of-democracy/#comments Wed, 02 May 2012 13:30:17 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=256253 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/02/in-praise-of-democracy/feed/ 0 Last night in Toronto, the Donner Prize for the best public policy book in... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/01/footnotes-on-this-new-age-of-decorum/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/01/footnotes-on-this-new-age-of-decorum/#comments Tue, 01 May 2012 13:19:41 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=256033 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/01/footnotes-on-this-new-age-of-decorum/feed/ 0 In light of the latest call for civility in the House of Commons, here... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/30/person-party-parliament/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/30/person-party-parliament/#comments Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:30:58 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=255847 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/30/person-party-parliament/feed/ 0 Greg Fingas considers Bruce Hyer’s defection in the context of Thomas Mulcair’s hopes for... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/24/qa-bruce-hyer/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/24/qa-bruce-hyer/#comments Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:45:10 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=254538 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/24/qa-bruce-hyer/feed/ 0 On the occasion of his departure from the NDP caucus, Bruce Hyer and I... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/24/the-independent-mp-for-thunder-bay-superior-north/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/24/the-independent-mp-for-thunder-bay-superior-north/#comments Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:30:38 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=254491 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/24/the-independent-mp-for-thunder-bay-superior-north/feed/ 0 Bruce Hyer expands on his reasons for leaving the NDP caucus. In the 1960s,... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/23/idea-alert-68/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/23/idea-alert-68/#comments Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:19:02 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=254264 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/23/idea-alert-68/feed/ 0 Stephane Dion proposes a preferential voting system that would expand the size of ridings... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/17/idea-alert-67/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/17/idea-alert-67/#comments Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:29:34 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=252844 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/17/idea-alert-67/feed/ 0 Italian researchers posit that legislatures would be better off if some members were selected... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/12/the-house-of-commons-is-a-sham-circa-1938/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/12/the-house-of-commons-is-a-sham-circa-1938/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 12:35:53 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=252047 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/04/12/the-house-of-commons-is-a-sham-circa-1938/feed/ 0 Here is the text of a speech delivered Norman MacLeod, a member of the... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/21/parliament-heal-thyself/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/21/parliament-heal-thyself/#comments Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:13:43 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=241016 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/21/parliament-heal-thyself/feed/ 0 On Friday, MPs spent a couple hours—starting here, resuming here—discussing the rules and procedure... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/16/idea-alert-63/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/16/idea-alert-63/#comments Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:23:13 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=240476 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/02/16/idea-alert-63/feed/ 0 Kennedy Stewart wants to bring parliamentary democracy into the social media age. Brought forward... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/31/brad-trost-maverick-watch/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/31/brad-trost-maverick-watch/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:18:29 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=236828 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/31/brad-trost-maverick-watch/feed/ 0 The Conservative backbencher deviates from the script. In a recent commentary aired on News... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/15/toke-the-vote/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/15/toke-the-vote/#comments Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:24:43 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=233920 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/15/toke-the-vote/feed/ 0 Liberal delegates voted in favour of a policy resolution this morning that recommendation the... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/10/topp-on-democratic-reform/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/10/topp-on-democratic-reform/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:30:28 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=232599 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/10/topp-on-democratic-reform/feed/ 0 Brian Topp’s latest policy paper covers democratic and parliamentary reform, including a move to... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/09/keep-the-senate-secondary/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/09/keep-the-senate-secondary/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:59:40 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=232532 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/09/keep-the-senate-secondary/feed/ 0 Kathryn Blaze Carlson’s consideration of an elected Senate includes an intriguing anecdote from Senator... http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/09/see-the-politician-run/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/09/see-the-politician-run/#comments Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:11:04 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=232524 http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/09/see-the-politician-run/feed/ 0 From the latest issue of the print edition, 1300 words or so on the... http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/16/self-respect/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/16/self-respect/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 18:16:40 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=230186 http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/16/self-respect/feed/ 0 The Ottawa Citizen editorial board challenges MPs to save themselves. Minority or majority, the... http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/07/user-guide/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/07/user-guide/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:30:20 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=228778 http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/07/user-guide/feed/ 0 On the argument that we would be well-served by drafting something similar to New... http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/07/when-do-we-want-it/ http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/07/when-do-we-want-it/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:30:15 +0000 Aaron Wherry http://www2.macleans.ca/?p=228758 http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/07/when-do-we-want-it/feed/ 10 In the midst of lamenting for it all, Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett notes a...