Democracy, Governance, Policy, & Canadian Government
My ideal political party would be one that teaches its members that they don't need the Party, and the power to change the world resides in each of us. Imagine our current government without the encumbrances of the Party. Imagine policy created by transparent inclusive public forum, and not by the corporate back room lobbyists. So fill the void past the "one time" cooperation, by abolishing the Parties, and returning the power to the local MP's office.
That should put the thieves that live among us to quivering.
Blogs
- Democracy Watch Canada, Cleaning up and making governments and corporations more accountable to you, YouTube
- Democracy Under Fire, grassroots concern about the continued erosion
Policy
Traditional Sources of Canadian Policy
- Most legislation is larger and heavier than anyone, less the politicians, can read or lift
- Canadian Council of Chief Executives, analagous to the British "Royal Institute of International Affairs" and US "Council on Foreign Relations"
- Canadian International Council (wiki), YouTube
- prior to Nov 2007 named the Canadian Institute of International Affairs (CIIA), and May 2008 the Canadian Institute of Strategic Studies (CISS) folded its operations into the CIC as the Strategic Studies Working Group
- Canada & USA Border Deal - video
- Mowat Center, Ontario, a provincial example
Provincial
Alternative Options for Policy
- Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives,
- The Council of Canadians, acting for social, economic and environmental justice
- Leadnow, People Powered Change for the fair, responsible and democratic Canada
- David McNally, Canadian activist, author, professor
Democracy Fail, Canadian Government Gone Wrong
- Bill C-30 video, (Un)Lawful Access, Canadian Experts on the State of Cyber-Surveillance, late 2011
- Harper Conquers Canada, One Robocall at a Time
- Leaks show U.S. swayed Canada on copyright bill
- Conservatives suppress democracy
- Canada-US Border Action Plan
- Environment Canada has "muzzled" its scientists, Feb 1, 2008, by Margaret Munro, and again by BBC, 2012
- Content of ministerial mandate letters is not public information
Errosion of Sovereignty - Free Trade & the Democratic Deficit
- Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) subvert national sovereignty by making citizens, and their democratic laws, liable to the profit motives of foreign corporations and entities.
- NAFTA Chapter 11: Corporate Cases provide foreign firms with a way to attack domestic public interest, land use, regulatory and other laws
Canadian System of Government: Monarchy of England, Governor General, Prime Minister, Parliament (House of Commons & Senate), Supreme Court (Judiciary)
Parliament: Legislature
- Bills before Parliament
- House of Commons
- Senate
- Maps - Canada's Federal Electoral Districts
- Complete lists of all current email addresses of Parliament
Prime Minister's Office, PMO
Judiciary, Courts, & Laws
- The Department of Justice, 4800 strong (half lawyers) in 2010, is headed by the Deputy Minister. The Department is mandated to support the person who is at the same time Minister of Justice and Attorney General, the chief law officer of the Crown.
- The court system of Canada interprets the 697 statutes and 3477 regulations we all depend on.
Justice Fail, Canadian Law Gone Wrong
- Summary of the Richard/Trigg Case and its Supreme Court docket
- Mission homeowner fined $5,200 for growing cucumbers
Constitution Act
- The Constitution Act or the "Constitution Acts, 1867 to 1982" consolidated the "British North American Act, 1867" (BNA Act) and amendments, and the Constitution Act 1982 and admendments (Part I of which is the Charter of Rights and Freedoms)
- Canadian Constitutional Documents by William F. Maton
Jurisdiction: Where you stand under the law
- What is Government's Power Over Its Citizens? Do we need a defense against unjust laws? Here is a suggestion
- Dean C. Clifford's explanation of Both Sides of the Story, draws the line between 2 jurisdictions:
- commonlaw man (private entity) with inherent rights, live-birth record, king's child, and
- statutory agent of government, titled by birth certificate, sin number, driver's license
- In a statutory court ...
- I'm here in propria persona. Are you the accussed? I'm the authorized representative of my name
- The court can never prove you were acting thru your title of government agent - When did I perform a function of government? What function was I performing? What was I being paid?
- The court relies on you proving it, or at least not rebutting their claims that you werec acting as an agent of government
- Canada Evidence Act, Section 12 defines what business is, and
- Constitution Act, section 52 (1) Primacy of Constitution of Canada
- The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law of Canada, and any law that is inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution is, to the extent of the inconsistency, of no force or effect
- Constitution Act, section 32 (1) The Charter of Rights and Freedoms applies to
- (a) the Parliament and government of Canada in respect of all matters within the authority of Parliament including all matters relating to the Yukon Territory and Northwest Territories; and
- (b) the legislature and government of each province in respect of all matters within the authority of the legislature of each province.
- R. v. Dell, 2005 ABCA 246 Application of the Charter to Interactions Between Private Citizens
- the Charter will only apply to a private entity if it is found to be implementing a specific governmental policy or program
Federal Court of Canada
- hears and decides legal disputes arising in the federal domain, including claims against the Government of Canada
- Court Index and Docket, Recently Released Decisions
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