There’s a few things Canada could learn from our neighbour to the south. Well, maybe just one.
The impeachment hearings for President Donald Trump began Nov. 13.
READ MORE: U.S. congress mostly behaves during TV debut of impeachment hearings
I’m not necessarily for or against Trump himself. (One of my pet peeves over the last few years has been the social media craze over Trump while people ignore important issues in Canada).
What I do think is great is that the American people still have a diplomatic recourse for potentially ousting a leader if they’re deemed unsuitable to lead.
It’s built right into the American Constitution, that when there is a “long train of abuses” it is the people’s right and duty to throw off such government.
While Canada technically also has something similar to impeachment with the vote of no confidence, that tool is effectively rendered moot when a majority government is in power, such as the Liberals in their last term.
The confidence of the house is also more of a tradition, as it isn’t written into any statute or Standing Order of the House. A PM whose government is defeated by a no confidence vote is expected to resign and the government dissolves— but what if they don’t resign?
A majority of MPs have to vote for no confidence (175) for it to be successful. In the last government, when the Liberals held 184 of the 338 seats in the last government, that wasn’t possible.
It didn’t matter that Justin Trudeau is the only Canadian PM to have ever been found guilty of violating the code of ethics, or that he parades around in costumes and black face, as long as his Liberal lackeys remained loyal.
Nixon was impeached for recorded phone calls … Trudeau fired a Liberal MP over recorded phone calls. Welcome to 2019, I guess.
Now, however, they only have 157 seats and would need the support of MPs from other parties to survive a no confidence vote.
Red Deer-Lacombe Conservative MP Blaine Calkins recently predicted that the Liberals won’t be able to hold the confidence of the house for more than two or three years, making an early election inevitable.
READ MORE: MP Blaine Calkins says “de-centralizing” from Ottawa may be way to move Alberta forward
Now with a lot of bad news coming down the line lately, that is a bit of a bright spot — a ray of much-needed optimism.
I’ve been asked what I think about Don Cherry being fired, but I really don’t have much of an opinion. It is interesting though how it’s been pointed out that only in Canada can a man get fired for perceived or actual negative comments about immigrants, but Trudeau can get re-elected. O Canada.
Although we may have a clown for a PM, Canada still has a lot to offer the world, including our neighbours south of the border.
For one, we have poutine. Get on board, America. This is a gravy train no one should miss. You have deep-fried Twinkies but scoff at fries, cheese curds and gravy? Come on.
Then of course, there is hockey. The States already lures away our best players, so you’re welcome.
I’d say Canada has better gun laws as well, but that’s a firing squad I don’t particularly wish to step in front of.