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Prime Minister Trump and his ministers face the opposition
What would happen if the United States adopted the Canadian approach to politics and elections?
As Prime Minister Donald Trump, Mr. Trump and his cabinet would be required to face the Official Opposition during Question Period every day that the House sits.
As President Trump, he faces no questions from elected representatives ever.
Likewise, United States cabinet ministers (secretaries) are never held accountable by facing questions in a daily Question Period. In Canada, cabinet ministers face the opposition in a public forum during Question Period every sitting day. They are also held accountable through committee hearings when required.
As Prime Minister, Mr. Trump would face an organized Official Opposition with an alternative set of policies and plans. As President Trump, there is no Opposition Leader and no official opposition presenting a specific set of policies and alternatives.
In the United States, cabinet ministers (secretaries) answer questions mainly through congressional committees. These hearings may only occur as infrequently as once a year, or more often if required.
Finally, U.S. cabinet ministers (secretaries) are not elected officials, while Canadian cabinet ministers are elected members of parliament representing their own constituencies. The Canadian ministers are chosen geographically in order to ensure that each region is represented. Not so in the United States cabinet.
The elected members of parliament who become ministers are directly accountable to their voters, whereas U.S. cabinet ministers are appointed by the President and answer only to him.
It would be interesting to see how Mr. Trump and his cabinet would fare if they had to face a Canadian-style Question Period every day challenged by an organized opposition, an able Opposition Leader, and questions from three other opposition parties. I suspect that some cabinet ministers would have a very short shelf life.
I have served in both government and opposition, and I have never seen a government that did not require accountability and oversight to stay on track. In my view, the Canadian parliamentary system provides stronger accountability than most others.
It is puzzling to me that the day after an election in the United States, the leader of the losing party effectively disappears. The opposition stumbles along without a single opposition leader or a coherent set of alternatives until another election approaches years later. Currently, the Democrats do not have a leader, and it is hard to figure out where they might stand on any of the issues.
In Canada, the day after an election, there is an organized Official Opposition ready to hold the government accountable…and they do. Accountability is an essential component of a democracy.
In many ways, the Canadian version of democracy functions better than most. I believe the Canadian system benefits from having:
As Prime Minister Donald Trump, Mr. Trump and his cabinet would be required to face the Official Opposition during Question Period every day that the House sits.
As President Trump, he faces no questions from elected representatives ever.
Likewise, United States cabinet ministers (secretaries) are never held accountable by facing questions in a daily Question Period. In Canada, cabinet ministers face the opposition in a public forum during Question Period every sitting day. They are also held accountable through committee hearings when required.
As Prime Minister, Mr. Trump would face an organized Official Opposition with an alternative set of policies and plans. As President Trump, there is no Opposition Leader and no official opposition presenting a specific set of policies and alternatives.
In the United States, cabinet ministers (secretaries) answer questions mainly through congressional committees. These hearings may only occur as infrequently as once a year, or more often if required.
Finally, U.S. cabinet ministers (secretaries) are not elected officials, while Canadian cabinet ministers are elected members of parliament representing their own constituencies. The Canadian ministers are chosen geographically in order to ensure that each region is represented. Not so in the United States cabinet.
The elected members of parliament who become ministers are directly accountable to their voters, whereas U.S. cabinet ministers are appointed by the President and answer only to him.
It would be interesting to see how Mr. Trump and his cabinet would fare if they had to face a Canadian-style Question Period every day challenged by an organized opposition, an able Opposition Leader, and questions from three other opposition parties. I suspect that some cabinet ministers would have a very short shelf life.
I have served in both government and opposition, and I have never seen a government that did not require accountability and oversight to stay on track. In my view, the Canadian parliamentary system provides stronger accountability than most others.
It is puzzling to me that the day after an election in the United States, the leader of the losing party effectively disappears. The opposition stumbles along without a single opposition leader or a coherent set of alternatives until another election approaches years later. Currently, the Democrats do not have a leader, and it is hard to figure out where they might stand on any of the issues.
In Canada, the day after an election, there is an organized Official Opposition ready to hold the government accountable…and they do. Accountability is an essential component of a democracy.
In many ways, the Canadian version of democracy functions better than most. I believe the Canadian system benefits from having:
- one national, independent election oversight body Elections Canada
- one consistent set of federal election rules
- not having never ending election campaigns
- strict limits on political fundraising and spending
- restrictions on gerrymandering
- elections every four years instead of every two years
- full time, effective Official Opposition
- five political parties offering different perspectives.
But I sure would like to see how Mr. Trump and his cabinet would fare in a few of our Canadian parliamentary Question Periods.