A thread for Canadian politics, current events and history.

[Spoons]

@Kid_A

So…how about the CFL? Predictions?

Looking forward to the season starting, actually. I was at McMahon Stadium already for a Calgary-Edmonton exhibition game, and I glad to say that the Stamps annihilated the Eskimos. Now, if that would only happen in the real season, Calgary might have a chance.

[Northern_Piper]

@Le Ministre de l'au-delà

Re: rep by pop; I have been struggling to prove or disprove a statement from a friend, to wit; PEI was guaranteed a ferry link when it joined in 1871, this was re-written with the completion of the Confederation Bridge. Was PEI guaranteed a fixed number of seats (4) as well? Can someone confirm or deny?

Yes to both questions.

1. Ferry / Fixed Link

When PEI joined Confederation in 1873 (not 1871 - that was BC), it did so under the Terms of Union between Canada and PEI. The Terms of Union are part of the Constitution of Canada.

One provision in the Terms of Union was:

That the Dominion Government shall assume and defray all the charges for the following services, viz.:–
…
Efficient Steam Service for the conveyance of mails and passengers, to be established and maintained between the Island and the mainland of the Dominion, Winter and Summer, thus placing the Island in continuous communication with the Intercolonial Railway and the railway system of the Dominion;

When the Confederation Bridge was being considered, the federal government and PEI agreed to a constitutional amendment on this point, the Constitution Amendment Proclamation, 1993 (Prince Edward Island), which provides:

1. The Schedule to the Prince Edward Island Terms of Union is amended by adding thereto, after the portion that reads

“And such other charges as may be incident to, and connected with, the services which by the ‘British North America Act, 1867’ appertain to the General Government, and as are or may be allowed to the other provinces;”

the following

"That a fixed crossing joining the Island to the mainland may be substituted for the steam service referred to in this Schedule;

That, for greater certainty, nothing in this Schedule prevents the imposition of tolls for the use of such a fixed crossing between the Island and the mainland, or the private operation of such a crossing;"

2. Representation in the Commons

When PEI first joined, it had 6 MPs, as set out in the PEI Terms of Union:

That for the first election of members to be returned by this Island for the House of Commons of the Dominion of Canada, this Island shall be divided into Electoral Districts as follows:–That “Prince County” shall constitute one district and return two members; that “Queen’s County” shall constitute one district, and return two members; that “King’s County” shall constitute one district, and return two members; that the first election for members to serve in the House of Commons of Canada, shall take place within three calendar months after this Island shall be admitted, and become part of the Dominion of Canada;

It also had 4 Senators, as set out in s. 22 of the Constitution Act, 1867.

As the country grew, PEI’s share in the population dwindled. There was a concern that each province should be guaranteed a certain number of seats in the Commons. In 1915, Canada asked the British Parliament to enact the Constitution Act, 1915 which added s. 51A to the Constitution Act, 1867

51A. Notwithstanding anything in this Act, a province shall always be entitled to a number of members in the House of Commons not less than the number of senators representing such province.

This provision is known as the “Senate floor rule”, and means that PEI is guaranteed 4 MPs.

[RickJay]

@Hypnagogic Jerk

Well, if we consider that the point of an official opposition is to serve as a government-in-waiting, then of course the Bloc can’t fulfill this role. They’ve in fact made it clear that they wouldn’t participate in any Canadian government. But I question whether the Reform could have done it any better than the Bloc, with 52 MPs and only one east of Manitoba, and no representation in the Senate. The Reform was as much of a regional party as the Bloc; I don’t think they even fielded a single candidate in Quebec in 1993.

Obviously the Reform Party wouldn’t have done it well, or else they would have won.

But that was, in fact, the purpose of the party. That they won most of their seats in the West is no more relevant than the fact that the Liberal Party was mostly from Ontario (far more than half their MPs were from Ontario.) They were, in fact, a government in waiting.

Is the idea of separation really all popular in the other provinces? Contrary to how it is often seen in the rest of the country, separatism isn’t a tantrum by Quebecers to get what they want. It’s a solution, probably not the best but a solution nonetheless, to a real issue.

I never said it was a tantrum. But there’s not a doubt in my mind it’s the end of the country if it happens.

No, separation isn’t popular in the rest of the country - but it very quickly will be once Confederation is effectively dissolved.