So, annex Canada when?

Please do, we need an actual constitution. our charter of rights and freedoms is fundamentally broken and like 40 years old at best.

No you don't

You have common law

Which is better than a written constitution

Except the worst excesses of our system is cause by the lack of hard constraints against government power. The common law wont save you once enough warped precedent is introduced into the system.

Its something I really disagree with Sargon on. you need something akin to a constitution. A hard back stop that cannot be overcome without the overwhelming will of the people. otherwise a few activists who call themselves judges can irreparably harm your legal system given enough time. Canada is a perfect roadmap to how the British system can fail given enough people who are willing to throw aside the rule of law for personal or political gain.

Everyone has common law... At least in the English legal model

Including that silly near 250 yo republic with an actual constitution.

Warped common law is a big factor in the mess the UK is finding it's way into, I think.

And I agree, Common Law is not a check against power and corruption.

My point was common law is no substitute for or equivalent to a written constitution. Common law is something utterly unrelated. It's like saying you don't need arms because you have legs.

And Canada does have a constitution,

We have something like it, but it is not only not the same it is broken in its fundaments.

It's literally called the Constitution Act.

the name of the thing is not the thing itself

else the Democratic republic of Korea would be a very different place.

I don't think the problem is necessarily in the constitution of Canada per sey, but the implementation of the branches of government is not ideal.

Executive and Legislative branches in Canada are the same house, and their power is almost entirely held in the PMO now.

Maybe this is what you are referring to

how the US has clear separations of power between the 3 branches, and they all check and balance each other.

Doesn't help that our Judiciary is also appointed by the house/pmo etc..

I do quite like the fair representation of only 2 senators per state in the US. not a proportional rep based on population.

actually no. The separation of powers is very important. But in the United states their constitution acts as a limit on governmental power, We have no such restriction. The closest we get is the charter of rights and freedoms. and our Constitution act, only outlines who, how and what our governmental system is and the powers in it. there is no "you cannot ever" in it. only "you must, you can".

Also that senators are elected.. whereas ours are appointed, for life.

Ahh, yes I see your point. That is true.

I pipe dream of a PPC takeover, but I doubt it will happen. I fear things will need to get much worse before something like that happens.

Brexit is a good example of how bad things may get

before people start paying attention.

It does not help our system is almost designed to squash decentralized political movements.

I can't even vote for them now. My local candidate dropped out. Claimed that everyone they talked to would rather employ strategic voting to oust trudeau. Which is stupid, since we already were majority NDP in this riding.

I think you're right, it is 'almost' designed that way.

In federal politics, out here in BC, most of us don't care.. since we don't have the population to matter. Even when they talk about the WEST in canada, they only mean Alberta/Sask/Manitoba.. nobody in Ottawa gives a damn about BC 😛

aside: it's nice to have a place to discuss CA Politics.. people get so... weird when you try to talk about it.

Well we are the unwanted love child of British Colonialism and American Cultural Imperialisms.

Literally Satan to the rest of the Anglo sphere

(they just don't think of us like that because of all the moose and igloos)

🤣

Canadian stereotype jokes are the best, I always get a laugh out of them.

i think most people get a laugh out of their stereotypes... just not leftists 😛

... tell me aboot it eh?

I've got some moose on the fire, the igloo is warm and my toque is dry. So i'm ready to listen to what you have to say. I even have some maple syrup on ice, oh shoot sorry, I should have asked, did you want some?