What does it say about Canada that the only time we have had a female Prime Minister...

Chris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸

@cjgyt lol!

Leroy

@chris @Geoffberner that’s unfortunate. I feel even the sacrificial position will signal party direction intentions

Chris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸

@leroy @Geoffberner the lurch to the right will be significant

Leroy

@chris @Geoffberner I never know if my tendency to hope is a good or bad trait

Ellen Cornelis

@chris thanks for taking the time to write this out.

So since there is a leadership race for the liberal party, he's still ad interim leader until that election.

I didn't know the parliament is in suspension. This seems strange to me. I would think that the current parliament can try to form a new government with a majority in the given parliament.

Stéphanie

@e_cornelis The Liberals have a minority and no other party wants to support them right now. So everything was stalled anyways. It's better to suspend everything, and then we'll have an election @chris

Ellen Cornelis

@stephanie @chris Belgium is currently also without government since June's elections, but here the old one needs to continue "current affairs" (no major decisions allowed). Is that the same in Canada?

Chris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸

@e_cornelis @stephanie we do have a government in power still, as Trudeau did not resign or call an election. So we're not even in a 'caretaker' government which would be what happens during an election before a new government is sworn in. The only thing that’s not happening rihgt now is business within Parliament (House or Senate)

Ellen Cornelis

@chris @stephanie oh wow that's even more confusing to me. A government only has "power" if it is supported and represents a majority in parliament. But your parliament is suspended yet the government is functioning. Interesting.

Chris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸

@e_cornelis @stephanie that's right. In our system a parliament can be suspended (prorogued) for a short time where no business happens. As there hasn't been a vote of confidence to 'test the confidence' of the House, the government continues in power.

The reason the parliament suspension is ending at the end of March is because there has to be a vote on a budget at that time. That vote is a vote of confidence.

The expectation is the vote will fail and at that time we'll go into an election (and caretaker government), or the new leader of the Liberals will call an election before that vote of confidence happens (just to avoid the indignity)