Legal Research

The Writ is Over, The Writ is Over

By Omar Ha-Redeye

Former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson once said in a letter to his first wife, Ellen Axson, two years before they got married,

The profession I chose was politics; the profession I entered was the law. I entered the one because I thought it would lead to the other. It was once the same road; and Congress is [s]till full of lawyers.

One-hundred and twenty-five years later, and across an international border, this quote still holds true.  A quick search of current members of the House demonstrates that 45 of the 308 MPs have their occupation listed as “lawyer.”

Earlier this morning Prime Minister Harper dissolved parliament and called for an early election.  The move was not without controversy.

Bill C-16, an amendment to the Canada Elections Act, was intended to fix the election date for the third Monday in October 2009, to prevent politically opportune moves to call an early election.

Detractors, including Michael Behiels, a constitutional political historian at the University of Ottawa (but not a lawyer), claim Harper has done exactly that.

Some claim that it is good for the Party, and for the country.  Jack Granatstein of York University says that although the spirit of the new law might be violated, the letter is not.

Others indicate that the Governor-General’s position is purely ceremonial, and by convention she could not decline the request.

Most Canadians won’t care either way, as less than two-thirds begrudgingly trek to the polls.

Those peripherally interested in keeping score might be interested in the new Ekos Election Poll website launched today.  But Ipsos-Reid says these polls, like all polls, should be taken with a grain of salt.

Just weeks after the Olympic games close in China, the political games will begin here in Canada.  Let the games begin.

Full post as published by Slaw.ca on September 07, 2008 (boomark / email).