Category: Heritage

Proportional Representation

Guide to Canadian Provinces and Territories

I just read an article by a group that want to change our electoral process from a First Past the Post system to one of Proportional Representation. Their primary argument was, among many, that Canada had one of the most unstable governments of the developed democracies. They cite Italy as an example of electoral stability.

I don’t know about you but as soon as I read that comment their argument became as mushy as a wet noodle or an overcooked bowl of pasta without the meat sauce. They point out that because Canada has had 22 elections as opposed to Italy’s 18 since WW2 that somehow Italy’s electoral process is a model of stability. Holy ravioli, it cannot be. Well it isn’t:

 Yes Canada has had 22 elections since WW2 but I would say that this is a reflection of how strong and stable our system of government is.

Canada has a parliamentary system of government based upon Westminster that calls for an election, until Harper’s fixed election date decree, of every 5 years. That alone would require an election every 14.2 years in Canada since 1945 if all governments were majority in nature. But they haven’t been and I would argue that that is also a good thing because the strength of our democracy and parliamentary system of government holds poor governments to account (remember Joe Clark, Meighen) by forcing them to go to the polls for public validation.  Minorities can also provide strong legislative government as reflected by Pearson’s successful minority governments of the mid 1960s.

Our system also prevents potential constitutional crises – Mackenzie King, Bing affair comes to mind – something that Italy could only hope for. By the way, Italy may have had only 18 elections since WW2 but they have had 65 different governments since 1945, and therein lies the problem that can arise with Proportional Representation (PR). Nothing gets done.  Why?  Because governance coalitions are necessary for power and political survival in these countries with their PR systems of government. Unfortunately, by their very nature, they are unstable. Can you imagine the chaos in Canada if the Layton, Dion and Duceppe coalition had taken down Harper’s minority government back in December 2008? Luckily, through our strong and stable system of rules and protocols, Harper was able to prorogue parliament and thus avoid political instability in this country. The Liberals backed down from the coalition early in 2009. Whew! Of course all of the lefties blew a hissy fit and spewed their spaghetti all over their bibs.

As an example of the efficacy of Italy’s PR system, here are some facts about Italy’s 2008 election:

“An early election was called (in Italy) when Romano Prodi resigned as prime minister in January, after the collapse of his centre-left coalition, which had been in power for just 20 months…only one Italian government has lasted a full five-year term in the last 50 years, led by conservative Silvio Berlusconi between 2001-2006 and even he was forced to resign once during that time by fractious allies.”

“Italians blame electoral laws for chronic instability that brought down the 61st government since World War Two in January. The system, still in use, mixes proportional representation with a threshold of 2 percent for parties in a coalition and 4 percent for single parties. It permitted more than 20 parties to take seats in 2006.”

And the real kicker here is:

“Both Berlusconi and Veltroni favoured altering the system to reduce the PR element and push Italy towards a two-party system.” Unfortunately, for Italy, that hasn’t happened yet.

Who knew?

Traditional national symbols of Canada. Set of Canadian icons. Vector illustration in flat style ...

They forgot to show the zipper here. And peanut butter!

Update. My views have changed. Given the dictatorial nature of a Prime Minister governing with a majority, what we have in reality is someone who can do anything he or she wants to do for a period of five years. With no checks or balances. Furthermore, Canada is too big and too regionally different and divided to be governed responsibly by one man or one party rule. Look at the disastrous reign of Justin Trudeau’s and now Mark Carney’s liberals.

Proportional representation is the way to go. I will present one solution in my next post.

My books are available through Amazon.ca or Amazon.com. They would make great gifts, while supporting a Canadian author. Great reviews too. Check out the links to these books at the top of the page.
www.johnmorrisonauthor.com       

 

Lest We Forget

 

Image result for pics of poppiesLest We Forget……………………………………………………..Never

 

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Last Post ceremony, Menin Gate Ypres

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Here is a tune written by Al Stewart that is relevant to the Invasion of Russia in 1941.

Remember. Never forget.

Lest We Forget: Vimy Ridge, 100 Days

Image result for pics of poppiesLest We Forget………………………………..Never

Vimy Ridge and the 100 Days

Vimy Ridge:

The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought primarily as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the Canadian Corps, of four divisions, against three divisions of the German Sixth Army. The battle, which took place from 9 to 12 April 1917, was part of the opening phase of the British-led Battle of Arras, a diversionary attack for the French Nivelle Offensive.

The objective of the Canadian Corps, led by Canadian General Arthur Currie, was to take control of the German-held high ground along an escarpment at the northernmost end of the Arras Offensive. This would ensure that the southern flank could advance without suffering German enfilade fire. Supported by a creeping barrage, the Canadian Corps captured most of the ridge during the first day of the attack. The village of Thélus fell during the second day of the attack, as did the crest of the ridge, once the Canadian Corps overcame a salient against considerable German resistance. The final objective, a fortified knoll located outside the village of Givenchy-en-Gohelle, fell to the Canadian Corps on 12 April. The German forces then retreated to the Oppy–Méricourt line.

Historians attribute the success of the Canadian Corps in capturing the ridge to a mixture of technical and tactical innovation, meticulous planning, powerful artillery support and extensive training, as well as the failure of the German Sixth Army to properly apply the new German defensive doctrine. The battle was the first occasion when all four divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle together and it was made a symbol of Canadian national achievement and sacrifice. A 100-hectare (250-acre) portion of the former battleground serves as a memorial park and site of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial.[5]

100 Days

The code word used by the Canadians for security at this battle was “Llandovery Castle” a Canadian hospital ship carrying both Canadian wounded and Canadian Nursing Sisters. The ship had been torpedoed and sunk in June of 1918.

Again led by General Currie and without using preliminary artillery but using tanks (effective early but out of commission later), the Canadians moved forward at 4:20 am on August 8, 1918. By 1:15 pm the Canadians had more than achieved their objectives. The German lines had been breached and the Canadians had pressed 13 kilometres into German held territory. The cost was high, with almost 4000 Canadians killed or wounded but the results were impressive; roughly 27,000 German casualties and approximately 5,000 taken prisoner. The “Flanders deception” had worked flawlessly. A German POW had expressed amazement that the Canadians had been his foe, as he was told by the high command that all the Canadians had been moved to Belgium. During the next 2 days, the Germans had been pushed back an additional 24 kilometres, 4 German divisions were “on the run” and 10,000 more prisoners taken by the Canadian forces. This victory had liberated 25 French towns and villages and put a stop to the German efforts to split the British and French armies. The German Spring Offensive had been stopped and the tide of the war reversed.

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The result of this Canadian action is best verbalized by Germany’s Erich von Ludendorff, the general quartermaster of the German army, referred to this battle as the “black day of the German army”.

The Kaiser ordered an initiation of Peace negotiations. Over the next few months and by the 09th November 1918, the Canadian Corp with the help of the Australian Corp advanced all the way to Mons. On the 11th November it was all over. By my reckoning the Canadian Corp and the Australian / New Zealand Corp won the First World War. Unfortunately they were all part of the British Army so they never received the recognition they deserved. The Brits took all the glory………………..never again.

Canadians entering Mons. Where it all began and ended.

Canada’s real national anthem!Image result for pics of canadian flag

 

 

Australian’s Waltzing Matilda. Not their Anthem but it should be.

And of course New Zealand

Check out my books by clicking on the links at the top of the page. Kurofune in particular is a historical work of fiction that centers on the Pacific War.

One of many reviews of Monk’s Orchard:

“I have just finished reading this novel by John Morrison. Like his other books, this was an impressive and enjoyable read.In this book, the author chooses a theme so different from his first novel. This alone is impressive ;that he can range to themes so vastly different. His character development is again strong and the great amount of historical research that he has done is evident. Using a narrator to span the generations is an interesting and effective literary device. Let us hope that Mr.Morrison has more equally interesting novels in store for us.”

 

SJ…………………………………………………..Out

Lest We Forget: Battle of the Atlantic

Image result for pics of poppiesLest We Forget……………………………………………………..Never

Battle of the Atlantic

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The Battle of the Atlantic was Canada’s longest military engagement of the Second World War, lasting from September 1939 to May 1945. This battle was bravely fought by the men and women of the Canadian Merchant Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force. More than 4,600 courageous service men and women lost their lives at sea.

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Royal Navy too……………

The name “Battle of the Atlantic” was coined by Winston Churchill in February 1941.[9] It has been called the “longest, largest and most complex” naval battle in history.[10] The campaign started immediately after the European war began, during the so-called “Phoney War“, and lasted six years, until the German Surrender in May 1945. It involved thousands of ships in more than 100 convoy battles and perhaps 1,000 single-ship encounters, in a theatre covering millions of square miles of ocean. The situation changed constantly, with one side or the other gaining advantage, as participating countries surrendered, joined and even changed sides in the war, and as new weapons, tactics, counter-measures and equipment were developed by both sides. The Allies gradually gained the upper hand, overcoming German surface raiders by the end of 1942 and defeating the U-boats by mid-1943, though losses due to U-boats continued until war’s end.

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The Germans failed to stop the flow of strategic supplies to Britain. This failure resulted in the build-up of troops and supplies needed for the D-Day landings. The defeat of the U-boat was a necessary precursor for accumulation of Allied troops and supplies to ensure Germany’s defeat.

Victory was achieved at a huge cost: between 1939 and 1945, 3,500 Allied merchant ships (totalling 14.5 million gross tons) and 175 Allied warships were sunk and some 72,200 Allied naval and merchant seamen lost their lives.[1] The Germans lost 783 U-boats and approximately 30,000 sailors killed, three-quarters of Germany’s 40,000-man U-boat fleet.[2]

 

https://youtu.be/cXXC68aNyPs

Congrats to the US Marine Corps’ 245 anniversary – Nov 10th

Check out my books by clicking on the links at the top of the page. Kurofune in particular is a historical work of fiction that centers on the Pacific War.

One of many reviews of Monk’s Orchard:

“I have just finished reading this novel by John Morrison. Like his other books, this was an impressive and enjoyable read.In this book, the author chooses a theme so different from his first novel. This alone is impressive ;that he can range to themes so vastly different. His character development is again strong and the great amount of historical research that he has done is evident. Using a narrator to span the generations is an interesting and effective literary device. Let us hope that Mr.Morrison has more equally interesting novels in store for us.”

 

SJ………………………………………………..Out

Lest We Forget……….Pearl Harbour

Image result for pics of poppiesLest we forget……………………………………………Never.

Continuing with remembrance. For our American Friends:

On the morning of December 7, 1941, the Japanese launched a surprise air attack on the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. After just two hours of bombing more than 2,400 Americans were dead, 21 ships* had either been sunk or damaged, and more than 188 U.S. aircraft destroyed.

The attack at Pearl Harbor so outraged Americans that the U.S. abandoned its policy of isolationism and declared war on Japan the following day — officially bringing the United States into World War II.

You have to click a few times to get this going.

The Naval Hymn.

Check out my books by clicking on the links at the top of the page. Kurofune in particular is a historical work of fiction that centers on the Pacific War.

One review of Monk’s Orchard:

“I have just finished reading this novel by John Morrison. Like his other books, this was an impressive and enjoyable read.In this book, the author chooses a theme so different from his first novel. This alone is impressive ;that he can range to themes so vastly different. His character development is again strong and the great amount of historical research that he has done is evident. Using a narrator to span the generations is an interesting and effective literary device. Let us hope that Mr.Morrison has more equally interesting novels in store for us.”

 

SJ…………………………………….Out