We just had our Finance Minister quit because he was taking money from a non-profit that gets most of it’s money from the Federal gov’t. Oh and his daughter got a cushy job there too. Completely based on merit no doubt.
Trudeau says “oh we’re sorry about that”. And that’s it. No harm no foul.
Though Trudeau et al have done two serious problems (SNC-Lavalin, We), they do not hold a candle to the grifting and absolute corruption that is Trump and GOP.
Further, the much vaunted "checks and balances" of the US system have been shown to be a complete sham given the enabling that McConnell has allowed, the court packing that went on with the Supreme Court and this is happening with the lower courts. And that's not even getting into the impeachment trial.
At least with the Westminster system the electorate can throw out bums and have a clean slate where the new party can sweep away the more terrible stuff of the previous administration. The Liberals were able to backtrack on some of worse things the previous Tories, and implement some important policies relatively quickly (e.g., climate change).
If the CPC manages to get in, at the very least they'll probably cancel the completely useless Order in Council regarding firearms, and perhaps at least implement more useful gun violence policies (like reducing inequality). Of course if they continue to reject carbon pricing (or perhaps at least move toward cap-and-trade) then their chances of getting in are slim giving the general public's view toward climate change.
If anything th me parliamentary system has fewer checks and balances since the execute and legislative branches are one in the same.
Not to mention the Canadian senate just rubber stamps everything.
I think the corruption is much better hidden in Canada and plus the lower level of political engagement, you end up with a seemingly better system, that is in fact no better.
And SNC-Lavalin was a mockery of the separation of powers. The PM tried to pressure the minister of justice to go easy on a company that was also a big fundraiser. Jesus, the US has seen that blatant amount of corruption since Nixon (maybe the Iran-Contra).
> If anything th me parliamentary system has fewer checks and balances since the execute and legislative branches are one in the same.
How are those "checks and balances" working out in the US?
At least in a Parliamentary system and major issues can be fixed with the next majority of the Opposition. In the US system it is hard to get anything passed (even when it is important), and if something bad is rammed through, good luck trying to reverse it. Unless you delegate to the Executive branch.
Oh he didn't have to quit. That was a political decision by Trudeau. Morneau as soon as the news broke of the financial dealings, he "paid back the $40k in travel expenses I had forgotten about".
Trudeau made a calculated political decision - Moreau could hurt the chances of the Liberals staying in office, so he had to go. It also avoided a separate inquiry into Morneau, but at least we'll see what the inquiry finds about the charity overall.
And beyond the Conservative party, nobody in Canada seems to really care.
