Prorogation in Canada
[6] According to Christopher Moore, it was at this point that the relationship between backbenchers and the prime minister began an evolution; "MacDonald himself became one of the inventors of the 'party machine'—the party as a disciplined, centralized, loyal team that would not dare to turn on him as it had in 1873."
[7] After parliament was again summoned, investigations into the scandal continued, Chrétien stepped down as Prime Minister in December of the following year, and the Liberal party was reduced to a minority government in the subsequent election.
Upon the end of her tenure as vicereine, Jean revealed to the Canadian Press that the delay was partly to "send a message—and for people to understand that this warranted reflection".
[8][9] It was also at the same time said by Peter H. Russell, one of those from whom Jean sought advice, that Canadians ought not regard as an automatic rubber stamp the Governor General's decision to accept Harper's advice concerning prorogation; Russell disclosed that Jean granted the prorogation on two conditions: parliament would reconvene soon and, when it did, the Cabinet would present a proposed budget, a vote on which is a confidence matter.
[10][11] Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at the University of Toronto, wrote of Harper that "no Prime Minister has so abused the power to prorogue".
The Prime Minister stated that this was to keep parliament in recess for the duration of the XXI Olympic Winter Games to be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, in February 2010.
The opposition charged that it was done to dodge negative publicity over the investigation and criminal probe into the Ornge Air affair, as well as the controversial decision to halt construction of two gas-fired power plants during the previous election and the subsequent threats by the opposition to vote on finding Cabinet ministers in Contempt of Parliament for withholding from the legislature information related to halting the projects.
On August 18, 2020, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked Governor General Julie Payette to prorogue parliament until September 23 amidst the aftermath of the WE Charity scandal and cabinet shuffle.
[16] The prorogations of the federal parliament in 2008 and 2009, and the speculation that such use of the royal prerogative had been advised by the sitting prime minister for political purposes, triggered protests in various cities across the country through early 2010.
[17][18] Within a week after the latter prorogation, the multi-partisan organization Fair Vote Canada had gathered the signatures of 132 political scientists to a letter condemning the move and advocating for electoral reform.
[27] In October 2010, Peter Russell said to the press that he had organized for February 2011, with the support of Governor General David Johnston, a meeting of constitutional scholars, historians, and government officials from various countries in the hopes of finding a consensus on how the royal prerogative should be used in future scenarios similar to that which took place at the end of 2008.
[1] At the same time, some journalists, such as Norman Spector and Andrew Coyne, lamented the abuse of the power of prorogation and its negative effect on democracy in Canada.
[29] Christopher Moore opined in Canada's History that "no great web of new legislation or constitutional procedure is needed to rein in the abuse of prime ministerial powers.
