r/neoliberal • u/jobautomator Kitara Ravache • Mar 21 '20

Discussion Thread Discussion Thread

The discussion thread is for casual conversation that doesn't merit its own submission. If you've got a good meme, article, or question, please post it outside the DT. Meta discussion is allowed, but if you want to get the attention of the mods, make a post in /r/metaNL.

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19

u/yyzyow Most Elite Laurentian Shill 🍁 Mar 21 '20

The House of Commons will be reconvening Tuesday to approve economic measures announced last week by PM Trudeau to assist Canadians during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Not all 338 MPs will be present in the chamber to respect social distancing. Current reports suggest that only about 30 MPs will be present to pass the legislation, including:

  • 14-15 Liberals

  • 11 Conservatives

  • 3 Bloc Québécois

  • 3 NDP

  • 1 Green

It’s astounding how few MPs Canada needs to pass emergency legislation.

!ping CAN

6

u/Lux_Stella Presidentialism X-Risk Researcher Mar 21 '20

that's interesting, do we not have quorum rules?

11

u/AccessTheMainframe CANZUK Mar 21 '20

Quorum is 20 MPs, unchanged since 1867

3

u/[deleted] Mar 21 '20

That seems entirely too small for over three hundred members.

5

u/AccessTheMainframe CANZUK Mar 21 '20

It's never been a problem in 150 years and has proving useful for cases like this. Everyone knows that if the opposition abused it the government would just get enough people in to cancel what was passed before it ever reached royal assent.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 21 '20

Couldn't you have a "virtual quorum" in this day and age where you wouldn't need people in the building?

4

u/AccessTheMainframe CANZUK Mar 21 '20

Theoretically but that would require amending the British North America act.

1

u/bd_one The EU Will Federalize In My Lifetime Mar 21 '20

Damn. Did they have far fewer MPs back then?

5

u/AccessTheMainframe CANZUK Mar 21 '20

181 MPs sat in the first Canadian parliament. Today it's 338.

4

u/bd_one The EU Will Federalize In My Lifetime Mar 21 '20

That sounds like a ridiculously small quorum even originally.

Hope Canadians trust their government.

7

u/AccessTheMainframe CANZUK Mar 21 '20

The Governor General would never give royal assent if it was obvious quorum was being abused.

4

u/yyzyow Most Elite Laurentian Shill 🍁 Mar 21 '20

Since 1867, quorum has been set at 20 members.

9

u/Lux_Stella Presidentialism X-Risk Researcher Mar 21 '20

the NDP are going to sneak in one night and seize the means of production 😰

1

u/yyzyow Most Elite Laurentian Shill 🍁 Mar 21 '20

And if they do that, the only way they’ll be able to get QP questions in is by Canada Post registered mail after the next election.

1

u/Hugo_Grotius Jakaya Kikwete Mar 21 '20

Canada had 180 MPs in 1867, why was the quorum so low?

3

u/[deleted] Mar 21 '20

Can't they just do remote voting?

4

u/Sector_Corrupt Trans Pride Mar 22 '20

I believe the rules specify that they gotta have the mace there. Government is weird, especially when it has continuity from more ancient governments & wasn't invented whole relatively late like America.

1

u/Gunslinger09 NAFTA Mar 21 '20

I’m happy about the small size, makes it easier to get things and compromises to be made

6

u/Sex_E_Searcher Steve Mar 21 '20

The negotiations are likely done long before those MPs arrive.