The democratic deficit : Paul Martin and parliamentary reform
By: AUCOIN, Peter; TURNBULL, Lori
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ArticlePublisher: Toronto : IPAC, Winter 2003Canadian Public Administration : the journal of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada 46, 4, p. 427-449Abstract: Paul Martins plan to reform parliamentary government in order to eliminate the so-called democratic deficit calls for greater independence for individual MPs and the House of Commons vis-à-vis the Government. In this article, we first examine what is required to make the reforms work according to his measures of success. We then consider why he has restricted his assault on the democratic deficit to the reform of Parliament. Third, we consider whether parliamentary reform is sufficient to address the discontents and criticisms of Canadian government that have given rise to the perceived democratic deficit. We conclude that the Martin plan, except for the review of government appointments, is sound from the perspective of representative democracy, but will be successful in addressing the democratic deficit only to the extent that the prime minister and his reform-minded colleagues are able to convince Canadians that citizen participation in the institutional processes of reformed parliamentary government can be meaningful
Paul Martins plan to reform parliamentary government in order to eliminate the so-called democratic deficit calls for greater independence for individual MPs and the House of Commons vis-à-vis the Government. In this article, we first examine what is required to make the reforms work according to his measures of success. We then consider why he has restricted his assault on the democratic deficit to the reform of Parliament. Third, we consider whether parliamentary reform is sufficient to address the discontents and criticisms of Canadian government that have given rise to the perceived democratic deficit. We conclude that the Martin plan, except for the review of government appointments, is sound from the perspective of representative democracy, but will be successful in addressing the democratic deficit only to the extent that the prime minister and his reform-minded colleagues are able to convince Canadians that citizen participation in the institutional processes of reformed parliamentary government can be meaningful
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