Our answer to Obama?, William Shatner want to Prime Minister of Canada Options

[pbangarth]

Look Here.

And I am English knowing good, too.

[Backgammon]

WTF - he answered that in a private letter to a fan. Said fan then forwarded that to a news org? What an asshole. And the news org actually printed an obvious joke, without any hint in the text that it was a joke. More assholes.

Still, I'd vote for him.

[Kagetenshi]

I think this is… a fantastic idea. There needs… to be a man who can… take charge, who can… restore the faith of Canadians everywhere that they too can… one day take a beautiful, green-skinned alien as a lover.

~J

[Adarael]

While grimacing in anger: METIS!!!!!!!

[Wesley Street]

"He tasks me. He tasks me and I shall have him! I'll chase him 'round the shores of British Columbia and 'round the Northwest Territory and 'round Perdition's flames before I give him up!"

[Browncoatone]

Is he even Canadian?

[Wesley Street]

Um, yes.

[Backgammon]

McGill University has a building named after him. Students routinely talk about going to the "Shatner building" for classes. Think about how cool that is.

Of coure, Shatner refused to show up at inauguration because he claims McGill was just trying to use his name for their own ends, which if you think about it is probably a little bit true.

[Browncoatone]

Um, yes.

Hmmm. I guess all he needs now is to become leader of a major political party. Unfortunately for him that's more difficult in the north than it is down here in the States.

[Wesley Street]

Worked for Schwarzenegger, Ventura and all the other dudes from Predator. Never underestimate the power of name recognition. Who wouldn't want Captain Kirk for Prime Minister?

[pbangarth]

Hmmm. I guess all he needs now is to become leader of a major political party. Unfortunately for him that's more difficult in the north than it is down here in the States.

Hey, you should see some of the turkeys we've had here.

[Browncoatone]

Worked for Schwarzenegger, Ventura and all the other dudes from Predator. Never underestimate the power of name recognition. Who wouldn't want Captain Kirk for Prime Minister?

Those were popularly elected officials, not paliamentary appointments like they have in Canada. I'm not an expert in the Canadian political system so any of my northern neighbors should feel free to correct me if I'm wrong but in Canada you get to be Prime Minister by leading the political party that manages to get a majority of seats in the legislature. The Canadian (subjects? citizens? I'm not certain how that works up there) don't get to vote for a person directly for Prime Minister, but rather vote for a party that their candidate is a part of.

It'd be like voting for the Democrat party for president instead of voting for Obama. [Ok, I know that you don't vote directly for a presidential candidate either, but rather for a electorial college elector who promises cross his heart and hope to die to vote for the candidate he says he will but work with me here]

In order for 'Kirk' to become Prime Minister he'd have to sieze control of a politcal party first. I wonder which party he has in mind?

[Wesley Street]

I understand how the parliamentary system works. I'm more familiar with the UK system but I imagine Canada's is the same. But imagine if Shatner were British, joined the Labour Party, and were elected to Parliament. Instant name recognition amongst the other MPs. Charisma and good communication skills. Bang, instant party leader.

[Browncoatone]

I don't think that's how it works. I think in the parliamentary system he has to join a party, then be elected as a party leader by the party, then the party is 'elected' to a majority which would make him Prime Minister.

Of course your assertion that natural charisma and name recognition could play a role in getting him to the top of a party are still valid.

[pbangarth]

The person who becomes Prime Minister is the person who gets the 'confidence' of parliament. That is to say, she is supported by a majority of the members of parliament in taking the Prime-Ministership. In a majority government, where one party has the majority of the seats in parliament, the selection is easy, and the party leader, who has to be a member of the party and be elected their leader in a separate leadership convention, invariably becomes the Prime Minister.

In a minority government, such as is in place right now in Canada, no party has a clear majority of the seats in parliament. The party with the most seats is usually the one that forms the government, and their leader is usually the one who gets selected to be Prime Minister. But he still has to have support of the majority of the members of parliament. Deals and compromises are the order of the day. Unlike a president who is elected separately, the Prime Minister can be removed, practically instantly, if a majority of the members of parliament show they have lost confidence in him. This would usually lead to a general election.

In all cases, popularity of the individual in question is very important. A very talented politician in years past never made a good run of being Prime Minister because for all the world he reminded most people of Elmer Fudd. In another case, a guy who got advice on political matters from his dead mother (through his dog, I think) lasted a long time. One Prime Minister swept into office on a wave of adoring and fanatical supporters and could do no wrong for years in office, including making fun of the Queen. Another one was totally reviled by the time he left office, but lasted a long time by doing things like singing "Irish Eyes" in his lovely, deep voice with Ronald Reagan. William Shatner would certainly not be the worst one we've had.

It would be nice, you know, to have one in my lifetime who is intelligent and competent and charismatic. Is that too much to ask?

[Browncoatone]

It would be nice, you know, to have one in my lifetime who is intelligent and competent and charismatic. Is that too much to ask?

Oh crap! We only get one? I've already had Reagan, so that means...

[Link]

It appears Canada retains the Westminster system. If so, electors vote for a candidate in their area (electorate) who may or may not be a member of a party. The party system is strong but there are independents. Invariably though, a party's leader in parliament will be PM.
In Australia (same system) the last change of PM while the ruling party retained government was in the early 90's where a party room coup lead to a new parliamentary leader and hence PM. There was no general election, it all occurred in house.

Shatner could be PM in less than a month. A member of the majority party resigns his safe seat, Shatner gets candidacy for the now vacant seat, wins the by-election and is voted parliamentary leader in the partyroom. Easy.

[Browncoatone]

I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. On the one hand it allows for a new leader to be installed from the citizenry in short order which is good for getting fresh blood into the system. On the other hand, it allows for people with more charisma than logic or willpower (to use SR4 attributes) to assume control with very little problem. That rarely turns out well.

[Chrysalis]

It would be nice, you know, to have one in my lifetime who is intelligent and competent and charismatic. Is that too much to ask?

What was wrong with Pierre Trudeau?

[pbangarth]

What was wrong with Pierre Trudeau?

he's the closest thing I have, Chrysalis. When he came into power, I was swept up in the general hysteria over him.

He was indeed intelligent, competent and charismatic. He was cool! He did a lot to raise the consciousness of the world about Canada. He repatriated the constitution (without Quebec's participation, of course). He inspired a generation. I think it is fair to make the claim that the American love affair with Obama is a parallel to Trudeaumania.

He was incredibly arrogant and irreverent, which was part of his charm to some. Trudeau also instituted policies that deeply indebted a nation that enjoyed a balanced budget when he came into power. There is great argument, I admit, about how much he and his cabinet were to blame, at least in the early years. He also instituted policies that peripheralized western Canada with respect to central Canada, thereby alienating them during an era when he was preaching unity. This alienation has plagued his political party ever since.

Sounds like I am looking for perfection, doesn't it? Could be. Would I vote for him today? Damn right I would!

[Chrysalis]

I can only hope that we get a prime minister who is not a sycophant for the interests of Canada's southern neighbour.

Yeah, I too wish for a reincarnated Trudeau to take office.

[Kagetenshi]

I hope so too. The only thing worse than some of the idiotic ideas we come up with is the fact that we can sometimes find other heads of state to support them.

~J

[Adarael]

He was indeed intelligent, competent and charismatic. He was cool! He did a lot to raise the consciousness of the world about Canada. He repatriated the constitution (without Quebec's participation, of course). He inspired a generation. I think it is fair to make the claim that the American love affair with Obama is a parallel to Trudeaumania

He also punched reporters for having the audacity to try and interview him while not being hot and female!

[Browncoatone]

He also punched reporters for having the audacity to try and interview him while not being hot and female!

Sounds like my kind of guy. What party did you say he was with again? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/spin.gif)

[pbangarth]

Sounds like my kind of guy. What party did you say he was with again? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/spin.gif)

Liberal party. Good luck ever getting another one like him, though. But.... his son just got elected. He's got his father's name/legacy, youthful enthusiasm and his mother's looks.

I can smell the assassins lining up.