With local elections approaching, it’s a good time to brush up on municipal law and government in Alberta. Municipal governments play an important role in shaping Albertans’ daily lives – from taxes to transit, bike lanes to bylaw enforcement, and development permits to dog licenses. Albertans go … [Read more...]
Politician Resignations and Personal Liability for By-Election Costs
“I look forward to working with and representing you.” - Premier Jim Prentice, January 1, 2015 “My contribution to public life has come to an end.” -Premier Jim Prentice, May 5, 2015 within minutes of being elected as an MLA Introduction Several months ago, this employment column discussed … [Read more...]
How does the American electoral system differ from our Canadian system?
Tuesday November 6 is election day in the United States. This election is one of the most hard-fought and fractious contests in modern memory. The polls at this point can’t predict who will win. The result in Canada’s closest neighbour might turn on a little-known and somewhat mysterious body … [Read more...]
Riding the Election Cycle: The Role of Elections Alberta
When it comes to election administration, there are always common questions that are asked. Does everyone have an equal opportunity to participate in our democracy? Who is responsible for the elections? What happens in between and after elections? Are election laws respected? Democracy isn’t … [Read more...]
Running for Office: A Candidate’s Journey
In April 2010, I was sitting in a hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia with a remarkable group of women from all around the world who were attending a conference of the World Movement for Democracy. Each of them had been a candidate for parliament in their home countries, many of them had not succeeded. Most … [Read more...]
American and Canadian Election Laws: Top 10 Differences
Introduction There are distinct differences in Canadian and American federal election law and practices. For example, while the processes differ, American primaries are essentially party nominations in Canada. The American process for drawing constituency boundaries (often referred to as … [Read more...]