NDP MP wants 'democratic controls' on the prime minister's powers

A New Democrat MP is trying to convince his colleagues to change the rules that govern the House of Commons in a series of ways he says would instill 'democratic controls' on the prime minister's 'unfettered' powers.

A New Democrat MP is trying to convince his colleagues to change the rules that govern the House of Commons in a series of ways he says would instill "democratic controls" on the prime minister's "unfettered" powers.

Manitoba NDP MP Daniel Blaikie has presented a motion seeking to change the rules known as 'Standing Orders' to clarify what can be declared a confidence vote, and empower MPs to have authority as to whether the government of the day has the confidence of the House.

The motion also would have the effect of making it harder for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and all of his successors to misuse prorogation and dissolution as political tools to reset or swerve accountability.

"The prime minister enjoys a lot of power in the Canadian system of government, but perhaps one of the most important powers that the prime minister has is the ability to dissolve or prorogue Parliament at will," Blaikie told reporters during a press conference on Parliament Hill Monday.

"What that means is the prime minister can call an election at any time that he wants. And, at any point if he's not happy with what's going on in Parliament, he can he can tear up all that work, stop Parliament with a prorogation … This is something that I don't think makes a lot of sense … because Parliament is the body that's supposed to hold the government to account."

The motion—revisiting an initiative the NDP's democratic reform critic tried to pass in the last Parliament—received its first hour of debate on Friday, and Blaikie said he's hopeful the second hour of debate and coinciding vote will be scheduled before the summer break in late June, otherwise it would be pushed to early in the fall.

In making his case for the package of reforms he calls "meaningful democratic controls" and why he thinks it should receive all party support— despite early indications that the Liberals and Conservatives won't back it— Blaikie took direct aim at Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his pledge to remove "gatekeepers."