From: doug.bryce{at}sympatico.ca (Doug Bryce)

Hold on a second....when did we get to elect our Minister of Defence. I
agree that the voters in the riding *did* elect the individual who is now
the MInister (is it Eggleton still ?), but no voters actually got to
approve his Ministerial appointment!

Having said that, I *do* agree with the point that you're making - our
cabinet members are at least elected members of Parliament.

doug

On Mon, 7 Apr 2003 15:03:10 -0400, "John Beamish"
 wrote:

>Entire body of Congress?  I thought that Secretary confirmation hearings
>only involved the Senate.  Thanks for correcting me.
>
>My point is still accurate:  the path via which a person becomes Secretary
>of Defence in the United States is substantially different from the path via
>which a person becomes Minister of Defence in the UK and Canada.
>
>I know for a fact that the electorate has approved of the Minister of
>Defence.  The same cannot be said for the Secretary of Defence who has not
>been, as the phrase goes, tried in the crucible of an election.
>
>This difference is fundamental and goes to the very heart of our different
>forms of government.  The fact that a Minister must be elected means that
>s/he has to subject him/herself to questions in the Commons asked by any
>other member.  It is something that cannot be ducked.  In the American
>system, the Secretary holds press conferences.
>
>
>"David Blair"  wrote in message
>news:3e918dc4{at}w3.nls.net...
>> His work is at the behest and approval of not just the president, but the
>> entire body of Congress.
>>
>> I still don't find your point accurate, albeit that he isn't elected.
>>
>> "John Beamish"  wrote in message
>> news:3e918aa9{at}w3.nls.net...
>> > I was referring to Rumsfeld.  As I mentioned in a private conversation,
>in
>> > the British (and Canadian) system the Ministers (equivalent to
>> Secretaries)
>> > need to be elected.
>> >
>> > This is important (to me, at least, in this case) because this is
>> > frequently -- and, I believe in many ways, accurately -- as
Rummy's war.
>> >
>> > (BTW:  I do recognize that this is, at its most basic, simply an
>artifact
>> of
>> > the different types of political structures.  It is the
"follow-on"
>impact
>> > that I think is significant.)
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > "David Blair"  wrote in message
>> > news:3e90f49c{at}w3.nls.net...
>> > > Get a grip. He was elected. I can't help it if Pain is
unfamiliar with
>> how
>> > > our nation elects its leaders. He's not alone- too many here are
>> confused
>> > as
>> > > well. He's probably with the many who think there is a national
>election
>> > for
>> > > the President.
>> > >
>> > > There isn't.
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > "John Beamish" 
wrote in message
>> > > news:3e90e8d1$1{at}w3.nls.net...
>> > > > He has had some scathing comments about decisions
taken by the
>> unelected
>> > > > leadership of your country.
>> > > >
>> > > > He has had some equally scathing comments about
decisions taken by
>the
>> > > > elected leadership of his country.
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > "Gary Wiltshire" 
wrote in message
>> > > > news:rqh19vc32p3a8g5ggbark5r0nri1opdalq{at}4ax.com...
>> > > > > Shitting on my country every chance he gets
hardly merits
>> "courtesy."
>> > > > >
>> > > > > On Sun, 6 Apr 2003 18:40:44 -0400, "John
Beamish"
>> > > > >  wrote:
>> > > > >
>> > > > > >As I mentioned in a post a moment ago,
public figures put
>> themselves
>> > in
>> > > a
>> > > > > >position where they are subject to parody.
 Why shouldn't we make
>> fun
>> > > of
>> > > > the
>> > > > > >others here?  Courtesy.
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > >"Gary Wiltshire"
 wrote in message
>> > > > > >news:lv919vo6smjors85gr15hfgi014vghkjht{at}4ax.com...
>> > > > > >> Perhaps if Phil would learn to spell
the name of his PM?  I,
>BTW,
>> > > > > >> don't call him Pain.  I call him
Phingerpainter.
>> > > > > >>
>> > > > > >> On Sun, 6 Apr 2003 14:00:41 -0400,
"John Beamish"
>> > > > > >>  wrote:
>> > > > > >>
>> > > > > >> >I grew up having to endure a
couple of "ha-ha, that's so
>funny"
>> > > plays
>> > > > on
>> > > > > >my
>> > > > > >> >name.
>> > > > > >> >
>> > > > > >> >The recent fascination of
renaming one of the contributors
>here
>> > > > reminds
>> > > > > >me
>> > > > > >> >of the first time on Canopus that
I referred to Windoze.
>> > > > > >> >
>> > > > > >> >I was told, quite clearly, that
it really wasn't appropriate.
>> > > > > >> >
>> > > > > >> >Neither is the current variation
of the game.
>> > > > > >> >
>> > > > > >> >
>> > > > > >> >"David Blair"
 wrote in message
>> > > > > >> >news:3e906767$1{at}w3.nls.net...
>> > > > > >> >>
>> > > > > >> >> "Robert Comer"
 wrote in message
>> > > > > >> >> news:3E8FD696.60709{at}mindspring.com...
>> > > > > >> >> > I was wondering the
same thing earlier today.
>> > > > > >> >> >
>> > > > > >> >> >  > somethings up.
>> > > > > >> >> >
>> > > > > >> >> > It's called war and
disinformation is a common tactic.
>> > > > > >> >>
>> > > > > >> >> Just read this group and
Phil Pain and you'll get plenty.
>> > > > > >> >>
>> > > > > >> >>
>> > > > > >> >>
>> > > > > >> >
>> > > > > >>
>> > > > > >
>> > > > >
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>
>

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