From: "John Beamish" 

You're right ... the wording would have been better if I had said "the
person appointed to the position of Minister of Defence has to have first
been elected to the House."

And it would have been more accurate to note that on occasion the Minister
has not been in the Commons but in the Senate -- although this is extremely
rare.   (I *think* there was a Minister of Agriculture ... but I do not
honestly remember and a quick search of Google was of no help.)  And,
finally, that person is expected to find a vacancy and run in it at the
earliest possible opportunity.

"Doug Bryce"  wrote in message
news:3e921289.13486926{at}news.barkto.com...
> 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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