CBC Radio recently interviewed Blaneys' partner and election law lawyer, Jack Siegel, on the topic of Justin Trudeau's resignation as Prime Minister of Canada and what is likely to happen during the prorogation period, between now and when parliament resumes on March 24th.
Jack brings decades of experience in election law to this discussion. He has earned a reputation as one of the only lawyers in Canada whose practice entails a significant and ongoing component of work in this area. He served as senior national legal counsel to three Prime Ministers and was the chief returning officer during several liberal leadership elections in Ontario.
In the context of Justin Trudeau's resignation and request to prorogue parliament, Jack explains the meaning of prorogation and what's likely to happen over the next few months as the Liberal Party chooses a new leader.
"It’s exactly the same step that was taken provincially in Ontario, when Dalton McGuinty resigned as Ontario Liberal Party leader in the fall of 2012, with Kathleen Wynne being chosen as the new leader in January of 2013, and then she became premier after that. So, the premier continued to be premier until the new leader was elected, and that’s what the Prime Minister has announced."
He goes on to explain that, in this case, as in the previous one, prorogation can help facilitate an orderly transfer to new leadership.
When asked if, and how, the government will function while Parliament is suspended until a new session begins on March 24th, Jack offers reassurance by explaining how the government will continue to function during the prorogation period.
"Government exists through three wings, the executive branch, which is the prime minister’s office, cabinet, and effectively the entire civil service. It continues just as before, whether there’s a session in place or not. We have the judiciary, which isn’t really a factor here, and the legislative. So, it’s only the legislative that is not operating. New laws can’t be passed while parliament is prorogued."
Throughout the interview, Jack calls on his years of experience as one of Canada's leading political lawyers to shed some light on the inner workings of our system of government, the implications of a prorogued parliament, and speculation on when a new Liberal Party leader will be chosen.
To listen to the full interview on CBC Radio, click here.