Quote:
Originally Posted by steeljack
i think this link gives a fair description of the on-going debate between the Federal Govt. and States rights
States' rights - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
my thought on the topic is that the federal Govt. should butt out and stop interfearing in State and local matters , the idea that one size fits all is wrong, two examples of Federal intervention/interfearing was when States were threatened with the withholding of Federal Highway funds unless they abided with a national speed limit and a national drinking age of 21 .
re. the gay marriage thing , In my opinion this should be a State thing not Federal , the Feds have never got involved with 'straight 'marriage laws in different States (thinking back to when Jerry Lee Lewis married his 12 year old cousin) this was recognised as legal in all 48 states at that time .  this is where the 'fear factor' comes in , if one state allows gay marriage do all the others have to recognize it ? as they did with J L Lewis's
Eric , a bit of a wander , but is your Canadian RCMP the equivelent of the US FBI , (a federal police force which operates in all the provinces)? |
On the wandering question: The RCMP is a federal police force controlled by the federal govt, which appoints a commisioner usually, but not always, a member of the force. The present commisioner is a civilian. This is mainly because of ongoing questions of corruption in the force. However, in areas where there is no municipal or provincial police force, the RCMP takes care of policing. In Saskatchewan, for example, outside the major urban centres, the RCMP is the police force.
I found the Wikipedia article interesting ... particularly the comments on "residual powers." We have the same thing in the BNA of 1867.
I know this is a major wander, and it will surprise Barb, but I do think that the wrong side won the Civil War. The idea of Union is differnent from the idea of Confederacy. "Union" places too much power in the hands of the central government. Canada is more confederacy than union. On October 10, Ontario goes to the polls to elect a new provincial govt. This is a major political event. And the results will have a huge effect on federal politics, maybe to the extent of precipitating a federal general election. The feds are always under pressure from the provinces, and they do listen. To ignore the provinces, particularly the powerhouses in Ontario, Quebec, BC, and Alberta, is not something the federal govt. does lightly.
The President and his appointed cabinet seem to me to be too powerful. Evidence the latest veto (yeah, almost back on topic). And even the Supreme Court, unlike the Canadian version, is too closely linked to the federal party in power, at least in terms of appointments.
My apologies to all those in Accrington and district who may be bored by all this
