a minister or someone speaking on his or her
senators and representatives to introduce the
behalf, and ministers must appear in Parliament
bills he or she wants passed. But each house
to defend government bills, answer daily
can add to each of the bills, or take things out
questions on government actions or policies,
of them, or reject them outright, and what
and rebut attacks on such actions or policies.
emerges from the tussle may bear little or no
resemblance to what the president wanted. The
In the United States, the president and every
majority in either house may have a coherent
member of both houses is elected for a fi xed
program on this or that subject; but the other
term: the president for four years, the senators
house can add to it, or take things out of it, or
Canadian and American Government
25
How Canadians Govern Themselves
throw the whole thing out; and again, what
adverse majority in one or both houses can
(if anything) emerges may bear little or no
block many things the president may want to
resemblance to the original. Even if the two
do, but it cannot force him or her out of offi
ce.
houses agree on something, the president can,
The president can veto bills passed by both
and often does, veto the bill. The veto can be
houses. But Congress can override this veto by a
overridden only by a two-thirds majority in
two-thirds majority in both houses. The House
both houses.
of Representatives can impeach the president,
and the Senate then tries him or her, and, if it so
So when an election comes, the president, the
decides, by a two-thirds majority, removes him
senator, the representative, reproached with
or her. No president has ever been removed,
not having carried out his or her promises can
and there have been only three attempts to do
always say: ?Don?t blame me! I sent the bill to
it. In one, the Senate majority was too small; in
Congress, and the Senate (or the representatives,
the second, the president resigned before any
or both) threw it out, or mangled it beyond
vote on impeachment took place in the House
recognition?; ?I introduced the bill I?d promised
of Representatives; and in the third, although
in the Senate, but the House of Representatives
the president was impeached, he was acquitted
threw it out or reduced it to shreds and tatters
by the Senate.
(or the president vetoed it)?; ?I introduced my
bill in the House of Representatives, but the
Our Canadian system is very diff erent. Terms
Senate rejected it or made mincemeat of it (or
of offi
ce are not rigidly fi xed. All important
the president vetoed it). Don?t blame me!?
legislation is introduced by the government,
and all bills to spend public funds or impose
So it ends up that nobody ? not the president,
taxes must be introduced by the government
not the senators, not the representatives ? can
and neither house can raise the amounts of
be held really responsible for anything done or
money involved. As long as the government can
not done. Everybody concerned can honestly
keep the support of a majority in the House of
and legitimately say, ?Don?t blame me!?
