30th April 2011, 8:34 PM
The Queen can dissolve parliament and appoint the Prime Minister. Granted this hasn't been done in a long time, which is commendable, but she technically does have this power.
Then there's the royal prerogative. In practice, the figurehead only gives these "orders" under her own orders by parliament. One of those prerogatives is declaring war. There are others but that's a big one. Basically the Queen is a big gavel who slams down orders given by the rest of the government, but notable is how required she is for this. What if she ever refused? It's a huge and dumb flaw to have open. I don't care what magic powers she's imbuing Canada or Australia with, they can get along just fine without her I'm sure. Just, here's a thought, rewrite the laws so that no one's suddenly rendered into slaves or whatever it is Canada is so afraid of.
Then there's the royal prerogative. In practice, the figurehead only gives these "orders" under her own orders by parliament. One of those prerogatives is declaring war. There are others but that's a big one. Basically the Queen is a big gavel who slams down orders given by the rest of the government, but notable is how required she is for this. What if she ever refused? It's a huge and dumb flaw to have open. I don't care what magic powers she's imbuing Canada or Australia with, they can get along just fine without her I'm sure. Just, here's a thought, rewrite the laws so that no one's suddenly rendered into slaves or whatever it is Canada is so afraid of.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)