Mr. Martin's action plan for democratic reform in a North American context
The success of Prime Minister Paul Martin's Action Plan for Democratic Reform will only be revealed with time, as we see what items survive changes in the shape of Canada's Parliament. This plan attempted to reform the House of Commons to create more free votes, a more active governance role for Parliamentarians, an expanded role for Parliamentary committees, increased analytical capacity for Parliament, and prior review of key Governor‐in‐Council appointments by Parliament. On the surface, these changes have the potential to weaken Cabinet secrecy and the role of responsible government, and perhaps even to “Americanize” Parliament. Mingus reports on early interview‐based research to assess the impact of this plan, and discusses the extent to which it represents a convergence between the United States and Canadian systems of governance.