Well, well...checks and balances, right? Your USA governmental structure definitely does have some good points in its favour. In Canada, a majority government is nothing short of a temporary dictatorship that does whatever it bloody well wants to until the next election. I kid you not. The only thing protecting our public is the basic sense of decency and moderation that is still natural to a lot of Canadian politicians...

That is not the case in Ontario, however, under Mike Harris's Conservatives. Not at all. The only thing that can stop a Canadian federal or provincial majority government in its tracks is a public scandal (generally one involving misappropriation of funds or something sober like that...not sex in the offices of power).

We have not 2 parties, you see, but several...and a majority government here IS a de facto dictatorship with limited tenure...figure a minimum of 4 to 5 years generally speaking.

- LH