Pierre Hairyvre will not benefit from a courteous tradition in Battle River-Crowfoot

The conservative chief will not be entitled to preferential treatment by trying again to be elected in Battle River-Crowfoot, despite the old parliamentary tradition of “courtesy towards the chiefs”.

Above all, a question of principle applied in a sporadically, this tradition allows an unleavenured chef to have the carpet of the Canadian Parliament unpaid without opposition on the part of the other parties when he tries to be elected.

The former deputy for Alberta Damien Kurek has sold his seat in the constituency of Battle River-Crowfoot To grant Pierre Hairyvre a chance to return to the House of Commons. The conservative chief lost his longtime district of Carleton in the general elections last April

However, more than 200 candidates have already registered in the by -election of Battle River-Crowfoot Against M. Hairyvre.

The vast majority of these people are members of a pressure group whose objective is to reform the electoral system, but the liberals, the neo-democrats, the Greens and smaller parties all present candidates against the conservative chief.

Is it surprising that his opponents do not make him a neighborhood? Not at all, according to Lori Turnbull, professor of political science at Dalhousie University, which recalls that a tradition has no law.

It is not an absolute rule. But when it applies, it is generally when the chief is elected and is not yet a member of parliament.

In the case of Mr. Hairyvre, He was deputy and lost. I therefore do not think that these are circumstances where this courtesy would necessarily applyexplains Ms. Turnbull.

However, this tradition has been honored several times during the last century. For example, the former Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie Kingwell known for having led the country during the Second World War, had granted its blessing to the progressive-conservative chief Robert Manion in 1938.

The progressive-conservative party even returned the same in the partial elections of 1926 and 1945, although it had to appear against independent candidates on each occasion.

Other liberals have also left free field to leaders of the progressive-conservative party, of which George Drew In 1948, Robert Stanfield in 1967 and Joe Clark In 2000. Likewise, the progressive-conservatives did not present a candidate against the liberal leader of the time, Jean Chrétien, in 1990.

These two parties also chose not to participate in the by -elections which allowed the former leaders of the Canadian Alliance, Stockwell Day et Stephen Harperto obtain seats in 2000 and 2002, respectively.

Neither equal nor constant, courtesy

However, several examples also illustrate the weaknesses of this tradition. In 1983, Brian Mulroney was forced to face a liberal opponent in by-elections just after his accession to the head of the progressive-conservative party.

Notable, the NPD almost always chose to present candidates against newly elected leaders, the Neo-Scottish Robert Stanfield in 1967 being the only exception. It is however a good war, since the neo-democratic leaders did not benefit from this courtesy either.

In 2019, while Jagmeet Singh sought to obtain a seat during a by-election in British Columbia, only the Greens withdrew their candidate.

After failing to obtain a seat in the general elections of 1962 and 1968, the first leader of this party, Tommy Douglasalso had to appear against liberal and progressive candidates during by -elections.

Elizabeth Mayhead of the green and ardent defendant party of this tradition in the past, criticized the NPD for having presented a candidate against the former leader Annamie Paul In 2020.

She said that the situation of Pierre Hairy is different and that it does not justify the application of the courtesy rule towards the chiefs.

We have always respected this tradition, even if it is not an obligationtold Ms. May to CBC News. Or, The circumstances could not be more unusual, and in this context, a courtesy agreement towards the chiefs is not obvious, from any point of view whatsoever.

Anyway, I do not think that the withdrawal of our candidate would change anything in the resultadded Ms. May. However, she indicates that the Greens might have withdrawn their candidate if the curators had asked them.

Indeed, Mr. Hairyis is not a recently elected chief and he presents himself in what is considered one of the most established conservative strongholds in the country.

Not presenting a candidate also includes risks

Professor Turnbull points out that it is generally expected from parties that they have a candidate when they can.

It is based in particular on the example of former liberal chief Stéphane Dion, who suffered the wrath of certain members of his party for not having presented a candidate in a riding of Nova Scotia by virtue of an agreement concluded with Ms. May during the 2008 elections.

People expect the parties to dispute the election. It would not be easy for a political party to explain to its members why he will not present a candidate in a constituency.

And even when the chiefs are offered this brand of courtesy, they must expect independent candidates to stand on their way.

For example, in addition to the 200 candidates favorable to electoral reform, Sarah Spaniard et Bonnie Critchley arise as non -partisan spare options to Mr. Hairyvre in the constituency of Battle River-Crowfoot.

Mmes Turnbull And May both get along on this subject: this parliamentary tradition is perhaps going from fashion, mainly due to the polarized nature of the current political climate.

I think that a large number of our parliamentary traditions are more and more perceived as being covered with spider canvases, in particular those who ask to put aside the partisan spirit in a tradition of respectful commitment within the Parliament.

If people consider politics as a bloodthirsty sport – and what it is – it seems to me that we have evolved towards competition rather than courtesy between partiessaid Ms. Turnbull, adding that the tradition of courtesy of leaders may well have made his last breath.

From a text by Darren Major, CBC News