Is the long forgotten concept of "responsible government" having a moment? It's become a frequent theme of parliamentary journalist Dale Smith -- as here the other day And I now see political scientists citing it from time to time these days, as if it were regaining respect. (Now if we could just get a few more of its principles back into effect -- including the accountability of governments to legislatures and leaders to MPs.)
Anyway, today, February 2 is the anniversary of the events in the Nova Scotia legislature in 1847 [me too!] 1848 that produced the first responsible government in Canada -- that is, a government chosen by and accountable to a legislature elected by the people took office, after the preceeding government lost the support of the elected members and resigned. The pre-confederation Province of Canada took the same step in March 1848 about a year later.
