Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_els  Once again, our Canadian friends seem to not understand the American system of government. Not all states have a death penalty though the federal government itself does. The prisoner in question was not facing a federal sentence, but that of a state. The federal government is free to make treaties with other nations while states may not. The federal government cannot, however, dictate what a state may or may not do under its laws unless it legislates that law for all states.
That means that while the federal government may be willing to abide by Canada's terms, the state in which the prisoner was to face the death penalty, was not. The catch is working out an agreement that the state government itself would be willing to abide by. |
Not really news to me, though highly qualified by what facedowndeep says below.
But the interesting thing is that Jason is the first American to point this out. So once again, our American friends seem not to understand the American system of government. (Except Jason, of course.)
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Originally Posted by jason_els So please do not lump all Americans into a basket of death mongerers because we are not. Fourteen states, the District of Columbia, and all US territories have abolished the death penalty. |
This is a reality worth pointing to, as is the contrary position of the federal government, 36 states, and the citizenry itself.
Quote:
Originally Posted by facedowndeep jason_els
I understand the American system of government. In the issue at hand, however, state laws are irrelevant. Extradition treaties function solely on the federal level, as being between nations. The American federal government has to guarantee that a prisoner would not face execution: that requires securing the assent of the state where he is being charged. But these are complications which have nothing to do with the issue being debated, which is whether or not Canada has the right to withhold extradition in these cases. Canada exercises this right until the prisoners right to life is guaranteed at all levels of government, federal, state, and municipal. |
The essential point.
(Is the
municipal level relevant, though?)
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Originally Posted by jason_els As to the KFC remark, well, Quebec's contribution to world cuisine, the mess of cholesterol known as poutine isn't exactly any better. |
Touche. Chapeau. Felicitations. Quote:
Originally Posted by classyron Easy big guy... lay-off the poutine bashing... we Canadians are pacifists to a point, but we will fight over fries, gravy and cheese curds. And, for the record, it is technically Acadian, which is from the east coast and very closely related to Cajun. |
Actually, while the origins of poutine are a bit murky, many authorities say it was coagulated, um, no ... created, yes, created ... in Quebec.