Party Whip | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Party Whip

Article by Robert J. Jackson

Published Online February 7, 2006

Last Edited June 11, 2015

The party whip is a member of a party caucus who ensures that the number of MPs in the legislature, or at committee meetings, is adequate to win a vote if one is called. The division bells in the HOUSE OF COMMONS ring until whips are satisfied that sufficient members of their own party are present.

Party Whip

The party whip is a member of a party caucus who ensures that the number of MPs in the legislature, or at committee meetings, is adequate to win a vote if one is called. The division bells in the House of Commons ring until whips are satisfied that sufficient members of their own party are present. They can offer a few minor rewards, eg, trips and committee membership, but have few effective punishments and rely more on persuasion than coercion. They also arrange the order of speakers in the legislature, facilitating the Speaker's job.

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