Politics Policy And Government In British Columbia

Politics, Policy, and Government in British Columbia examines the political life of Canada's dynamic Pacific province. Each of the seventeen chapters, written by well-known experts, provides an up-to-date portrait and analysis of one of the many faces of B.C. politics. Taken together they provide a clear and comprehensive overview of the dominant themes and issues that have been the distinguishing features of the province's political life. Key elements of the book include sections on: the political setting, with discussions of BC's political culture and economy, and its relations with the rest of Canada and its own Native communities; B.C.-style politics, which focus on electoral and parliamentary party politics, the changing place of women in BC public life, and the critical role of the media in explaining it all to British Columbians; governing the province, with accounts of the premier and cabinet, the bureaucracy that delivers most government services, and the complex system -- from the police to the courts -- that provides the administration of justice and the rule of law; and contemporary policy issues, with clear explanations of the intricacies of fiscal and social policy, analyses of recent conflicts over forest policy and environmental protection, a discussion of the role of lobbyists, and an examination of what difference is made when NDP governments are elected. Anyone interested in B.C. or its politics will find this book an informative, up-to-date record of the processes and events that have marked B.C.'s past and will continue to shape its future.

How are we to assess Gordon Campbell’s decade-long premiership of British Columbia? While to many he was an ideologue set on revolutionizing provincial politics, he was a far more complex figure – polarizing and unpopular, but also a shrewd party manager and successful political operator. Beginning with a detailed account of Gordon Campbell’s pre–Liberal Party political activities, The Campbell Revolution? then takes a broad look at the policy options open to him in the context of the neoliberal revolution that swept across Canada and elsewhere in the 1980s and 1990s. Contributors discuss the Campbell administration's reforms in social, environmental, and economic policies, focusing on tax system reform, the arts and culture sector, healthcare, and urban development in the context of the 2010 Winter Olympics. More than just a narrative of the career of an enigmatic public official, this book looks at specific public policy examples and asks whether Campbell led a revolution or simply rode a wave of change that had begun years before he came to power. A comprehensive examination of Gordon Campbell’s leadership and governance style and the ideological underpinnings of BC’s Liberal Party, The Campbell Revolution? examines how the Campbell administration attempted to transform politics in British Columbia in the twenty-first century.

What does it really take to govern effectively? Michael Wernick, a career public servant with experience working at the highest levels of Canadian government, shares tips, insider knowledge, and essential advice in this first-ever practical governance handbook. From choosing a Cabinet and getting the most out of it, to delivering on the prime minister’s mandate letter, readers will get a close-up look at how day-to-day political work actually happens. Wernick’s three decades "in the room" with prime ministers, cabinet ministers, and other members of government make this a must-read not only for politicians, but for anyone who aspires to understand them.

The federal government and its policies transform Canadian cities in myriad ways. Canada in Cities examines this relationship to better understand the interplay among changing demographics, how local governments and citizens frame their arguments for federal action, and the ways in which the national government uses its power and resources to shape urban Canada. Most studies of local governance in Canada focus on politics and policy within cities. The essays in this collection turn such analysis on its head, by examining federal programs, rather than municipal ones, and observing how they influence local policies and work with regional authorities and civil societies. Through a series of case studies - ranging from federal policy concerning Aboriginal people in cities, to the introduction of the federal gas tax transfer to municipalities, to the impact of Canada's emergency management policies on cities - the contributors provide insights about how federal politics influence the local political arena. Analyzing federal actions in diverse policy fields, the authors uncover meaningful patterns of federal action and outcome in Canadian cities. A timely contribution, Canada in Cities offers a comprehensive study of diverse areas of municipal public policy that have emerged in Canada in recent years.

For more than three decades, the fate of British Columbia’s old-growth forests has been a major source of political strife. While more than 5 million hectares of wood were being clearcut, the BC wilderness movement and forest industry supporters clashed, as they continue to do, both pressing their arguments in a variety of forums, ranging from television studios and logging road blockades to royal commission hearings and cabinet ministers’ offices. The resulting record of conflict confirms American historian Paul Hirt’s characterization of forest policy as "party an ideological issue, partly biological, partly economic, partly technical, and wholly political." Talk and Log is a comprehensive account of the rise and impact of the BC wilderness movement between 1965 and 1996. Jeremy Wilson examines the evolution of the movement’s approaches, evaluates the forest industry’s counterstrategies, and analyzes the patterns and trends underlying shifts in provincial government forest, environment, and parks policies. He describes the "war in the woods" triggered by environmentalists’ efforts to preserve areas such as South Moresby and the Carmanah Valley, and considers the complex forces that pushed the government to expand the protected areas system. Wilson’s perceptive analysis of Social Credit’s failed policies of the 1980s is followed by an assessment of the Harcourt NDP government’s reform iniatives, including the Commission on Resources and Environment (CORE) and the Forest Practices Code. Talk and Log is based on a variety of sources, including government documents, environmental group briefs, and interviews with several dozen politicians, government officials, environmentalists, and forest industry leaders. This book deftly illuminates the forces behind controversies that have divided British Columbians and drawn the attention of people around the world. It is also a thought-provoking examination of issues likely to dominate political debates in BC for decades to come.

Governance and Public Policy in Canada lays the foundation for a systematic analysis of policy developments, shaped as they are by multiple players, institutional tensions, and governance legacies. Arguing that provinces are now the most central site of governance and policy innovation, the book assesses the role of the provinces and places the provincial state in its broader economic, institutional, social, and territorial context. The aim throughout is to highlight the crucial role of provinces in policy changes that directly affect the lives of citizens. Three key themes unify this book. First, it addresses the role of policy convergence and divergence among provinces. Although the analysis acknowledges enduring differences in political culture and institutions, it also points to patterns of policy diffusion and convergence in specific areas in a number of provinces. Second, the book explores the push and pull between centralization and decentralization in Canada as it affects intergovernmental relations. Third, it underscores that although the provinces play a greater role in policy development than ever before, they now face a growing tension between their expanding policy ambitions and their capacity to develop, fund, implement, manage, and evaluate policy programs. Governance and Public Policy in Canada describes how the provincial state has adapted in the context of these changing circumstances to transcend its limited capacity while engaging with a growing number of civil society actors, policy networks, and intergovernmental bodies.