Recurring Issues In Canadian Federalism

Canadian federalism, as a particular form of political organization for a complex society—with multiple economic, political, geographic, cultural, and national divides—faces important challenges. The political realignment that brought the Conservative Party to power in the last quinquennium has set in motion a significant transformation of the Canadian state and its federal system of governance. The contributors in this collection focus on three recurrent themes: the issues arising from the management of ethno-cultural diversity; the existence of internal nations in Canada (the First Nations and the Quebec nation in Quebec), the presence of linguistic minorities (French and English), and the questions of identity linked to citizenship in a federal context that allows for the presence of multiple loyalties; and the specific challenges raised by globalization and the extension of economic integration, particularly between the United States and Canada. This collection of studies on the role of the state reveals that our understanding of the evolution of the Canadian state, and of the ensuing impact on federalism and federal-provincial relations, is not as complete as it should be.

Canadian federalism, as a particular form of political organization for a complex society--with multiple economic, political, geographic, cultural, and national divides--faces important challenges. The political realignment that brought the Conservative Party to power in the last quinquennium has set in motion a significant transformation of the Canadian state and its federal system of governance. The contributors in this collection focus on three recurrent themes: the issues arising from the management of ethno-cultural diversity; the existence of internal nations in Canada (the First Nations and the Quebec nation in Quebec), the presence of linguistic minorities (French and English), and the questions of identity linked to citizenship in a federal context that allows for the presence of multiple loyalties; and the specific challenges raised by globalization and the extension of economic integration, particularly between the United States and Canada. This collection of studies on the role of the state reveals that our understanding of the evolution of the Canadian state, and of the ensuing impact on federalism and federal-provincial relations, is not as complete as it should be.

This is Canada's only up-to-date collection of essays on issues in Canadian federalism, covering the Harper and Trudeau eras, as well as federal-provincial debates over healthcare, climate change, trade, and more.

"In Perspectives on Canadian Federalism, R.D. Olling and M.W. Westmacott have assembled a stimulating collection of studies that examine the unique features of Canadian federalism. A mix of classic writings, recent articles, and specially commissioned essays, this volume devotes particular attention to the controversial institutional and procedural changes that have occurred during the 1970s and 1980s" -- back cover

This book provides an assessment of federalism in the contemporary Canadian political system. In a crossnational discussion, it focuses on issues such as constitutional reform, public health planning, economic strategies, foreign relations, and national energy policy.