Two Cheers For Minority Government The Evolution Of Canadian Parliamentary Democracy Second Edition

Two Cheers for Minority Government presents a concise, accessible analysis of the prevalence of minority governments in Canada. Using the Canadian case to reflect on the processes and procedures of the parliamentary system, Peter H. Russell explores the tendency for people in parliamentary government to prefer elections which result in one party getting a margin of seats. Russell aims to explain why a minority government is not only a likely outcome of parliamentary elections in Canada but is also, for most, the best possible outcome. He argues that the best result of parliamentary actions is for no party to end up with a majority of seats in the lower house. This makes for government that is more accountable to the people. The new edition reveals how the increasing frequency of parliamentary elections that do not result in majority governments is a positive development for democracy. Ultimately, Two Cheers for Minority Government aims to help both citizens and politicians understand and make the most of the opportunities presented by minority governments.

This book sheds light on minority government in Canada through a timely exploration of the country's history and its current political landscape.

A comprehensive, up to date, and probing examination of media and politics in Canada.

In 2015 the Harper era in Canadian foreign policy was over, suggesting a return to the priorities of a gentler, more cooperative Liberal governments. But was the Harper era really so different? And if so, why? This comprehensive analysis of Canada’s foreign policy during this era addresses these very questions. The chapters, written by leading scholars and analysts of Canadian politics, provide an excellent overview of foreign policy in a number of different policy areas. They also come to a surprising conclusion as to whether the transition from a minority to majority government in 2011 shaped the way the Harper Conservatives conceived of, developed, and implemented international policy.

Provinces is now established as the most comprehensive yet accessible exploration of Canadian provincial politics and government. The authors of each chapter draw on their particular expertise to examine themes and issues pertaining to all the provinces from a comparative perspective. The book is organized into four major sections – political landscapes, the state of democracy in the provinces, political structures and processes, and provincial public policy. The third edition features eleven new chapters, including: province building, provincial constitutions, provincial judicial systems, plurality voting in the provinces, voting patterns in the provinces, provincial public service, provincial party financing, provincial health policy, social policy, climate change, and labour market policy. All other chapters have been thoroughly revised and updated.

On May 2, 2011, as Canadians watched the federal election results roll in and Stephen Harper's Conservatives achieve a majority, it appeared that we were witnessing a major shift in the political landscape. In reality, Canadian politics had been changing for quite some time. This volume provides the first account of the political upheavals of the past two decades and speculates on the future of the country's national party system. By documenting how parties and voters responded to new challenges between 1993 and 2011, this book sheds light on one of the most tumultuous periods in Canadian political history.

In Canada, the 1982 Constitution Act contains the amending formula, which outlines a set of procedures required to make changes to the constitution. Recent debates over Senate reform, the status of the Supreme Court of Canada, and the rules governing royal succession have highlighted how important the amending formula is in maintaining the vitality and relevance of the governing system. Constitutional Amendment in Canada is the first volume to focus solely on the implications of the amending formula in Canada. Emmett Macfarlane has brought together a group of expert authors to address such topics as the difficulties of constitutional reform, the intersection of various levels of government and the judiciary, and the ability of the public to veto proposed changes. Filling a serious gap in the literature, Constitutional Amendment in Canada is an authoritative study of the historical and contemporary implications of the amending formula.