This second edition renews the promise of the first: it offers a fresh and comprehensive exploration of the complexity of Canadian federal politics. It begins with a comprehensive section on constitutional politics, which examines topics ranging from executive federalism to multiculturalism including new chapters on judicial review and the division of powers, Aboriginal governance and federalism, and the implication of treaty rights for self-governance. This is followed by seven chapters that both provide a select survey of public policy areas and explore the impact of federal-provincial relations on policy evolution and outcomes. Updated chapters on trade policy, labour policy, the environment, regionalism, and, of course, health care are all to be found, alongside new work on social assistance and Canadian federalism and federation in comparative perspective. Throughout, the book reveals the visions that have animated Canada's longstanding constitutional debates, the role of executive federalism and the courts in relation to the evolution of federalism, and the essential dynamism of policy development. Together they demonstrate that, despite the lack of a formal constitutional agreement, important changes are occurring in the Canadian federal system.

Comments on the first edition:

"Excellent for contemporary issues." - Michael D. Behiels, University of Ottawa

"...provides valuable insights into the current crossroads we have reached because of competing views of the form our federal system should take. At each stage [it] shows the practical political controversies that arise because Canada has a federal division of powers. This is the most useful text on federalism to be published in years. It should be required reading for any class on Canadian federalism." - Andrew Heard, Simon Fraser University

François Rocher is Professor at Carleton University in Ottawa where he is the Director of the School of Canadian Studies, as well as teaching in the Department of Political Science. He has served as President of the Société québécoise de science politique (2001-2002) and co-director of the Canadian Journal of Political Science (1996-1999).

Miriam Smith is Professor of Political Science and a member of the Institute of Political Economy at Carleton University. Her areas of interest are Canadian and comparative politics, particularly social movement politics and litigation, social movement theories, and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender movements in Canada. She is the author of Lesbian and Gay Rights in Canada : Social Movements and Equality-Seeking, 1971-1995 (University of Toronto Press, 1999).

Table of Contents: [Back to Top]

Introduction / François Rocher and Miriam Smith

PART ONE: CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS AND CANADIAN POLITICAL IDENTITY

Chapter 1: The Four Dimensions of Canadian Federalism, François Rocher and Miriam Smith
Chapter 2: The Constitutional Debate and Beyond, Jennifer Smith
Chapter 3: Executive Federalism: Beggar Thy Neighbour?, Kathy Brock
Chapter 4: Conceiving Diversity: Dualism, Multiculturalism, and Multinationalism, Kenneth McRoberts
Chapter 5: The Law of Federalism: Judicial Review and the Division of Powers, Gerald Baieré
Chapter 6: Aboriginal Governance and Canadian Federalism: A To-Do List for Canada , Frances Abele and Michael J. Prince
Chapter 7: Treaty Federalism: An Indigenous Vision of Canadian Federalisms, Kiera L. Ladner

PART TWO: PUBLIC POLICY AND THE DIVISION OF POWERS

Chapter 8: Neo-Liberal Trade Policy and Canadian Federalism Revisited, Ian Robinson
Chapter 9: Canadian Federalism and Active Labour Market Policy, Rodney Haddow
Chapter 10: Social Assistance and Canadian Federalism, Gerard W. Boychuk
Chapter 11: Health Care and Canadian Federalism, Antonia Maioni and Miriam Smith
Chapter 12: Passing the Environmental Buck, Kathryn Harrison
Chapter 13: Regional Development: A Policy for All Seasons and All Regions, Donald J. Savoie
Chapter 14: Canadian Federalism and Federation in Comparative Perspective, Michael Burgess

Contributors

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