Canadian Government and Politics delivers an up-to-date and concise introduction to Canada’s political institutions, processes, and issues. The text integrates theory, history, Census data, and current affairs to give students an orderly picture of the wide-ranging landscape of Canadian government and politics. This seventh edition includes coverage and analysis of the 2019 general election, as well as a preview of the new Canadian government. It also adds exciting material on Canada’s cultural landscape, institutions, and policies, along with a new chapter on Indigenous Peoples.
Other chapters examine the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, the electoral system, bureaucracy, Québec nationalism, foreign policy, and much more. The authors provide trenchant coverage of many key issues of concern to Canadians, including regionalism, nationalism, climate change, defense policy, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, minority rights, pipelines, and the USMCA trade deal. These topics are addressed by way of fair-minded impartial discussions, aimed to foster a vital and optimistic perspective on Canadian politics that will encourage critical thinking and active citizenship.
Chapter 1: The Game of Politics: Concepts and Institutions
Chapter 2: The Context and Ideas of Government: Cohesion, Division, and Identity
Chapter 3: The Constitutional Framework: Rules of Government and the Political Game
Chapter 4: Contested Federalism: The Division of Powers and Financial Resources
Chapter 5: Québec Nationalism: The Search for Independence and Justice
Chapter 6: Canada’s Indigenous Peoples: The Search for Equality and Justice
Chapter 7: The Executive: Ceremony and Leadership
Chapter 8: Parliament: The Public Arena of Politics
Chapter 9: Public Administration: Democracy, Bureaucracy and Public Policy
Chapter 10: The Administration of Justice and Human Rights: Courts, Charter Cases, Police, Public Security and Terrorism
Chapter 11: Parties and Interest Groups: Teams in the Game
Chapter 12: Elections and Political Behaviour: The Contests and the Messengers
Chapter 13: Canadian Foreign Policy: Constraints, Opportunities, and Sacrifice
Robert J. Jackson is Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Carleton University and Fletcher Jones Professor of Government at the University of Redlands. He has been employed in various senior government positions, including as Senior Policy Advisor to two Canadian Prime Ministers. He has published over 40 books in Canadian politics, comparative politics, and international relations.
Doreen Jackson is a writer and consultant. She has co-authored 23 books in Canadian, comparative, and world politics, including a number of widely adopted textbooks.
Royce Koop is Head of the Department of Political Studies at the University of Manitoba. He has authored or edited several books, including Grassroots Liberals, which won the 2014 Seymour Martin Lipset Best Book Award.