Political Science

This course examines the contemporary context of Canadian provincial and territorial politics, as well as the distinct institutional features of these governments, within an increasingly globalized and regionalized context. The Canadian Constitution was written with the intention to centralize Canadian governance in the hands of the federal government. The policy areas allotted to provincial jurisdiction were considered “less important” than those allotted to the federal government. Over time, these policy areas have grown in importance in unforeseen ways, significantly changing intergovernmental relations in the country. Concurrently, regional demands from Canada’s only officially francophone province, Quebec, has placed pressures on the federation. Growing demands from the West have added complexity to these pressures. As a result, the Canadian provinces have become some of the most powerful sub-national governments in the world.

The first half of the course will examine the core themes of Canadian provincial politics: political culture, parties and elections, institutions, intergovernmental relations, and public policy. The second half of the course contextualizes the themes from the first half of the course through a survey of the individual Canadian provinces and regions.