PSC 345 Canadian Politics Supplementary Readings*

* Items marked with an asterisk are REQUIRED reading for the course. Material from these readings will be included on examinations.


Supreme Court and Charter Issues
        Jeffrey Simpson's Op-Ed Piece, Toronto Globe and Mail,  "Need to Reform Canada's Supreme Court", July 22, 2003
       *Beverley McLachlin, "The Judiciary's Distinctive Role in our Constitutional Democracy" Policy Options, September 2003

Essay Writing Tips
        From PSC 340 "Politics in Western Europe" class (similar in principle; only the journal sources and suggested topics differ)

Reforming the House of Commons Issues
        Party Disciipline - Materials from October 3rd lecture
        C.E.S. Franks, "Free Votes in the House of Commons: A Problematic Reform," Policy Options, (November 1997): 33-36 (recommended reading)

The Canadian Political Executive

        Herman Bakvis, "The Prime minister and cabinet in Canada: an autocracy in need of reform?" Journal of Canadian Studies, (Winter 2001):  60-79.
            (an excellent overview of the powers of the Canadian Prime Minister, and the constraints on those powers).\
        Daniel Schwanen, "Raking Prime Ministers of the Last 50 Years: The Numbers Speak," Policy Options, (June-July 2003): 18-20.

Canadian Political Parties & the Electoral System

John Ibbitson, "The Rise of Liberal Conservatism" Globe & Mail, (Friday, October 24th, 2003) - a good discussion of the (death of) "Red Tories"
(*) Michael Adams and Keith Neuman, "A Morning After Shocker," Globe & Mail, (Friday, October 31st, 2003) - value differences b/w PCs and Alliance
(*) John Ibbitson, "A Balanced Act for Voters" Globe & Mail (June 7th, 2003) - a good discussion of electoral reform initiatives in several provinces, including
        the British Columbia Citizens' Assembly proposal discussed in class)
(*) Agreement-in-Principle on the Establishment of the Conservative Party of Canada," Stephen Harper & Peter MacKay, October 15, 2003
(*) Preston Manning, "How to Make the Conservative Merger Work," The Calgary Herald, October 25, 2003
"The Hypothetical Impact of a Merger of the Canadian Alliance & the Progressive Conservatives," Tables from class, November 7th, 2003.
Joe Clark (former Progressive Conservative Prime Minister), "Progressives at the Brink," Globe & Mail, November 14th, 2003 (a bitter attack on the proposed
    merger between Clark's Progressive Conservatives and the Canadian Alliance).

Op Ed Pieces - Various Topics
        Laurence Martin, "Nine Reasons Why Paul Martin can't beat Jean Chretien" (Globe & Mail, Thursday, Sept. 24th) - just a good fun piece!
        CBC, "A Tale of Two (provincial) Elections," CBC Website - a fun piece contrasting the situation in Ontario with that in PEI, both provinces that had elections             in early October.
        William Thorsell, "Canadian Democracy's Spare Tires" (Globe and Mail, Monday, October 20, 2003) - some interesting reflections on government and
         opposition in partliamentary systems, occasioned by the proposed merger on the 'right' (Canadian Alliance + Progressive Conservatives = Conservatives).
        John Ibbitson, "Implementing Horizontality," (Globe & Mail, Wednesday, October 29, 2003)- an excellent discussion of the PCO and its likely role under
                the next Prime Minister, Paul Martin.