In Search of Canadian Political Culture - UBC Press

UBC Press
Elections
John C. Courtney
Political Parties
William Cross
Open and competitive
elections governed by
widely accepted rules
and procedures are
essential to the legitimacy
of any political system.
Elections assesses the
history and development
of the Canadian electoral
regime. Arguing that on
balance the Canadian
electoral system is truly
democratic, John Courtney demonstrates its vast
improvements over the years. The right to vote
is now generously interpreted. The process of
redrawing electoral districts is no longer in the hands
of elected officials. Voter registration lists include
all but a small share of eligible voters. Those who
manage and supervise elections on behalf of all
citizens are trustworthy officials. Using the recent
push for reform of the plurality vote system as
one example, Courtney also examines why certain
electoral institutions have been amenable to change
and others have not.
Contents
Introduction
1 The Rules of the Electoral Game
2 Who Can Vote?
3 From Gerrymandering to Independence: Territorially-
Based Districts
4 Registering Voters
5 Electoral Machinery: From Partisanship to
Professionalism
6 Representation, Plurality Voting, and Democratic Deficit
7 Auditing Canada’s Electoral Democracy
Discussion Questions; Appendix; Glossary;
Works Cited
Index
2004, 224 pages, 5½ x 8½”
0-7748-0917-5 / 978-0-7748-0917-7 cloth $75.00
0-7748-0918-3 / 978-0-7748-0918-4 paper $23.95
CANADIAN DEMOCRATIC AUDIT
Political parties are at
the centre of Canadian
democracy. They choose
our prime ministers,
premiers, and candidates
for public office; they
decide which policy
issues are considered
in the provincial and
federal legislatures; they
dominate our election
campaigns. In a concise
and accessible way, this book delves into the history,
structure, mechanisms, and roles of Canada’s
political parties, and assesses the degree to which
Canadians can rely on political parties as vehicles for
grassroots participation.
With emphasis on federal parties, Cross examines
party membership, candidate recruitment,
leadership selection, policy development,
election campaigning, and party financing. He
maintains a clear focus on how well Canadian
parties are serving the people, and interrogates
their performance in terms of participation,
inclusiveness, and responsiveness.
Contents
1 Auditing Canada’s Political Parties
2 Political Parties as Membership Organizations
3 Policy Study and Development
4 Candidate Selection
5 Selection of Party Leaders
6 Parties and Election Campaigning
7 Money and Politics
8 Four Proposals for Party Reform
Discussion Questions
Additional Reading;
Works Cited
Index
2004, 218 pages, 5½ x 8½”
0-7748-0940-X / 978-0-7748-0940-5 cloth $75.00
0-7748-0941-8 / 978-0-7748-0941-2 paper $23.95
CANADIAN DEMOCRATIC AUDIT
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