Essential Readings In Canadian Constitutional Politics

Essential Readings in Canadian Constitutional Politics introduces students, scholars, and practitioners to classic authors and writings on the principles of the Canadian Constitution as well as to select contemporary material. To complement rather than duplicate the state of the field, it deals with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and with Canadian mega-constitutional politics in passing only, focusing instead on institutions, federalism, intergovernmental relations, bilingualism and binationalism, the judiciary, minority rights, and constitutional renewal. Many of the selections reverberate well beyond Canada's borders, making this volume an unrivalled resource for anyone interested in constitutional governance and democratic politics in diverse societies.

The Canadian constitutional reforms of 1982, which included a Charter of Rights and Freedoms analogous to the American Bill of Rights, brought about a convergence with American constitutional law. As in the U.S., Canadian courts have shown themselves highly protective of individual rights, and they have not been shy about assuming a leading and sometimes controversial political role in striking down legislation. In clear and easy-to-understand language, the contributors not only chart, but also explore, the reasons for areas of similarity and difference in the constitutional politics of Canada and the United States.

Since the Charter of Rights and Freedoms was introduced, Canada has experienced more than twenty-five years of constitutional politics and countless debates about the future of Canada. There has, however, been no systematic attempt to identify general theories about Canada's constitutional evolution. Patrick James corrects this oversight. By adding clarity to familiar debates, this succinct assessment of major writings on constitutional politics sharpens our vision of the past � and the future � of the Canadian federation.

The first and second editions of Constitutional Odyssey, published in 1992 and 1993 respectively, received wide-ranging praise for their ability to inform the public debate. This third edition continues in that tradition.

This comprehensive study of Canadian constitutional law traces the evolution of the country's legal and political system from colonial times to the present. Hassard's analysis sheds light on the complex relations between federal and provincial governments, the role of the judiciary in defining and interpreting constitutional principles, and the challenges posed by multiculturalism and diversity. This book is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in Canadian politics and law. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This study provides the first comprehensive text offering insight into the nature of the conventional rules that work in the Canadian constitution. Heard deals with the principal conventions governing prerogative powers of the crown, cabinet decision making and administrative behavior, parliament and provincial legislatures, federalism and federal provincial relations, the judiciary, and foreign relations.