Canadian Politics Today: Democracy, Diversity and Good Government, 1st edition

For courses in Political Science.

Canadian Politics Today: Democracy, Diversity, and Good Government is a re-imagination and continuation of the tradition established by the preceding three print editions of Canada's Politics: Democracy, Diversity, and Good Government. We introduce new analytical approaches and an innovative, interactive learning environment designed for today's students.

Politics affects many aspects of our lives, such as students' ability to afford higher education and their opportunities in the labour market; our rights and freedoms; the protection of our natural environment; the safety of the food we eat; and the peace, prosperity, and security of our country. Canadian politics is particularly interesting because the country's great diversity poses opportunities and challenges for the practice of democracy and the good government that Canadians expect.

Canadian Politics Today: Democracy, Diversity and Good Government offers students a solid understanding of major features of Canadian politics, including national and sub-national political cultures, the workings of the parliamentary system of government, federalism, the protection of rights and freedoms, the judicial system, the public administration and its policy role, the electoral and party systems, political participation and civic engagement, and Canada's role in global affairs.

Hallmark features of this title

• Chapter Opening Vignette. Provides an interesting and often provocative story that relates to the content of the chapter. Among other topics, the vignettes address Atttawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence's hunger strike, conflict between the federal government and some provinces over the implementation of the carbon tax, the increase in irregular border crossings prompted by the policies of the Trump administration in the United States, the #MeToo Movement, the growth of populism in many democracies, the Supreme Court of Canada ruling on the dispute between LGBTQ students and Trinity Western University, the 2014 shootings on Parliament Hill, the decision about whether Canada would extend its military deployment to Afghanistan, and the 2018 G7 Summit hosted by Canada.
• Boxes. Illustrate the concepts, issues, and trends discussed in the text. These boxes deal with such topics as fossil fuels and the Canadian economy and environment; income inequality and poverty; the debate over secularism and religious freedoms in Quebec; major political ideologies and perspectives; the promise and perils of online voting; the impact of digital media on the dissemination of misinformation (“fake news”), political campaigns, and protest activities; the Canadian parliamentary and U.S. Congressional systems; Canadian, U.S., and Australian federalism; court rulings on same-sex marriage and medically assisted dying; sexual harassment; the 2008 financial crisis and the regulation of Canada's financial institutions; recruitment and retention of the next generation of public policy leaders; globally influential Canadians in popular culture.
• Interactive Current Events Bulletins. Provide author-written content, updated annually, that puts relevant news and current events into the context of Political Science and helps your students engage with the course.