Politics, Policy, and Government in British Columbia

Politics, Policy, and Government in British Columbia PDF Author: R. Kenneth Carty
Publisher: UBC Press
ISBN: 0774841915
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 397

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Book Description
Politics, Policy, and Government in British Columbia examines the political life of Canada's dynamic Pacific province. Each of the seventeen chapters, written by well-known experts, provides an up-to-date portrait and analysis of one of the many faces of B.C. politics. Taken together they provide a clear and comprehensive overview of the dominant themes and issues that have been the distinguishing features of the province's political life. Key elements of the book include sections on: the political setting, with discussions of BC's political culture and economy, and its relations with the rest of Canada and its own Native communities; B.C.-style politics, which focus on electoral and parliamentary party politics, the changing place of women in BC public life, and the critical role of the media in explaining it all to British Columbians; governing the province, with accounts of the premier and cabinet, the bureaucracy that delivers most government services, and the complex system -- from the police to the courts -- that provides the administration of justice and the rule of law; and contemporary policy issues, with clear explanations of the intricacies of fiscal and social policy, analyses of recent conflicts over forest policy and environmental protection, a discussion of the role of lobbyists, and an examination of what difference is made when NDP governments are elected. Anyone interested in B.C. or its politics will find this book an informative, up-to-date record of the processes and events that have marked B.C.'s past and will continue to shape its future.

Politics, Policy, and Government in British Columbia

Politics, Policy, and Government in British Columbia PDF Author: R. Kenneth Carty
Publisher: UBC Press
ISBN: 0774841915
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 397

Get Book Here

Book Description
Politics, Policy, and Government in British Columbia examines the political life of Canada's dynamic Pacific province. Each of the seventeen chapters, written by well-known experts, provides an up-to-date portrait and analysis of one of the many faces of B.C. politics. Taken together they provide a clear and comprehensive overview of the dominant themes and issues that have been the distinguishing features of the province's political life. Key elements of the book include sections on: the political setting, with discussions of BC's political culture and economy, and its relations with the rest of Canada and its own Native communities; B.C.-style politics, which focus on electoral and parliamentary party politics, the changing place of women in BC public life, and the critical role of the media in explaining it all to British Columbians; governing the province, with accounts of the premier and cabinet, the bureaucracy that delivers most government services, and the complex system -- from the police to the courts -- that provides the administration of justice and the rule of law; and contemporary policy issues, with clear explanations of the intricacies of fiscal and social policy, analyses of recent conflicts over forest policy and environmental protection, a discussion of the role of lobbyists, and an examination of what difference is made when NDP governments are elected. Anyone interested in B.C. or its politics will find this book an informative, up-to-date record of the processes and events that have marked B.C.'s past and will continue to shape its future.

Politics, Policy, and Government in British Columbia

Politics, Policy, and Government in British Columbia PDF Author: R. Kenneth Carty
Publisher: UBC Press
ISBN: 0774853654
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 397

Get Book Here

Book Description
Politics, Policy, and Government in British Columbia examines the political life of Canada's dynamic Pacific province. Each of the seventeen chapters, written by well-known experts, provides an up-to-date portrait and analysis of one of the many faces of B.C. politics. Taken together they provide a clear and comprehensive overview of the dominant themes and issues that have been the distinguishing features of the province's political life. Key elements of the book include sections on: the political setting, with discussions of BC's political culture and economy, and its relations with the rest of Canada and its own Native communities; B.C.-style politics, which focus on electoral and parliamentary party politics, the changing place of women in BC public life, and the critical role of the media in explaining it all to British Columbians; governing the province, with accounts of the premier and cabinet, the bureaucracy that delivers most government services, and the complex system -- from the police to the courts -- that provides the administration of justice and the rule of law; and contemporary policy issues, with clear explanations of the intricacies of fiscal and social policy, analyses of recent conflicts over forest policy and environmental protection, a discussion of the role of lobbyists, and an examination of what difference is made when NDP governments are elected. Anyone interested in B.C. or its politics will find this book an informative, up-to-date record of the processes and events that have marked B.C.'s past and will continue to shape its future.

Governing Canada

Governing Canada PDF Author: Michael Wernick
Publisher: On Point Press
ISBN: 077489055X
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 217

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Book Description
Have you ever wondered how the day-to-day business of government actually works? What do prime ministers and ministers do when away from the spotlight of Question Period? How does a government stay on track, and how can a career be derailed? How can a new minister balance the conflicting demands of their chief of staff, their department, their constituency office, and their family at home? In this practical handbook, Michael Wernick, a career public servant with decades of experience in the highest levels of Canadian government, shares candid advice and information that is usually only provided behind closed doors. From cautioning against common pitfalls for neophyte ministers to outlining the learnable skills that are needed to succeed, Wernick lays the business of governance bare. It’s a first-time look behind the curtain at how government functions, and essential reading for anyone interested in the business of Canadian politics.

Talk and Log

Talk and Log PDF Author: Jeremy Wilson
Publisher: UBC Press
ISBN: 0774806680
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 481

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Book Description
For more than three decades, the fate of British Columbia’s old-growth forests has been a major source of political strife. While more than 5 million hectares of wood were being clearcut, the BC wilderness movement and forest industry supporters clashed, as they continue to do, both pressing their arguments in a variety of forums, ranging from television studios and logging road blockades to royal commission hearings and cabinet ministers’ offices. The resulting record of conflict confirms American historian Paul Hirt’s characterization of forest policy as "party an ideological issue, partly biological, partly economic, partly technical, and wholly political." Talk and Log is a comprehensive account of the rise and impact of the BC wilderness movement between 1965 and 1996. Jeremy Wilson examines the evolution of the movement’s approaches, evaluates the forest industry’s counterstrategies, and analyzes the patterns and trends underlying shifts in provincial government forest, environment, and parks policies. He describes the "war in the woods" triggered by environmentalists’ efforts to preserve areas such as South Moresby and the Carmanah Valley, and considers the complex forces that pushed the government to expand the protected areas system. Wilson’s perceptive analysis of Social Credit’s failed policies of the 1980s is followed by an assessment of the Harcourt NDP government’s reform iniatives, including the Commission on Resources and Environment (CORE) and the Forest Practices Code. Talk and Log is based on a variety of sources, including government documents, environmental group briefs, and interviews with several dozen politicians, government officials, environmentalists, and forest industry leaders. This book deftly illuminates the forces behind controversies that have divided British Columbians and drawn the attention of people around the world. It is also a thought-provoking examination of issues likely to dominate political debates in BC for decades to come.

A Long Way to Paradise

A Long Way to Paradise PDF Author: Robert A.J. McDonald
Publisher: UBC Press
ISBN: 0774864745
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 428

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Book Description
The political landscape of British Columbia has been characterized by divisiveness since Confederation. But why and how did it become Canada’s most fractious province? A Long Way to Paradise traces the evolution of political ideas in the province from 1871 to 1972, exploring British Columbia’s journey to socio-political maturity. Robert McDonald explains its classic left-right divide as a product of “common sense” liberalism that also shaped how British Columbians met the demands and challenges of a modernizing world. This lively, richly detailed overview provides fresh insight into the fascinating story of provincial politics in Canada’s lotus land.

Constituency Influence in Parliament

Constituency Influence in Parliament PDF Author: Kelly Blidook
Publisher: UBC Press
ISBN: 0774821566
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 198

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Book Description
Canada's parliamentary system has been characterized as "executive-dominant," with governance focused on the "centre," and scholars have paid little attention to the legislature and its members. But members of Parliament are, in fact, primary actors in governance. Constituency Influence in Parliament illuminates how MPs, in their pursuit of various goals in the legislature, play an important representative role in shaping policy. This critical volume offers the first full-scale examination of the rules and conduct of parliamentary Private Members' Business and of the electoral and policy motivations of those who hold the country's highest elected office. Kelly Blidook offers a thought-provoking assessment of the representational and policy dynamics that exist within the Canadian institutional structure. His examination of what MPs do, why they do it, and what effect it has, serves to resurrect the relevance of Canada's Parliament.

The Unexpected Louis St-Laurent

The Unexpected Louis St-Laurent PDF Author: Patrice Dutil
Publisher: UBC Press
ISBN: 0774864052
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 541

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Book Description
Much of Canada’s modern identity emerged from the innovative social policies and ambitious foreign policy of Louis St-Laurent’s Liberal government. His extraordinarily creative administration made decisions that still resonate today: on health care, pensions, and housing; on infrastructure and intergovernmental issues; and, further afield, in developing Canada’s global middle-power role in global affairs and resolving the Suez Crisis. Yet St-Laurent remains an enigmatic figure. Contributors to The Unexpected Louis St-Laurent assess the degree to which he set the policy agenda. They explore the features of his personality that made him effective (or sometimes less so), the changes he wrought on the state apparatus and federal-provincial relations, and the substance of his government’s policies. This wide-ranging collection fills a great void in Canadian political history, bringing together seasoned professionals and new scholars to investigate the far-reaching influence of a politician whose astute policies and bold resolve moved Canada into the modern era.

Big Promises, Small Government

Big Promises, Small Government PDF Author: George M. Abbott
Publisher: UBC Press
ISBN: 0774864893
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 278

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Book Description
When Gordon Campbell’s Liberal party won a massive majority on the strength of their New Era electoral platform in 2001, the premier’s first act was to fulfill his campaign pledge to reduce personal income taxes. Big Promises, Small Government reveals the consequences of dramatic tax policy changes on social programs, arguing for more sustainable taxation. Despite sharply declining economic indices, the new premier expected that lower taxes would spur investment and growth, essentially paying for themselves. Instead, the precipitous and ideological decision to cut taxes and exempt health and education – some 70 percent of the provincial budget – from any decrease in expenditures, left smaller ministries scrambling to absorb the cuts to maintain a balanced budget. The damage was significant. This insider recounting of the real-world genesis, implementation, and consequences of a tax policy offers vital lessons to future governments and considerable insight into the role of taxes in society.

Brand Command

Brand Command PDF Author: Alex Marland
Publisher: UBC Press
ISBN: 0774832061
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 529

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Book Description
The pursuit of political power is strategic as never before. Ministers, MPs, and candidates parrot the same catchphrases. The public service has become politicized. And decision making is increasingly centralized in the Prime Minister’s Office. What is happening to our democracy? In this persuasive book, Alex argues that political parties and government are beholden to the same marketing principles used by the world’s largest corporations. Called branding, the strategy demands repetition of spoken, written, and visual messages, predetermined by the leader’s inner circle. Marland warns that public sector branding is an unstoppable force that will persist no matter who is in power. It also creates serious problems for parliamentary democracy that must be confronted. This book will fascinate anyone who is interested in how Ottawa works and where Canadian politics is headed.

Designing Deliberative Democracy

Designing Deliberative Democracy PDF Author: Mark E. Warren
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521885072
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 252

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Book Description
Is it possible to advance democracy by empowering ordinary citizens to make key decisions about the design of political institutions and policies? In 2004, the government of British Columbia embarked on a bold democratic experiment: it created an assembly of 160 near-randomly selected citizens to assess and redesign the province's electoral system. The British Columbia Citizens' Assembly represents the first time a citizen body has had the power to reform fundamental political institutions. It was an innovative gamble that has been replicated elsewhere in Canada and in the Netherlands, and is gaining increasing attention in Europe as a democratic alternative for constitution-making and constitutional reform. In the USA, advocates view citizens' assemblies as a means for reforming referendum processes. This book investigates the citizens' assembly in British Columbia to test and refine key propositions of democratic theory and practice.