1. Lecture 11: Institutions in Canada: Federalism, Regionalism and Parties
SOSC 152

2. Key factor in Canadian Political Institutions is Federal Nature of the Government Federal Nature of the Government
Ebbs and Flows of Provincial versus Federal Power
Quebec Threat of Secession major challenge to Canada's future
also other regional threats
Federal/Provincial split major battle line over revenues, taxes, human capital, resource extraction
Determines structure of parties and limited role of national parties
makes Federal-Provincial conferences, not Parliament, the key locus of major decisions

3. The Evolution of Canadian Federalism (1867-1993)

4. Ebbs and Flows of Provincial versus Federal Power
Four Eras of Federal/Provincial Relations
a. Centralized Era of National Policy
BNA Act vague on division of authority, courts decide locus of authority
despite desire for unitary government, Quebec and Maritimes needed protection to persuade them to join.
provinces got control of education (language and religion), welfare, hospitals, taxes from resources or land.
central government: trade, commerce, foreign affairs, defense, criminal law and "emergency powers" of peace, government and order"
joint control over immigration and agriculture
taxes for on-shore resources to provinces, off-shore resources unclear
federal government negated provincial laws (112 times before 1943)
federal subsidies to provinces, 58% in 1874, 8% in 1929

5. b. Provincial Powers: 1895-World War 1
Judicial Committee of Privy Council of England interpreted BNA Act in favour of provincial rights
prevented federal government from establishing minimum wage and social insurance scheme during Depression
c. Centralization Period After Depression, 1930s to 1960
important role of Keynesian economics and expansion of social services for provinces that had not funds to meet popular demands
Rowell-Sirois Commission (1937) called on feds to increase "transfer" or "equalization payments"
Feds use "conditional grants" to set provincial investment agendas
1949, establishment of Canadian Supreme Court which is pro-feds

6. d. Decentralization and Federal/Provincial Executive Federalism
federal powers limited by Quebec decision to "opt out" of national policies, including National Pension Plan, receive money for their own policies
era of provincial government building, based partly on natural resource extraction--oil and gas in Western Canada
provinces demand right to control immigration
federal efforts to resolve Constitution lead to serious federal/provincial negotiations

7. Quebec Threat of Secession major challenge to Canada's future
a. Long struggle over status of French speaking Canadians in federal system
"distinct status" with special political rights--separate but equal
OR, Canada as unitary society with two cultures
Quebec possess own religion, territory, language, history, all within a larger political system
demands for greater authority in 1980s met with major concessions which have not solved problem

8. b. Historical separation and withdrawal from active political life.
French response in Quebec to 1759 was to withdraw from active politics in Quebec, Church kept people on farms, political life and economy in Montreal controlled by Anglos.
federal guarantees for cultural and language protection outside Quebec not kept as Manitoba in 1890 ends provincial aid to Catholic schools
Louis Riel Rebellion in 1870s in response to influx of English speakers into Manitoba
followed by general withdrawal from national politics, turned inward
c. Reawakening of Quebec
"Quiet Revolution" of 1960s brings Quebecois into public life in Quebec
1971, Front de Liberation de Quebec (FLQ) crisis
1976, rise of Partis Quebecois under Levesque
Bill 101 and repression of English language
1980 referendum on separation
Trudeau in 1982 repatriated Constitution gives Quebec no special amending rights
1980s and rise of Quebec middle class and business elite--increased confidence

9. d. Negotiating a New Future
end of Trudeau era of pro-federalist French politicians
Mulroney, 1984, efforts to forge new deal,
Quebec demand for "distinct society," control over immigration, control over appointments to Supreme Court, right to constitutional amendments, limit on federal funding
Meech Lake accord, granting "distinct society" undermined by nationwide hostility and native people who wanted same treatment
Charlottetown Agreement, parties and elites agree but "distinct society" rejected at grass roots, especially after Trudeau critique
1995 referendum loses by .5%
Rise of the Bloc Quebecois to fight for separatism at federal level

10. Canadian Party System a. Nature of Federal Party System:
1. One-Party Dominant
Liberals ruled 65 of 87 years before 1984.
from , very few years of non-Liberal party rule

11. Liberal and Progressive Conservatives
2. Two-Party System:
Liberal and Progressive Conservatives
little difference among parties, each basing power on links to different economic elites, no class basis to parties.
regional and class issues resolved within parties
parties build new coalition for each election, no popular ties to party policy preferences, little Party Identification
3. 2 1/2 Party System:
growth of new parties in the West, demanding social welfare
issues coopted by two dominant parties, bringing new ideas but no political change

12. 4. Total Regionalization of Party System:
Canadian governments unable to form nationwide bases of power
since 1993, major split with Reform party from West, Bloc Quebecois representing Quebec separatism, Liberals as party of Ontario and demise of Conservative party

13. b. Effect of Regionalism on Party System
Provincial and Federal parties of same name in conflict
provincial parties composed of separate elites, organizations, financial base and platforms from central party
provincial parties cannot get elected if they do not protect provincial rights
provincial resources need to be protected from central extractions
in West, natural gas, oil, uranium, with federal government establishing National Energy Policy and PetroCanada
Ontario PCs and federal Liberals favoured pro-East policies for 50 years.
PCs in Ontario and PCs in Alberta competed over tarrifs and energey prices.
Maritime provinces too dependent on transfer payments

14. Party-Government Relations under Canadian Federalism

15. Percentage of Seats in Each Region Won By Governing Party in Canadian General Elections, 1867-1984

16. Canadian Results, 1988 & 1993 Elections

17. Federal-Provincial Conferences and Decline of Parties
1. Federal parties have excessive regional bases
in 1980, Liberal government had two seats in Manitoba and no seats further West
impossible to get regional interests represented in ruling party Caucus--meetings of members of ruling party in parliament
limited national integration, recruitment does not foster integrationincreasing rise of

18. 2. Decline of parties as major actor in conflict resolution
problems of federal system worked out in institutions of federalism, mainly Federal-Provincial First Ministers Conferences.
meetings of federal and provincial official on over 100 issues
reinforces provincialism
other key issues such as industrial versus continental strategy resolved within bureaucracy, not by parties in parliament
parties play little role in policy innovation