1. UBC POLI 101 Canadian Politics
Introduction to the Course

2. I Specialize in Political Behaviour
Welcome to POLI 101
Who am I?
Grew up in Ottawa
went to U of Toronto, then U of Michigan
Only lived in BC since last week! Winnipeg for 3 years until then
I Specialize in Political Behaviour
Public Opinion, Elections, Media
Political Research Methods: Surveys & Statistics

3. What is this Course? Canadian Politics?
Politics: the making and implementation of decisions by members of a community that regulate their behaviour collectively.
Government: The set of institutions through which political decision-making and implementation or enforcement takes place.
Institutions: Sets or systems of rules or common understandings that structure human behaviour.
e.g. parliaments, the mass media, unions, hospitals, international bodies (UN), religions, law, elections, etc.
Canada: National, Provincial, Municipal govts with elections, law, media, economy, values…

4. Big Questions of the Course
Is Canada a “real” country? Should it stay together?
Is the federal system good for Canada? What changes would make it work better?
How can Canada accommodate its Aboriginal peoples with justice, including preserving as much of their cultures and languages as they desire?
Should we maintain our current electoral system, or does it just promote regional divisions? Do voters make good decisions, or are political parties and the media obstacles?
Are Canadians equal? In the adminstration of justice, in political participation, in economic opportunity?
Should government promote more equality, or just let society and the market work?

5. Objectives of the Course – Skills & Knowledge
De-Coding the political world
Writing & Speaking about politics and government
Reading & Viewing the news media
Predicting political outcomes
Knowledge
Institutions of the Canadian political system
Values in Canadian political life
main Conflicts of Canadian politics
How to Interact with the political and policy process
Effects of policy on life in Canada

6. Course Format Lectures Tutorials Office Hours
Monday and 3pm, for 50 minutes
I will ask some questions of you
Tutorials
Once per week. You should have registered for a section. They begin next week.
TA is there to:
Moderate a discussion of the issues we’re dealing with
Explain and clarify the reading and lectures
Guide your writing of the papers and give you feedback
Help you prepare for the mid-term and final exams
Demands on TAs’ time are severe. Be considerate.
Office Hours
Instructor: Friday 10-11am, Buchanan C458
TAs also have office hours

7. Reading Archer et. al. Parameters of Power, 3rd edition
This text and the lectures will run in parallel – part of the objective of the course is to get you to make the connections between the two and then apply that knowledge to your journal entries.
So don’t expect the text and lectures to proceed seamlessly… Your job is partly to sew the seam between them!
Read Everything and Think About What You Read (including the Glossaries & Discussion Questions)
There will be supplementary readings
mainly for tutorial and your journal; the material won’t be covered on the final exam (except for the readings assigned for the September 22 week
on website, or linked from website

8. Canadian Politics and the Kyoto Protocol
We will use the Kyoto Protocol as a ‘case study’ or ‘running example’
The Kyoto issue implicates every element Canadian politics that we cover in the course
Your journal entries and the tutorial discussions will be focussed on applying general knowledge about Canadian politics to the Kyoto issue

9. Evaluation – Three Components
Tutorial Participation 15%
Attend tutorial, do the readings, ask questions, listen to and engage with other people’s ideas, make good arguments
10 Journal Entries, 2 pages each 50%
See Website. More on these in class next week.
First one due the week of Monday September 15th
Syllabus says they are due starting the 11th, but there are no tutorials until the 15th
Final Examination %
Late assignments: Without prior arrangements or medical certification, late assignments will be assessed a penalty of 10% per day. Assignments are late if they are not handed in or ed to the TA before the beginning of the student’s tutorial. Assignments should only be ed if you are not attending the tutorial (for a good reason).

10. Course and University Policies
General :
Students have the responsibility to act in accordance with community standards of behavior, respect, and uphold principles of scholarly integrity. Students must also abide by the rules and regulations of the University.
Attendance:
Regular attendance is expected of students in all their classes (including lectures, laboratories, tutorials, seminars, etc.). Students who neglect their academic work and assignments may be excluded from the final examinations. Students who are unavoidably absent because of illness or disability should report to their instructors on return to classes. The University accommodates students whose religious obligations conflict with attendance, submitting assignments, or completing scheduled tests and examinations. Please let your instructor know in advance, preferably in the first week of class, if you will require any accommodation on these grounds. Students who plan to be absent for varsity athletics, family obligations, or other similar commitments, cannot assume they will be accommodated, and should discuss their commitments with the instructor before the drop date.
Non-discrimination / Harassment / Accommodation:
Students have the right to an education free of discrimination and harassment. UBC has a policy on discrimination and harassment that applies to all members of the UBC community. This policy can be found in the UBC Policy Handbook. The University accommodates students with disabilities who have registered with the Disability Resource Centre.
Plagiarism:
Students in doubt of what constitutes plagiarism and other forms of cheating should consult their instructors and the Academic Regulations section in the UBC Calendar. Furthermore, students should refer to the Faculty of Arts publication regarding plagiarism (

11. Course Schedule

12. Go to your tutorial section
Next Week
Go to your tutorial section
If you have a schedule conflict, switch to one of the ones that still have open seats
Discussion will be very general about the Kyoto Protocol and its relationship to Canadian politics
You do not have a journal entry due next week
But you should come to tutorial having read the pro and con arguments listed in the syllabus (they’re accessible from the website syllabus and schedule pages).
By all means, surf the web for more info. Start with my Links page on the course website. You’ll learn a lot quickly by going to the CBC sites and the Canada.com site.