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Lecture 11: Institutions in Canada: Federalism,

Regionalism and Parties

SOSC 152

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Key factor in Canadian Political Institutions is Federal Nature of the GovernmentFederal Nature of the Government

Ebbs and Flows of Provincial versus Federal PowerQuebec 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 extractionDetermines structure of parties and limited role of national partiesmakes Federal-Provincial conferences, not Parliament, the key locus of major decisions

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The Evolution of Canadian Federalism (1867-1993)

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Ebbs and Flows of Provincial versus Federal Power

Four Eras of Federal/Provincial Relations

a. Centralized Era of National PolicyBNA Act vague on division of authority, courts decide locus of authoritydespite 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 agriculturetaxes for on-shore resources to provinces, off-shore resources unclearfederal government negated provincial laws (112 times before 1943)federal subsidies to provinces, 58% in 1874, 8% in 1929

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b. Provincial Powers: 1895-World War 1Judicial Committee of Privy Council of England interpreted BNA Act in favour of provincial rightsprevented federal government from establishing minimum wage and social insurance scheme during Depression

c. Centralization Period After Depression, 1930s to 1960important role of Keynesian economics and expansion of social services for provinces that had not funds to meet popular demandsRowell-Sirois Commission (1937) called on feds to increase "transfer" or "equalization payments"Feds use "conditional grants" to set provincial investment agendas1949, establishment of Canadian Supreme Court which is pro-feds

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

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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 equalOR, Canada as unitary society with two culturesQuebec possess own religion, territory, language, history, all within a larger political systemdemands for greater authority in 1980s met with major concessions which have not solved problem

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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 schoolsLouis Riel Rebellion in 1870s in response to influx of English speakers into Manitobafollowed by general withdrawal from national politics, turned inward

 c. Reawakening of Quebec

"Quiet Revolution" of 1960s brings Quebecois into public life in Quebec1971, Front de Liberation de Quebec (FLQ) crisis1976, rise of Partis Quebecois under LevesqueBill 101 and repression of English language1980 referendum on separationTrudeau in 1982 repatriated Constitution gives Quebec no special amending rights1980s and rise of Quebec middle class and business elite--increased confidence

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d. Negotiating a New Futureend of Trudeau era of pro-federalist French politiciansMulroney, 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 fundingMeech Lake accord, granting "distinct society" undermined by nationwide hostility and native people who wanted same treatmentCharlottetown Agreement, 1994--parties and elites agree but "distinct society" rejected at grass roots, especially after Trudeau critique1995 referendum loses by .5%Rise of the Bloc Quebecois to fight for separatism at federal level

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Canadian Party System

a. Nature of Federal Party System:a. Nature of Federal Party System:

1. One-Party DominantLiberals ruled 65 of 87 years before 1984.from 1921-1984, very few years of non-Liberal party rule

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2. Two-Party System: Liberal and Progressive Conservativeslittle difference among parties, each basing power on links to different economic elites, no class basis to parties.regional and class issues resolved within partiesparties 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 welfareissues coopted by two dominant parties, bringing new ideas but no political change

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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

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b. Effect of Regionalism on Party Systemb. 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 partyprovincial parties cannot get elected if they do not protect provincial rightsprovincial resources need to be protected from central extractionsin West, natural gas, oil, uranium, with federal government establishing National Energy Policy and PetroCanadaOntario 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

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Party-Government Relations under Canadian Federalism

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

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Canadian Results, 1988 & 1993 Elections

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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 Westimpossible to get regional interests represented in ruling party Caucus--meetings of members of ruling party in parliamentlimited national integration, recruitment does not foster integrationincreasing rise of

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