Politics Links



Social and Economic Setting

Government of Canada<http://www.gc.ca/acanada/acPubHome.jsp?lang=eng>

The home page of the Government of Canada provides links to information on Canadian society, government, economy, and geography.

The Atlas of Canada <http://atlas.gc.ca/site/english/index.html>

The best site for maps of Canada on the Web. Map categories include environment, people and society, economic, historical, reference, climate change, freshwater, and health.

Statistics Canada <http://www.statcan.ca/start.html>

From publications to electronic data, census to survey information, Statistics Canada is the official source for Canadian social and economic statistics.

The Legal System

Department of Justice Canada <http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/>

The Department of Justice has made federal laws and constitutional texts available on-line. Search for both federal and provincial statutes using the Department's search engine.

Supreme Court of Canada <http://www.scc-csc.gc.ca/>

Visit the Web site of the highest ruling in Canada and read about the role in the federation, the Canadian judicial system, the rules of the Court, and judgments made by the Court in important cases.

The Notwithstanding Clause, Section 33 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms <http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/library/PRBpubs/bp194-e.htm>

The discussion paper commissioned by the Library of Parliament examines what is perhaps one of the most peculiar constitutional clauses to be found anywhere in the world.

Canada's System of Justice <http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/dept-min/pub/just/>

This on-line booklet provided by the Department of Justice is a general overview of the legal system in Canada.

Canada's Court System <http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/dept-min/pub/ccs-ajc/>

This overview provided by the Department of Justice is a general description of the court system in Canada.

Federalism

Government of Canada <http://www.gc.ca/acanada/acPubHome.jsp?lang=eng>

The home page of the Government of Canada provides links to information on Canadian society, government, economy, and geography.

Government of Canada Privy Council Office Intergovernmental Affairs <http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/aia/>

Intergovernmental Affairs provides analysis, advice, liaison and strategic planning in such areas as federal-provincial-territorial relations, Aboriginal affairs, the evolution of the federation and Canadian unity. This is a very good site to consult when looking for information on fiscal federalism, transfers and equalization payments to the provinces, facts on the federation, and intergovernmental relations between the provinces and the federal government.

Department of Finance <http://www.fin.gc.ca/fin-eng.html>

Within the federal government, no department carries as much clout as the Department of Finance. Essentially in charge of who gets what, when, and how, the Department's responsibilities include preparing federal budgets, designing tax policies, and administering transfer payments like the Canadian Health and Social Transfer and equalization payments to the provinces.

Provincial Government Websites

The Machinery of Government

Canada's 37th Parliament <http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/index.asp?Language=E>

The Parliamentary Web site, created and maintained jointly by the Senate, House of Commons and the Library of Parliament, offers information on the Canadian Parliament. This site is particularly good when searching for recommendations made by all Senate and House of Commons committees and for consulting the Précis of Procedure- the series of rules that govern procedures in Parliament. You can also search for transcripts of parliamentary debates the day following the actual debate.

Legislatures across Canada

Visit the provincial legislatures

Parties and Elections

Elections Canada <http://www.elections.ca/>

Elections Canada is the non-partisan agency responsible for the conduct of federal elections and referendums. Look to this web site and read the Canada Elections Act <http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=loi&document=index&dir=leg/fel&lang=e&textonly=false> if you want to learn about the rules of the federal election and referendum process.

Canadian Politics, Elections, and Political Parties

<http://www.library.ubc.ca/poli/cpwebpr.html#PBC>

This site hosted by the University of British Columbia is the most complete portal on Canadian elections on the web. Visit the sites of electoral agencies for all the provinces, find election results of campaigns at all three levels of government, and find contact information for members of federal parliament and provincial legislative assemblies.

Federal Political Parties

Interest Groups, Social Movements, and Think Tanks

In order to achieve political goals, educate potential members, or to impact the political process individuals organize into groups to gain leverage. Like most aspects of life, there is strength in numbers and politics is no exception. Some prominent interest groups in Canada are:

The Media

A community's level of civic literacy is one of the best indicators of its democratic strength. Access to a free press helps ensure a democracy functions as it should. Even though there are many media outlets in Canada, each with their own editorial bent, it is important to not dismiss anyone of them out of hand. Read widely, and read often.

Language Politics and Quebec

One of the many narratives, which tell the story of Canada, centres on the multilingual nature of the federation. Of this multilingual reality, the division between French-speaking and English-speaking Canada has produced much in the way of political drama. Like most divisions, the issues are complex and rooted in a long history. For the purposes of political analysis, it is instructive to look at recent events that have involved the federal government, the provincial government of Quebec, and the Supreme Court of Canada. While the primary concern of political watchdogs has been the continued unity of the federation, you'll find that almost every aspect of Canadian democracy- from intergovernmental relations to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms- comes to bear on the matter.

The Federal Government and Supreme Court of Canada

The secession of Quebec from the federation has been one of the primary concerns of the federal government for many decades. In 1996 the federal government asked the Supreme Court to rule on the legality of unilateral secession of Quebec. Read the 1998 ruling of the Supreme Court here. <http://scc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/1998/1998rcs2-217/1998rcs2-217.html>. The federal Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs responded to the Supreme Court ruling. Read his comments here <http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/news/nr/1998/dion.htm>.

The Department of Justice Newsroom homepage is a good site to visit in order to learn about the background <http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/news/nr/1997/releaseback.html> of the Quebec secession debate. For some expert opinion regarding unilateral secession in international law, read James Crawford's statement <http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/news/nr/1997/factum/craw.html> at the same website along with a summary of his main findings <http://canada.justice.gc.ca/en/news/nr/1997/expsum.html >

Diversity and Politics

Multiculturalism

Department of Canadian Heritage: Multiculturalism

<http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/multi/index_e.cfm>

The Department of Canadian Heritage is responsible for communicating the federal government's policy of multiculturalism to the citizens of Canada.

Multiculturalism in Canada

<http://www.mta.ca/faculty/arts-letters/canadian_studies/english/about/multi/>

This site from Mt. Allison University in Sackville, Nova Scotia discusses the impact of immigration on the demographic make-up of Canada and the emergence of Canada's multiculturalism policy.

Women

Department on the Status of Women

<http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/>

Status of Women Canada is the federal government department which promotes gender equality, and the full participation of women in the economic, social, cultural and political life of the country. SWC focuses its work in three areas: improving women's economic autonomy and well-being, eliminating systemic violence against women and children, and advancing women's human rights.

Read about the history of women in Parliament at http://parl.gc.ca/information/library/PRBpubs/prb0562-e.htm>

Aboriginal Issues

Department of Indian and Northern Affairs <http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/index-eng.asp>

This federal department's primary responsibility is meeting the federal government's constitutional, treaty, political and legal responsibilities to First Nations, Inuit, and Northerners. For more information on these responsibilities and the strategy of the Department, visit Gathering Strength: Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan <http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/index-eng.asp>. Another significant source of information on the Department's site is the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples

<http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/rcap/index_e.html>.

Aboriginal Canada Portal <http://www.aboriginalcanada.gc.ca/>

This portal, hosted by the Government of Canada, is the most comprehensive starting place on the web for Canadian Aboriginal on-line resources, contact, information, and government programs and services.

Assembly of First Nations <http://www.afn.ca/>

The Assembly of First Nations is the national representative organization of the First Nations in Canada.

Aboriginal Self-Government

Due to decades long discussions, self-government for First Nations Peoples has the highest profile of all Aboriginal issues in the country. Read the 1995 policy paper by the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs entitled Aboriginal Self-government <http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/pr/pub/sg/plcy_e.html>. A more recent overview was published by the Library of Parliament in 1999 that goes by the same title <http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/library/PRBpubs/962-e.htm>.

Aboriginal Governance in Urban Communities

First Nations peoples continue to seek accommodation in urban settings. Aboriginal Governance in Urban Setting: Completing the Circle<http://iog.ca/Publications/urbanreport_ps.pdf> and Models for Aboriginal Government in Urban Settings <http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/pr/ra/rep/mod_e.html> are two reports on the issue.

Canada in the World

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade <http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/menu-en.asp>

The Department is responsible for managing Canadian affairs abroad and representing the federal government through its network of embassies and offices. Find information on

  • Canadian Foreign Policy
  • Trade and Economic Policy
  • The DFAIT Library
  • International Trade Negotiations and Agreements
  • International Business Development initiatives
  • Country and Region profiles which have strategic importance to Canada

Canada is a signatory to many international treaties and organizations that require an ongoing commitment of material and human resources. And while Canada is not a member of every international body, there are a growing number, which the federal government works with on a bilateral basis. A partial list includes

The activities of non-governmental organizations and civil society groups are an important aspect of understanding global politics. For more information on these organizations and a full list visit the Non-governmental Organizations and Research Guide <http://library.duke.edu/research/subject/guides/ngo_guide/>