Overview

The major concern of POLI 390 is the structure and operation of the Canadian federal system and the relations between Ottawa and the provinces.

Outline

Unit 1: Introduction

• Part 1: The Study of Federalism
• Part 2: Federal Systems around the World

Unit 2: The Origins of Canadian Federalism

• Part 1: Confederation
• Part 2: The Constitution and the Game of Politics

Unit 3: The Evolution of Canadian Federalism:

• (1) Regionalism and Province Building

Unit 4: The Evolution of Canadian Federalism:

• (2) The Drive for Self-Determination
• Part 1: Quebec Nationalism
• Part 2: Aboriginal Self-Government

Unit 5: Canada's Constitutional Odyssey: (1) Patriation

Unit 6: Canada's Constitutional Odyssey: (2) Post-Patriation

• Part 1: The Meech Lake Accord
• Part 2: Charlottetown and Beyond

Unit 7: The Courts and Judicial Review

Unit 8: Executive Federalism

• Part 1: Government by Conference
• Part 2: Evaluating Executive Federalism

Unit 9: Fiscal Federalism

• Part 1: Revenue Sharing/Tax Collection
• Part 2: Equalization

Unit 10: Federalism and Social Policy

Unit 11: Federalism and Economic Policy

Unit 12: Whither Canadian Federalism?

Evaluation

To receive credit for POLI 390, you must achieve a composite course grade of at least “D” (50 percent) and a grade of 50 percent or better on the final examination. The weighting of the assignments is as follows:

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbooks

Westmacott, Martin and Hugh Mellon. Challenges to
Canadian Federalism. Scarborough: Prentice Hall, 1998.

Stevenson, Garth. Unfulfilled Union: Canadian Federalism
and National Unity, 3d ed. Toronto: Gage, 1989.

Rocher, Francois, and Miriam Smith. New Trends in Canadian Federalism. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 1995.

Other materials

The course materials include a reading file, study guide, student manual and an assignment manual.