The Canadian Regime: An Introduction to Parliamentary Government in Canada

This clear and readable account of Canada's political institutions has now been updated to reflect developments up to and beyond the 2004 Canadian federal election.

Focusing more on principles than on arcane detail, the authors explain why our institutions are the way they are. In so doing, they improve the reader's ability to assess the implications of various proposals for reform of our institutions (such as electing senators, recall of MPs, and review of Supreme Court nominees).

Comments from previous editions:

"". . . far and away the best of the Canadian government texts I've seen."" - David J. Climenhaga, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology

""Malcolmson and Myers have written a comprehensive and coherent account of Canadian government that is informed by a clear understanding of the purposes, capacities, and limitations of liberal democratic institutions."" - Jennifer Smith, Dalhousie University

""The Canadian Regime is designed to be an introductory Canadian government text. It fulfills that purpose admirably but I would add that this is a book all Canadians should read and have on their shelves . . . . It is brief and it is clear, but most especially it provides an outstanding explantion for why Canada's government takes the form it does. Its virtue is that it explains [Canada's] system instead of merely describing its features. It indicates the underlying rationale of the institutions and processes of government in a way that most descriptive texts do not, for it provides a causal analysis. It is this explanatory quality that makes this text so good. It starts with the basic idea of government and proceeds rationally to the conclusion, building on the fundamental principles of liberal democracy as they have taken shape in Canada.

""I believe this book could become a classic in the explanation of our regime. It is a useful tool for understanding current politics and it helps citizens distinguish between foolish and reasonable proposals for change. And, finally, it is written so sensibly and with such clear examples that it works as an 'inoculation' against some of the most disturbing fashions of interpretation among ideologues and the media."" - Heidi Studer, University of Alberta

Patrick Malcolmson is currently Vice-President (Academic) at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick and formerly served as the Chair of the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission.

Richard Myers is Professor of Political Science and former Vice-President (Academic) at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick.