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List of contents
- Part One: Introduction
- Chapter 1. Introduction
- Paul J. Quirk
- Part Two: Political Culture and Institutions
- Chapter 2. Political Culture and Values
- Russell J. Dalton
- Chapter 3. Electoral and Party Systems
- André Blais, Shaun Bowler, and Bernard Grofman
- Chapter 4. Executive Leadership and the Legislative Process
- Jonathan Malloy and Paul J. Quirk
- Chapter 5. Bureaucratic Influence and Policymaking
- John R. McAndrews, Bert A. Rockman, and Colin Campbell
- Chapter 6. Federalism
- Richard Simeon and Beryl A. Radin
- Part Three: Policies and Outcomes
- Chapter 7. Economic Policy: Growth, Stabilization and Distribution
- William Keech and William Scarth
- Chapter 8. Environmental Policy: Climate Change
- Kathryn Harrison
- Chapter 9. Morality Issues: Abortion and Gay Rights
- Gary Mucciaroni and Francesca Scala
- Chapter 10. Health Care in Canada and the United States
- Theodore R. Marmor and Antonia Maioni
- Chapter 11. Managing Diversity: Civil Rights and Immigration
- Irene Bloemraad and Doris Marie Provine
- Chapter 12. Assessing Performance: National Versus Regional Patterns
- Keith Banting, Jack Nagel, Chelsea Schafer, and Daniel Westlake
- Part Four: Conclusions
- Chapter 13. Lessons of Comparison: Institutions and Governance
- Paul J. Quirk
About the author
Paul J. Quirk is Phil Lind Chair in U.S. Politics and Representation at the University of British Columbia. He is the author of Industry Influence in Federal Regulatory Agencies, The Politics of Deregulation, and Deliberative Choices: Debating Public Policy in Congress.
Summary
The United States and Canada share the longest border in the world, maintain one of the closest alliances, and are notably similar in many ways. Yet the two countries also have important differences, including sharply contrasting political institutions. In The United States and Canada, Paul J. Quirk has gathered a distinguished cast of contributors to present an integrated comparative examination of the political systems of the United States and Canada-with special attention to the effects of political institutions and their interaction with political values, geographic and demographic factors, and other influences. The volume explores the differences between the American presidential (or separation-of-powers) system and the Canadian parliamentary system-focusing on electoral and party systems, executive leadership and the legislative process, bureaucratic influence, and federalism. It proceeds to examine patterns of governance in a wide range of issue areas: economic policy; climate-change policy; healthcare policy; civil rights/integration and immigration; and abortion and gay rights. A sweeping comparative account, this volume serves as an authoritative guide for anyone interested in why the two countries differ and where they might be headed.