Federalism in Canada Diversity, Rights and Democracy

1. Federalism in CanadaDiversity, Rights and Democracy Keith Banting Queen’s University Federal Union Canada House 14 November 2007

2. The federal idea in the 21st century • Multi-level governance in the contemporary era • Supra-national economic institutions • Pressures for responsiveness to local cultures • Growing ethnic diversity and multiple identities • Federalism as a form of multi-level governance • Divided sovereignty: diversity and unity • Historic form: USA (1789), Switzerland (1848), Canada (1867) • Growing appeal of federal and quasi-federal solutions • Canada as an interesting case • Multicultural, multiracial, multination state • Managing multiple identities on a continental scale

3. Assessing federalism: three criteria • Federalism and diversity • Federalism and citizenship rights • Federalism and democracy

4. Canada as a federation

5. Canada as a federation • Adopting the federal compromise • Reasons for union: • Securing a continent-wide economy • Collective defence • Reasons for decentralization • Governance over vast geography • Accommodation of cultural diversity

7. The Canadian model of federalism • Federalism and Westminster parliamentary system • Decentralized division of legislative authority • Limited instruments of regional / intergovernmental consensus-building • Central role of executive federalism

8. Federalism and accommodating diversity

9. Diversity in Canada • Diverse diversity in Canada • Canada and Quebec • Aboriginal peoples • Immigrants / ethnocultural groups • Multiculturalism and Canadian identity

10. Federalism and the pan- Canadian community • Concern over the pan-Canadian community • Debate over social integration / cohesion

11. Pride in Canada

12. Belonging in Canada

13. Strengthening pan-Canadianism • What is the social glue? • Building a shared identity? • Strengthening liberal democracy? • Instruments of the common community • Citizenship rights • Democratic processes

14. Federalism and citizenship rights • T.H. Marshall and citizenship rights • Civil rights • Political rights • Social rights • Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms • Social rights: federalism and social citizenship

15. Decentralization in social benefits • Ranking of centralization of legislative responsibility Pensions, health, unemployment insurance, work injury, family allowances, social assistance • Germany 6.0 • Austria 5.5 • Switzerland 5.5 • Australia 5.0 • Belgium 5.0 • USA 3.0 • Canada 2.5 Source: Obinger et al 2005

16. Federalism and democracy • Democratic participation and social integration • Federalism and democracy: the theory • Checks and balances • Responsiveness to local communities • Experimentation in public policy • Executive federalism and a democratic deficit? • Constrains openness and transparency • Constrains public participation • Reinforces elitist forms of decision-making

17. Reported electoral turnout

18. Canadian themes • Federalism and diverse communities • Variable geometry of attachment • Multiple identities and thinner conceptions of citizenship • Federalism and the common community • Citizenship rights • Democratic participation

19. Thank you