Ebooks for the Classroom+Faculty

Moral Foundations of Canadian Federalism: Paradoxes, Achievements, and Tragedies of Nationhood
ISBN: 9780773566002
Platform/Publisher: JSTOR / McGill-Queen''s University Press
Digital rights: Users: unlimited; Printing: chapter; Download: chapter
Subjects: Federal government -- Canada -- History; Canada -- Constitutional history; Canada -- Politics and government;

LaSelva argues that Canadian federalism is founded on a vision of a nation in which multiple identities and multiple loyalties can flourish within a framework of common political nationality. He contends that this dualistic belief affects not only our understanding of Canadian identity but also a host of fundamental concepts, including fraternity, justice, democracy, and federalism itself. LaSelva offers a compelling reconsideration of Confederation and of the pivotal role of George Étienne-Cartier, one of the fathers of Confederation, in both the achievement of confederation and the creation of a distinctively Canadian federalist theory. Given the current debates about Quebec sovereignty and Native self-government, the future of the Canadian federation is uncertain. The Moral Foundations of Canadian Federalism provides a timely and novel perspective in support of Canadian federalism.

Samuel V. LaSelva is professor of political science at the University of British Columbia.