May 2, 2008 the Library of Parliament
presented
a seminar to celebrate the launch of
Two Cheers
for Minority Government
The evolution of Canadian
parliamentary democracy
by
Professor
Peter H. Russell, O.C.
Past-Chairman, Churchill
Society for the Advancement of Parliamentary Democracy; University
Professor Emeritus in the Department of Political Science at the
University of Toronto
Overview
For decades Canadians have been led to believe that majority governments
are the ideal outcome of our federal elections, allowing the winning
party to fully implement its vision and act decisively. But in this
timely exploration of Canada’s history and its current political
landscape, Peter Russell argues that Canadians are better served by
minority governments than by false majorities—the too-common scenario in
which a party wins a commanding majority of seats with fewer than half
the votes cast.
Though minority government may not quite deserve a full three cheers,
our multi-party reality and the evolution of Canadian democracy require
that we come to terms with it, and perhaps even embrace it.
This is the first book-length study of minority government in Canada.
"(Russell) has the audacity to suggest that voters and the
parliaments they elect should actually count in the way we govern — a
huge and profound idea." – Senator Hugh Segal
“Three cheers for Peter Russell's timely and thought-provoking
book!” – Graham White, University of Toronto
“An important book…and highly accessible.” – Donald J.
Savoie, l'Université de Moncton
