The Canadian Annual Review of Politics and Public Affairs is an acclaimed series that offers informed commentary on important national events and considers their significance in local and international contexts. This latest instalment covers a year of dramatic activity in provincial politics.

In 2007 the economy continued on its remarkable run of growth, allowing the new Conservative government to continue its predecessor’s tradition of presenting a balanced budget while further reducing Canadians’ taxes and increasing government spending. With the opposition Liberals not looking to engineer a quick election, federal politics was both cautious and static. In the provinces, however, the Liberals won electoral victories in Quebec and Ontario, while the NDP won a third consecutive election in Manitoba. The Canadian dollar rose past parity with the American for the first time in almost 31 years, and the country celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

David Mutimer is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science and deputy director of the Centre for International and Security Studies at York University.

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