Federalism - particularly in Canada - involves an ongoing contestation of interests, ideas, and identities. It is a contestation that sometimes clarifies but often obscures the nature of conflicts and the manner in which they are resolved. Recognizing the great degree of ambivalence associated with federalism, the authors provide students with the conceptual tools and basic knowledge of various governmental processes that will allow them to analyze and, if necessary, critique intergovernmental relations. Focusing on three areas - basic federal and intergovernmental structure; the constitutional and institutional framework of the federation; and 'federal governance' - Contested Federalism is an engaging and balanced treatment of federalism in Canada.

Herman Bakvis joined the School of Public Administration at the University of Victoria as a Professor in July 2005, after 26 years at Dalhousie University in both the Department of Political Science and School of Public Administration. He was Director of the School at Dalhousie from 2000 to 2004.

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Gerald Baier is Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of British Columbia.

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Douglas Brown is a cultural historian with a keen interest in early modern sport (19th and 20th centuries). He is an associate professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary.

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"This is a book I've waited for 35 years for: it is comprehensive, superbly readable, uniform in style and language, and consistent in its comprehensibility. It has immediate coherence, relevance, and accessibility. Its voice is clear, timely, thoughtful, and provocative. It illuminates without preaching. It will become the superior primer on Canadian federalism for students first encountering this versatile governing system." --Anthony Careless, University of Toronto