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Political Science Constitutions

The Republican Option in Canada, Past and Present

by (author) David E. Smith

Publisher
University of Toronto Press
Initial publish date
Jun 1999
Category
Constitutions
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9780802044693
    Publish Date
    Jun 1999
    List Price
    $81.00
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781442682191
    Publish Date
    May 1999
    List Price
    $80.00

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Description

Canada is one of a declining number of monarchies in the world, yet Canadians have never seriously considered a republican alternative. The nature of Canada's monarchy and the question of whether a republican form of government might prove superior are, in fact, subjects that are all but ignored in Canadian constitutional discussions. This study explores why this is so and what it reveals about Canadian political culture.

David E. Smith examines the history, prospects, and implications of republicanism in Canada. With reference to classical, French, and American republican theories, he traces the ambivalence of Canadians to the concept and demonstrates the conflict republican theories and practices present for parliamentary systems of the British model. Smith offers an impressive, thorough, and fresh analysis of the implications of the republican option.

About the author

David E. Smith, FRSC, is the author of Federalism and the Constitution of Canada, The People’s House of Commons, and many books on Canadian politics. He is currently Distinguished Visiting Professor in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at Ryerson University.

David E. Smith's profile page