The United States and Canada How Two Democracies Differ and Why It Matters

The United States and Canada share the longest border in the world, maintain one of the closest alliances, and are notably similar in many ways. Yet the two countries also have important differences, including sharply contrasting political institutions. In The United States and Canada, Paul J. Quirk has gathered a distinguished cast of contributors to present an integrated comparative examination of the political systems of the United States and Canada-with special attention to the effects of political institutions and their interaction with political values, geographic and demographic factors, and other influences. The volume explores the differences between the American presidential (or separation-of-powers) system and the Canadian parliamentary system-focusing on electoral and party systems, executive leadership and the legislative process, bureaucratic influence, and federalism. It proceeds to examine patterns of governance in a wide range of issue areas: economic policy; climate-change policy; healthcare policy; civil rights/integration and immigration; and abortion and gay rights. A sweeping comparative account, this volume serves as an authoritative guide for anyone interested in why the two countries differ and where they might be headed.

Paul J. Quirk is Phil Lind Chair in U.S. Politics and Representation at the University of British Columbia. He is the author of Industry Influence in Federal Regulatory Agencies, The Politics of Deregulation, and Deliberative Choices: Debating Public Policy in Congress.

Part One: Introduction

Chapter 1. Introduction
Paul J. Quirk

Part Two: Political Culture and Institutions

Chapter 2. Political Culture and Values
Russell J. Dalton

Chapter 3. Electoral and Party Systems
André Blais, Shaun Bowler, and Bernard Grofman

Chapter 4. Executive Leadership and the Legislative Process
Jonathan Malloy and Paul J. Quirk

Chapter 5. Bureaucratic Influence and Policymaking
John R. McAndrews, Bert A. Rockman, and Colin Campbell

Chapter 6. Federalism
Richard Simeon and Beryl A. Radin

Part Three: Policies and Outcomes

Chapter 7. Economic Policy: Growth, Stabilization and Distribution
William Keech and William Scarth

Chapter 8. Environmental Policy: Climate Change
Kathryn Harrison

Chapter 9. Morality Issues: Abortion and Gay Rights
Gary Mucciaroni and Francesca Scala

Chapter 10. Health Care in Canada and the United States
Theodore R. Marmor and Antonia Maioni

Chapter 11. Managing Diversity: Civil Rights and Immigration
Irene Bloemraad and Doris Marie Provine

Chapter 12. Assessing Performance: National Versus Regional Patterns
Keith Banting, Jack Nagel, Chelsea Schafer, and Daniel Westlake

Part Four: Conclusions

Chapter 13. Lessons of Comparison: Institutions and Governance
Paul J. Quirk