Canadian Political Parties

Political parties have played and will continue to play a vital role in assuring the democratic functioning of our society -recruiting leaders, serving as conduits for, and informers of public opinion, shaping public policy, bridging ethnic, class and regional divisions, and of course, forming governments. Written by some of Canada's most respected historians, political scientists, and journalists, Canadian Political Parties for the first time brings together a lively and stimulating collection of historical readings on Canadian political parties that deal with the total party experience, as opposed to specific aspects thereof.The book contains three main sections, coinciding with the main phases in the evolution of Canadian parties, from the birth of national parties before 1918, to the emergence of protest parties between the two World Wars, to the postwar Liberal dynasty and the dramatic restructuring of the party system in the 1900s. Each section is preceded by a detailed introduction that provides a contextual overview of the party politics of that period. A concluding section provides a useful guide for further reading. Comprehensive and simply written, Canadian Political Parties will be a valuable resource for specialists and non-specialists alike.