Who Decides?: Government in the New Millennium

Jeffrey J. Cormier is an assistant professor of sociology at the
University of Western Ontario in London. He is the author of The
Canadianization Movement: Emergence, Survival and Success.

This book is a collection of five provocative essays, each followed by
two commentaries. Based on a November 2002 conference at the C.D. Howe
Institute in Toronto, it brings together Canadian and foreign academics
to reflect on whether the system of government Canada now has is in fact
the best one available to the population. Editor and conference
organizer Richard Bird’s introductory essay sums up the overarching
question: “How are we doing and how can we do better?”

Each essay picks up a different theme within this larger question.
University of Calgary economist Ken McKenzie explores the interaction
between political institutions and policy results, the idea of increased
voter participation, and reforms in parliamentary policy committees.
British economist Tim Besley and former MP Donald Macdonald reply,
basically reinforcing McKenzie’s point that while parliamentary reform
should be considered, there are always unintended consequences to such
changes. Economist Ronald Wintrobe’s comparison of more than 10 years
of Liberal dominance with some of the pitfalls of dictatorship is
followed by Swiss economist Gebhard Kirchgassner and political scientist
Tom Flanagen’s reflections on how political institutions can sometimes
curb the worst effects of one-party rule. Albert Breton makes an
interesting case for increasing the power of local communities, and U.S.
economist Robert Inman and political scientist Alain Noel question the
wisdom of empowering municipal governments over and above provincial and
federal ones. Finally, John Richards examines the importance of good
government for economic prosperity by comparing Canada and Bangladesh,
with comments by political scientist Stephan Dupre and law professor
Michael Trebilcock.

The consensus from the conference—and this is reflected in the
papers and commentaries—is that contrary to the doomsayer’s claim
that there is a democratic deficit in Canada, the political institutions
we currently have will allow us to muddle through many of the great
social, economic, and political challenges Canada will face. Certainly
it is a conservative message. Remember, however, that the publisher is
the C.D. Howe Institute.