Chrétien and Canadian Federalism: Politics and the Constitution, 1993–2003

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.

Constitutional law expert Edward McWhinney has tried to blend personal
political biography with academic constitutional critique in a single
volume about Jean Chrétien’s 10-year regime. He begins by denying
that his methodology is purely biographical, claiming that it is a
realist-inspired approach that looks at constitutional government as it
actually operates. He presents himself as an insider—in 1993 McWhinney
was asked by Chrétien to run as a candidate in the riding of Vancouver
Quadra—able to reveal the nitty-gritty of Canadian politics to
outsiders, while at the same time maintaining the objectivity necessary
for a proper critique. He moves through most of the major political
issues of Chrétien’s government: immigration, Aboriginal land claims,
fiscal policy, U.S.–Canada relations, federal–provincial relations,
ethics review, and Chrétien’s legacy, delicately manoeuvring between
strong personalities and controversial policies.

McWhinney’s methodology, however, results in an awkward read. After a
few pages of analysis on one issue or another, he reverts to the first
person, detailing his own contribution to this debate or that
subcommittee report. Ordinarily this would make for interesting reading,
except that McWhinney’s time was spent as a Liberal backbencher, and
on only a limited number of occasions did he have real inside access to
the working of government. His criticism of the Constitution, which
amounts to a belief that not enough bright young talent has the
opportunity to participate in the parliamentary system, is often muted.
After several pages of critique of past attempts at reform, he presents
his radical revision: constitutional reform, he says, should be taken
“soberly, without too many inhibitions or preoccupations.” Nothing
else of real substance follows.

The book’s title is misleading, giving the impression that it will be
about Chrétien and his views on federalism. Instead it is a series of
personal reminiscences by an academic who spent a few years on the
periphery of power. McWhinney’s most interesting reflections come near
the end of the book, where he evaluates Chrétien’s political style.
Still, other than the obvious observation that Chrétien’s style of
politics was based more on personal ties of loyalty than on grand
philosophical principles, there is little to really sink one’s teeth
into. Another indication of this is that of the 23 photos in the book,
McWhinney appears in 23 and Chrétien in only three.