Constitutional Odyssey: Can Canadians Become a Sovereign People?

Nobuaki Suyama is a Ph.D. candidate in political science at the
University of Alberta.

Russell, a leading scholar of Canadian constitutional politics,
discusses whether there is any solid basis for considering Canadians a
sovereign people. The traditional domination of Canadian politics by
elites has been recently challenged by those who would bring
constitutional politics down to the level of “ordinary folks,”
thereby achieving a so-called popular sovereignty.

While the question posed is an acute one, Russell’s answer,
tentatively offered in the final chapter, is inconclusive. In fact, his
book (essentially a historical sketch that begins with Confederation and
focuses on events in the post–Quiet Revolution era) does not offer a
particularly original view of Canadian politics; at best, it is a neat
summary of key constitutional affairs.

This informative and well-written book should benefit students who are
taking introductory courses in Canadian politics. However, it is not
recommended as a must for those well versed in the constitutional issue.