Anatomy of an Election. Canada’s Federal General Election of 2019 Through the Lens of Political Law
- Publisher:
- Irwin Law Inc.
- Publication date:
- 2020-06-15
- Authors:
- Gregory Tardi
- ISBN:
- 9781552215302
Description:
Featured on The Hill Times’ 100 Best Books in 2020 list. Elections are the high point of democracy. They provide scheduled opportunities for the people at large to have a participatory voice in their own government. They enable adult citizens to judge those who have governed them recently, to select those whom they want to govern them in the near future, and to give renewed direction to their own country. Contrary to impressions generated by the media, it is a reality of democracy that elections are neither solely political events nor personality contests. In fact, elections are the ultimate blend of constitutionalism, politics, public law, and public policy. Anatomy of an Election takes a comprehensive and interdisciplinary look at Canada’s 2019 federal election as an example of a democratic election. This book is unique in its explanation of elections and electioneering. It sets the scene by enumerating the foundational elements of Canada’s electoral system, focusing on the constitutional principles, the legislation, and the major court judgments. It then traces the flow of political legal events since 2015 that have led to the forty-third general election. Most importantly, this text provides a day-by-day diary that records the most important political and legal events throughout the campaign. Anatomy of an Election does not favour any party or candidate and is designed to inform Canadian citizens about the electoral process and its fundamental importance in the public life of the country
Preliminary Sections
Part one
- The Place of an Election in the Comprehensive Political Law Cycle
- Election-Related Promises Made in the 2015 Campaign by the Liberal Party, the Winner in the Election
- Mandate of the Minister Dealing with Elections and Election Law
- The Governing Program Set Out in the Speech from the Throne of December 4, 2015, as It Relates to Elections and Parliament
- By-elections Conducted During the 42nd Parliament
- Issues of General Interest in the Electoral Sphere, as Expressed in Legislation and Legislative Proposals of P-42
- Work of the House of Commons Electoral Reform Committee During P-42
- Work of the House of Commons Procedure and House Affairs Committee Dealing with Election Matters During P-42
- Work of the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee During P-42
- Extrinsic Influences on the 43rd Federal General Election
- Mechanism of Coordination Between the Election Administration and the House of Commons
Part three
Part four
- Election Diary of Vote Tabulation, Validation, Media Calls, Victory, and Concession, Immediate Aftermath
- International Observation of the 43rd Federal General Election
- Judicial Recount
- Election Contestation
- Filing of Returns
- Prosecution of Electoral Offences
- Follow-Up to the Election
- Reports by the Chief Electoral Officer and the Commissioner of Canada Elections
Appendices
- Appendix 1: Fundamamental principles evidenced by consconstitutional text, statutory provisions, and conventions
- Appendix 2: Fundamamental constitutional texts, statutes, and subordinate instruments
- Appendix 3: Fundamamental jurisprudence
- Appendix 4: Principal public officials involved in the electoral system
- Bibliograpaphy
- Detailed table contents
- Table cases
- List of statutes
- Index
- About the Author