Democratizing the Constitution

Winner of the 2012 Donner Prize.

Canada 's time-honoured system of responsible government is failing us. Our constitution no longer provides effective checks on a prime minister's power to call elections or shut down Parliament in order to evade votes of confidence or sidestep public accountability. The result: the founding principle of responsible government has now degenerated into whatever the prime minister decides it is. This timely book examines recent history and ongoing controversies, and presents a thoughtful proposal to democratize the constitution in order to restore power to where it belongs—with the people's elected representatives in Parliament. The authors give special attention to explaining the institutions and concepts involved, as well as the fascinating history that has led to present day conflicts over our constitutional state of affairs. Its offering of proposals to address the problems it outlines will also make it a must-read for political observers and interested citizens across the country.