Machinery of Government

Course Description

In this course, students will examine the machinery of governance - the processes used by citizens to make decisions about their collective lives. The instructor will use a variety of sources to establish principles of good governance and then examine key components of Canadian governance against those principles. Those components include: 1) the legislature, including both election and legislative processes; 2) the political executive, including policy and budget decision-making processes; 3) the permanent executive, including traditional and alternative administrative processes; 4) local governance; and 5) intra- and inter-governmental relations. Through class discussions, major assignments and examinations, students will have an opportunity to apply their understanding of good governance to both domestic and international cases.