Alberta Oil And The Decline Of Democracy In Canada

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Alberta Oil and the Decline of Democracy in Canada

Author : Meenal Shrivastava,Lorna Stefanick
Publisher : Athabasca University Press
Page : 437 pages
File Size : 40,5 Mb
Release : 2015-10-01
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9781771990295

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Alberta Oil and the Decline of Democracy in Canada by Meenal Shrivastava,Lorna Stefanick Pdf

In Democracy in Alberta: The Theory and Practice of a Quasi-Party System, published in 1953, C. B. Macpherson explored the nature of democracy in a province that was dominated by a single class of producers. At the time, Macpherson was talking about Alberta farmers, but today the province can still be seen as a one-industry economy—the 1947 discovery of oil in Leduc having inaugurated a new era. For all practical purposes, the oil-rich jurisdiction of Alberta also remains a one-party state. Not only has there been little opposition to a government that has been in power for over forty years, but Alberta ranks behind other provinces in terms of voter turnout, while also boasting some of the lowest scores on a variety of social welfare indicators. The contributors to Alberta Oil and the Decline of Democracy critically assess the political peculiarities of Alberta and the impact of the government’s relationship to the oil industry on the lives of the province’s most vulnerable citizens. They also examine the public policy environment and the entrenchment of neoliberal political ideology in the province. In probing the relationship between oil dependency and democracy in the context of an industrialized nation, Alberta Oil and the Decline of Democracy offers a crucial test of the “oil inhibits democracy” thesis that has hitherto been advanced in relation to oil-producing countries in the Global South. If reliance on oil production appears to undermine democratic participation and governance in Alberta, then what does the Alberta case suggest for the future of democracy in industrialized nations such as the United States and Australia, which are now in the process of exploiting their own substantial shale oil reserves? The environmental consequences of oil production have, for example, been the subject of much attention. Little is likely to change, however, if citizens of oil-rich countries cannot effectively intervene to influence government policy.

Alberta Oil and the Decline of Democracy in Canada

Author : Lorna Stefanick,Meenal Shrivastava
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 426 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2015
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 1771990309

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Alberta Oil and the Decline of Democracy in Canada by Lorna Stefanick,Meenal Shrivastava Pdf

Prior to May 2015, the oil-rich jurisdiction of Alberta had, for over four decades, been a one-party state. During that time, the rule of the Progressive Conservatives essentially went unchallenged, with critiques of government policy falling on deaf ears and Alberta ranking behind other provinces in voter turnout. Given the province's economic reliance on oil revenues, a symbiotic relationship also developed between government and the oil industry. Cross-national studies have detected a correlation between oil-dependent economies and authoritarian rule, a pattern particularly evident in Africa and the Middle East. Alberta Oil and the Decline of Democracy in Canada sets out to test the "oil inhibits democracy" hypothesis in the context of an industrialized nation in the Global North. In probing the impact of Alberta's powerful oil lobby on the health of democracy in the province, contributors to the volume engage with an ongoing discussion of the erosion of political liberalism in the West. In addition to examining energy policy and issues of government accountability in Alberta, they explore the ramifications of oil dependence in areas such as Aboriginal rights, environmental policy, labour law, women's equity, urban social policy, and the arts. If, as they argue, reliance on oil has weakened democratic structures in Alberta, then what of Canada as whole, where the short-term priorities of the oil industry continue to shape federal policy? The findings in this book suggest that, to revitalize democracy, provincial and federal leaders alike must find the courage to curb the influence of the oil industry on governance.

Irresponsible Government

Author : Brent Rathgeber
Publisher : Dundurn
Page : 256 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2014-09-10
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781459728394

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Irresponsible Government by Brent Rathgeber Pdf

2015 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize — Shortlisted, Non-Fiction In Irresponsible Government, former MP Brent Rathgeber takes Parliament to task for its failure to hold the government to account. Irresponsible Government examines the current state of Canadian democracy in contrast to the founding principles of responsible government established by the Fathers of Confederation in 1867. The book examines the failure of modern elected representatives to perform their constitutionally mandated duty to hold the prime minister and his cabinet to account. It further examines the modern lack of separation between the executive and legislative branches of government and the disregard with which the executive views Parliament. The book seeks to shine light on the current power imbalances that have developed in Canadian government. Through an examination of the foundation principles of our parliamentary system and their subsequent erosion, Irresponsible Government seeks methods through which we can begin to recalibrate and correct these power imbalances and restore electoral accountability.

A Sales Tax for Alberta

Author : Robert L. Ascah
Publisher : Athabasca University Press
Page : 238 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 2022-06-03
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781771992978

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A Sales Tax for Alberta by Robert L. Ascah Pdf

The days of buoyant capital investment, jobs, and wealth are passing Alberta by as the boom-and-bust cycle runs its course and the global climate crisis becomes more acute. As the province scrambles to boost the dying oil economy and curb spending, one solution is all but ignored—a sales tax. In this collection, Alberta scholars and policy experts map out why and how a provincial sales tax can and should be implemented. They examine energy revenues, household incomes, and political support as well as opportunities for improving democracy and reducing the volatility of government revenues. Finally, this volume offers recommendations on structuring a consultative review process to improve Alberta’s long-term fiscal sustainability. Contributions by Ergete Ferede, Ian Glassford, Kenneth J. McKenzie, Melville McMillan, Elizabeth Smythe, and Graham Thomson.

The Political Economy of Workplace Injury in Canada

Author : Bob Barnetson
Publisher : Athabasca University Press
Page : 285 pages
File Size : 43,5 Mb
Release : 2010
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781926836003

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The Political Economy of Workplace Injury in Canada by Bob Barnetson Pdf

Workplace injuries are common, avoidable, and unacceptable. The Political Economy of Workplace Injury in Canada reveals how employers and governments engage in ineffective injury prevention efforts, intervening only when necessary to maintain standard legitimacy. Barnetson sheds light on this faulty system, highlighting the way in which employers create dangerous work environments yet pour billions of dollars into compensation and treatment. Examining this dynamic clarifies the way in which production costs are passed on to workers in the form of workplace injuries.

Regime of Obstruction

Author : William K. Carroll
Publisher : Athabasca University Press
Page : 526 pages
File Size : 54,9 Mb
Release : 2021-04-23
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781771992893

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Regime of Obstruction by William K. Carroll Pdf

Rapidly rising carbon emissions from the intense development of Western Canada’s fossil fuels continue to aggravate the global climate emergency and destabilize democratic structures. The urgency of the situation demands not only scholarly understanding, but effective action. Regime of Obstruction aims to make visible the complex connections between corporate power and the extraction and use of carbon energy. Edited by William Carroll, this rigorous collection presents research findings from the first three years of the seven-year, SSHRC-funded partnership, the Corporate Mapping Project. Anchored in sociological and political theory, this comprehensive volume provides hard data and empirical research that traces the power and influence of the fossil fuel industry through economics, politics, media, and higher education. Contributors demonstrate how corporations secure popular consent, and coopt, disorganize, or marginalize dissenting perspectives to position the fossil fuel industry as a national public good. They also investigate the difficult position of Indigenous communities who, while suffering the worst environmental and health impacts from carbon extraction, must fight for their land or participate in fossil capitalism to secure income and jobs. The volume concludes with a look at emergent forms of activism and resistance, spurred by the fact that a just energy transition is still feasible. This book provides essential context to the climate crisis and will transform discussions of energy democracy. Contributions by Laurie Adkin, Angele Alook, Clifford Atleo, Emilia Belliveau-Thompson, John Bermingham, Paul Bowles, Gwendolyn Blue, Shannon Daub, Jessica Dempsey, Emily Eaton, Chuka Ejeckam, Simon Enoch, Nick Graham, Shane Gunster, Mark Hudson, Jouke Huizer, Ian Hussey, Emma Jackson, Michael Lang, James Lawson, Marc Lee, Fiona MacPhail, Alicia Massie, Kevin McCartney, Bob Neubauer, Eric Pineault, Lise Margaux Rajewicz, James Rowe, JP Sapinsky, Karena Shaw, and Zoe Yunker.

Social Democracy After the Cold War

Author : Ingo Schmidt,Bryan Evans
Publisher : Athabasca University Press
Page : 341 pages
File Size : 49,5 Mb
Release : 2012
Category : History
ISBN : 9781926836874

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Social Democracy After the Cold War by Ingo Schmidt,Bryan Evans Pdf

"Despite the market triumphalism that greeted the end of the Cold War, the collapse of the Soviet empire seemed initially to herald new possibilities for social democracy. In the 1990s, with a new era of peace and economic prosperity apparently imminent, people discontented with the realities of global capitalism swept social democrats into power in many Western countries. The resurgence was, however, brief. Neither the recurring economic crises of the 2000s nor the ongoing War on Terror was conducive to social democracy, which soon gave way to a prolonged decline in countries where social democrats had once held power. Arguing that neither globalization nor demographic change was key to the failure of social democracy, the contributors to this volume analyze the rise and decline of Third Way social democracy and seek to lay the groundwork for the reformulation of progressive class politics. Offering a comparative look at social democratic experience since the Cold War, the volume examines countries where social democracy has long been an influential political force--Sweden, Germany, Britain, and Australia--while also considering the history of Canada's NDP, the social democratic tradition in the United States, and the emergence of New Left parties in Germany and the province of Québec. The case studies point to a social democracy that has confirmed its rupture with the postwar order and its role as the primary political representative of workingclass interests. Once marked by redistributive and egalitarian policy perspectives, social democracy has, the book argues, assumed a new role--that of a modernizing force advancing the neoliberal cause." -- Publisher's website.

Canada’s Labour Market Training System

Author : Bob Barnetson
Publisher : Athabasca University Press
Page : 204 pages
File Size : 48,6 Mb
Release : 2018-11-20
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781771992411

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Canada’s Labour Market Training System by Bob Barnetson Pdf

How does the current labour market training system function and whose interests does it serve? In this introductory textbook, Bob Barnetson wades into the debate between workers and employers, and governments and economists to investigate the ways in which labour power is produced and reproduced in Canadian society. After sifting through the facts and interpretations of social scientists and government policymakers, Barnetson interrogates the training system through analysis of the political and economic forces that constitute modern Canada. This book not only provides students of Canada’s division of labour with a general introduction to the main facets of labour-market training—including skills development, post-secondary and community education, and workplace training—but also encourages students to think critically about the relationship between training systems and the ideologies that support them.

Controlling Knowledge

Author : Lorna Stefanick
Publisher : Athabasca University Press
Page : 265 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2011
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781926836263

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Controlling Knowledge by Lorna Stefanick Pdf

Digital communications technology has immeasurably enhanced our capacity to store, retrieve, and exchange information. But who controls our access to information, and who decides what others have a right to know about us? In Controlling Knowledge, author Lorna Stefanick offers a thought-provoking and eminently user-friendly overview of current legislation governing freedom of information and the protection of privacy. Aiming to clarify rather than mystify, Stefanick outlines the history and application of FOIP legislation, with special focus on how these laws affect the individual. To illustrate the impact of FOIP, she examines the notion of informed consent, looks at concerns about surveillance in the digital age, and explores the sometimes insidious influence of Facebook. Specialists in public policy and public administration, information technology, communications, law, criminal justice, sociology, and health care will find much here that bears directly on their work, while students and general readers will welcome the book's down-to-earth language and accessible style. Intended to serve as a "citizen's guide," Controlling Knowledge is a vital resource for anyone seeking to understand how freedom of information and privacy protection are legally defined and how this legislation is shaping our individual rights as citizens of the information age.

Code Politics

Author : Jared J. Wesley
Publisher : UBC Press
Page : 320 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 2011-04-01
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780774820776

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Code Politics by Jared J. Wesley Pdf

Politics on the Canadian prairies are puzzling. The provinces share common roots, but they have nurtured three distinct political cultures -- Alberta is Canada's bastion of conservatism, Saskatchewan its cradle of social democracy, and Manitoba its progressive centre. Jared Wesley explains this paradox by examining the rhetoric employed by dominant parties to renew their provinces' political code -- freedom for Alberta, security for Saskatchewan, and moderation for Manitoba. Although the content of their campaigns differed, leaders from William Aberhart to Tommy Douglas to Gary Doer have employed distinct codes to ensure their parties' success and shape their provinces' political landscapes.

Extracting Home in the Oil Sands

Author : Clinton N. Westman,Tara L. Joly,Lena Gross
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 193 pages
File Size : 41,7 Mb
Release : 2019-12-06
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9781351127448

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Extracting Home in the Oil Sands by Clinton N. Westman,Tara L. Joly,Lena Gross Pdf

The Canadian oil sands are one of the world’s most important energy sources and the subject of global attention in relation to climate change and pollution. This volume engages ethnographically with key issues concerning the oil sands by working from anthropological literature and beyond to explore how people struggle to make and hold on to diverse senses of home in the region. The contributors draw on diverse fieldwork experiences with communities in Alberta that are affected by the oil sands industry. Through a series of case studies, they illuminate the complexities inherent in the entanglements of race, class, Indigeneity, gender, and ontological concerns in a regional context characterized by extreme extraction. The chapters are unified in a common concern for ethnographically theorizing settler colonialism, sentient landscapes, and multispecies relations within a critical political ecology framework and by the prominent role that extractive industries play in shaping new relations between Indigenous Peoples, the state, newcomers, corporations, plants, animals, and the land.

Democracy's Dilemma

Author : Robert Paehlke
Publisher : MIT Press
Page : 324 pages
File Size : 45,8 Mb
Release : 2003
Category : Law
ISBN : 0262661888

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Democracy's Dilemma by Robert Paehlke Pdf

A call for a balancing of economic, environmental, and social concerns in the age of global economic integration.

Fossilized

Author : Angela V. Carter
Publisher : UBC Press
Page : 245 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 2020-10-15
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780774863551

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Fossilized by Angela V. Carter Pdf

Thanks to increasingly extreme forms of oil extraction, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador underwent exceptional economic growth from 2005 to 2015. Fossilized investigates the environmental policy trends that supported this development trajectory, such as institutional restructuring that prioritizes extraction over environmental protection, alongside inadequate environmental assessment, land-use planning, and emissions controls. Angela Carter’s detailed analysis situates the policy dynamics of Canada’s largest oil-producing provinces within the historical and global context of late-stage petro-capitalism and deepening neoliberalization. As the global community moves toward decarbonization, Canada's petro-provinces are instead doubling down on oil – to their ecological and economic peril.

A Polity on the Edge

Author : Harold D. Clarke,Allan Kornberg,Peter Wearing
Publisher : University of Toronto Press
Page : 340 pages
File Size : 48,7 Mb
Release : 2000
Category : History
ISBN : UVA:X004438921

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A Polity on the Edge by Harold D. Clarke,Allan Kornberg,Peter Wearing Pdf

Collectively, these events have pushed Canada to the edge of disintegration. The book's analyses and interpretations of these events are based on a collection of survey data gathered over the past two decades. Conversations with thousands of Canadians map the dynamics of public beliefs, attitudes and behaviour in an era of economic dislocation and political crisis.

Working People in Alberta

Author : Alvin Finkel
Publisher : Athabasca University Press
Page : 361 pages
File Size : 49,6 Mb
Release : 2012
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781926836584

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Working People in Alberta by Alvin Finkel Pdf

A political and economic analysis of the history of working people in Alberta.