Political Science (POLI) 309
Canadian Government and Politics (Revision 4)

This version of POLI 309 closed April 20, 2005. To current version.

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>> Overview | Outline | Evaluation | Course Materials | Course Fees | Course Availability

Overview

POLI 309 provides an introduction to the basic structures and processes of government and politics in Canada and will help the student describe, explain, analyse, and assess contemporary issues and events in Canada.

Outline

Part 1 Introduction

• Unit 1 Studying Canadian Government and Politics
• Unit 2 Setting the Context: Governing in a Global World

Part 2 Governing

• Unit 3 The Constitutional Context
• Unit 4 The Parliamentary System
• Unit 5 The Executive
• Unit 6 The Bureaucracy
• Unit 7 The Judiciary

Part 3 Linking People to Government

• Unit 8 Political Parties and Interest Groups
• Unit 9 Elections and the Electoral System

Part 4 The Societal Context

• Unit 10 Regional, Economic, and Class Cleavages
• Unit 11 French Canada and the Quebec Question
• Unit 12 Aboriginal Peoples
• Unit 13 Gender, Multiculturalism, and Representation

Evaluation

To receive credit for POLI 309, students must complete the following assignments. Students must achieve a course composite grade of at least "D" (50 percent) and a grade of "D" (50 percent) or better on the final examination. The weighting of the assignments is as follows:

Assignment 1	Assignment 2	Assignment 3	Assignment 4	Final Exam	Total
10%	15%	15%	25%	35%	100%

Course Materials

Textbooks

Charlton, Mark, and Paul Barker, eds. 2002. Crosscurrents: Contemporary Political Issues. 4th ed. Scarborough, ON: Nelson.

Dyck, Rand. 2004. Canadian Politics: Critical Approaches. 4th ed. Scarborough, ON: Nelson.

McMenemy, John. 2001. The Language of Canadian Politics: A Guide to Important Terms and Concepts. 3rd ed. Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press.

Simpson, Jeffrey. 2002. The Friendly Dictatorship. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart

Other Material

The course materials include a study guide, student manual, assignment booklet and forms.