Democracy Cookbook: Why focus on provincial politics? – The Telegram

Studying Canadian democracy without an eye to provincial politics is like trying to understand the Atlantic Ocean from a floatplane: the view is interesting, but you miss most of the elements that give it life.

Look closely and you will see its strongest undercurrents, its contours, its depths, and its most colourful characters.

Like the ocean, most of Canada’s politics take place below the surface of federal developments. Few countries have regional governments as influential. Most of the highest-profile issues impacting Canadians, from health and education to community safety and social services, fall squarely within provincial jurisdiction. Others, such as Indigenous relations, the environment, infrastructure, and economic development, require significant coordination between federal and provincial governments.