Description
Book SynopsisAbsent Mandate develops the crucial concept of policy mandates, distinguished from other interpretations of election outcomes, and addresses the disconnect between election issues and government actions. Emphasizing Canadian federal elections between 1993 and 2015, the book examines the Chretien/Martin, Harper, and Trudeau governments and the campaigns that brought them to power. Using data from the Canadian Election Studies and other major surveys, Absent Mandate documents the longstanding volatility in Canadian voting behaviour. The failure of elections to provide genuine policy mandates stimulates public discontent with the political process and widens the gap between the promise and the performance of Canadian democracy.
Table of ContentsList of Figures List of Tables Preface 1. The Strategic Configuration of Canadian Democracy 2. Partisanship: Persistently Flexible 3. A Politics of Discontent 4. On the Issues 5. Leading the Campaign 6. Performance Politics and Electoral Volatility 7. Policy, Performance ... Mandate? 8. Conclusion: Continuities amid Change Appendix A. Political Parties’ Percentages of the Vote, 1965–2015 Federal Elections Appendix B. Seats Won by Political Parties, 1965–2015 Federal Elections Appendix C. Vote in the 2015 Federal Election by Province/Territory and Socio-Demographic Characteristics Appendix D. Federal Party Identification by Region and Socio-Demographic Characteristics, 2015 Appendix E. Survey Data Sources References Index
