Description
Book SynopsisPivot or Pirouette? covers both the backstory and the aftermath of the strangest election in Canadian history, as told by an insider who was involved in the events before, during, and after the ballots were cast.
In the early 1990s, a pan-Canadian coalition of Tory voters had been splintered by constitutional politics. Discontented voters flocked to new regional parties; the Conservatives attempted to turn the tide by choosing the first female prime minister, but their efforts fell flat. In the 1993 election, the party was reduced to two seats, the separatist Bloc Québécois became the official opposition, and the Reform Party swept the West. Although the shocking results seemed pivotal, ultimately the pivot turned into a full pirouette as Canadian politics returned to historical norms: new parties shake up the system but are eventually absorbed into it, bringing innovation but not transformation. You can't understand modern Canadian politics without understanding the
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[Flanagan] is singularly suited to discuss this seismic election.
-- J.W.J. Bowden, The Dorchester Review
As a research director for Reform in its foundational period and a key player in the Conservative Party under Stephen Harper, Flanagan is well placed to tell this story. The result is a well-written, first-rate election study. -- J. L. Granatstein, emeritus, York University * CHOICE Connect *
Table of ContentsForeword: Turning Point Elections ... and the Case of 1993 / Gerald Baier and R. Kenneth Carty
Preface
Introduction
1 Grand Coalition
2 Collapse of the Coalition
3 The Contestants
4 The Contest
5 Aftermath
6 The Punctuated Equilibrium of Canadian Politics
Appendix 1: List of Key Players
Appendix 2: Timeline of Events
Notes; Suggestions for Further Reading; Index
