The moral foundations of Canadian federalism paradoxes, achievements, and tragedies of nationhood - LaSelva, Samuel V., (Samuel Victor) (McGill-Queen's University Press, 1996)
Includes bibliographical references (p. [229]-249) and index
Prologue: Tragedy, Justice, and Community as Elements of Canadian Federalism -- 1. Federalism as a Way of Life: The Canadian Experiment -- 2. Confederation and the Beginnings of Canadian Federalist Theory -- 3. Patriation Revisited: The Neglected Implications of Section 94 -- 4. Does the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom Rest on a Mistake? -- 5. Nation-Saving or Nation-Destroying: The Impact of the Charter of Rights on Canadian Federalism -- 6. Reimagining Confederation: Moving beyond the Trudeau-Levesque Debate -- 7. Is Canadian Democracy Special? Mutual Recognition in a Federal System -- 8. A Dialogue of Democracy: Aboriginal Self-Government and Canadian Federalism -- 9. The One and the Many: Pluralism, Expressivism and the Canadian Political Nationality -- 10. Recovering the Moral Foundations of Canadian Federalism
Focusing on key events in Canadian political history, Samuel LaSelva examines the moral foundations of the Canadian federal system of government and their implications. He explores the ideals, arguments, and rhetoric invoked by the debates surrounding crucial events in Canadian federalism - Confederation, patriation of the constitution, Meech Lake, and the Charlottetown accord - and situates them within the context of moral and political philosophy
LeSelva argues that Canadian federalism is founded on a vision of a nation in which multiple identities and multiple loyalties can flourish within a framework of common political nationality. He contends that this dualistic belief affects not only our understanding of Canadian identity but also a host of fundamental concepts, including fraternity, justice, democracy, and federalism itself. LaSelva offers a compelling reconsideration of Confederation and of the pivotal role of George-Etienne Cartier, one of the Fathers of Confederation, in both the achievement of confederation and the creation of a distinctively Canadian federalist theory. Given the current debates about Quebec sovereignty and Aboriginal self-government, the future of the Canadian federation is uncertain. The Moral Foundations of Canadian Federalism provides a timely and novel perspective in support of Canadian federalism