FACULTY OF ARTS

Department of Political Science

Essay Topics AS/POLS 3175 3.0 A Ontario Provincial Politics

Winter 2006-07

YYouy                 Your essay, on one of the following topics, is to be approximately 3000 words in length (i.e., 10-12 typed,                double-spaced pages) and is due in class on Thursday, March 22. Note the revised date.  The essay will accou                 account for 40% of your grade in the course.  In the absence of compelling reasons to the contrary, late                            papers will be penalized at the rate of 2% per day.

1.        In their chapter on Ontario for the second edition of Howlett and Brownsey's The Provincial State, Robert MacDermid and Greg Albo make two principal claims: "First, that the end of the post-war economic development model is being followed by economic malaise, labour market instability and flexible accumulation.  Second, that the class compromises that provided the political cohesion of post-war Ontario have eroded into a period of political instability and new forms of more open class conflict."  Evaluate either or both of these claims about economic development, class and politics in contemporary Ontario .

2.        According to Sid Noel, "The broad general direction in which the political culture [of Ontario ] is being pushed is clear: towards a more purely private conception of economic success and a corresponding reduction in the role of government.  But it is by no means clear that it has yet actually moved very far in that direction."  Evaluate Noel's contention, both with regard to the "push" he perceives and the degree to which political culture has "moved."

3.        Recently there has been considerable discussion, both at the federal and provincial levels, of the “democratic deficit.”  Making clear what you understand that term to mean, and using examples, assess the extent to which Ontario suffers from such a deficit at the provincial level.  Explain how you believe that situation could be most effectively improved.

4.        Ontario will go to the polls in October of this year.  What do you predict the outcome of that election will be and why?  What do you believe will be the main issue of contention among the parties, and where will each party stand?  How important will leadership be, and how would you measure its impact?  If there is a federal election this spring, what effect do you believe it will have on the provincial election in the fall and why?

5.        Select an issue of Ontario politics that has received mass media attention some time in the past five years.  Using at least two media outlets, assess the quality of the coverage provided.  Are there biases in the coverage?  (Be sure to distinguish news stories from opinion columns.)  Are there questions left unanswered (or unasked) that you believe are central to the issue?

6.        Select an interest group (e.g., the Ontario Hospital Association; the Ontario Federation of Labour; the Ontario Teachers' Federation; the Council of Ontario Universities; the Ontario Federation of Hunters and Anglers; etc.) significantly affected by provincial government policy and assess, with examples, their effectiveness in securing beneficial treatment by provincial administrations in the past two decades.

7.        Select a policy area within the jurisdiction of the provincial government; briefly explain the principal issues of contention in this area between the government and its critics; indicate what you believe is the appropriate policy direction to pursue in this area and why.

8.        You may choose to write on a topic of your own design, but in that event you must secure my approval for the topic by March 1 and I will need to see an outline of your proposed essay by March 13.