Comparing Intergovernmental Relations - co-sponsored by the IPSA RC 28: Comparative Federalism and Multilevel Governance

Abstract

In federal and multi-level political systems, virtually every area of public policy affecting the lives of Canadians is shaped by how the constitution divides responsibilities between the orders of government, and how they work together (or don't). Many pressing policy challenges – from the environment, energy resilience, demographic change, immigration, security, employment and the economy, defy constitutional divisions of power and require close collaboration between the federal, meso-level and municipal governments. The aim of this Panel will be to adopt different comparative perspectives on intergovernmental relations to (i) assess the dynamics of IGR across space and time (ii) to identify the relative impact of variables such as policy sector, the strength and political composition of governments, party ideology, territorial diversity, and the supranational/international political environment; and (iii) to identify whether there are best practice lessons that can inform IGR institutional design and operation across cases.