The challenges of democratic governance in Canada in the 21st century: historical institutional inertias and tensions derived from the Prime Minister’s increasingly power concentration

Abstract

The historical and institutional foundations of the Canadian political system are reviewed in
the article. Its particular determinants stand out, such as the continuity of its ties with the
English crown, the neighborhood with the United States, the internal presence of French
culture located in the province of Quebec and the tensions between its provinces. Likewise,
the recent literature on the changes and continuities in the mechanics of the government
process in Canada in the last five years is analyzed. Based on these reviews, several criticisms
and concerns about the tensions between a process of increasing legal formalization of
government capacities and the weight of the personal styles of governing of various prime
ministers since the end of the last century stand out. Especially the problem of the tacit
discretionary powers of the Executive has been pointed out, which can imply institutional
risks for the democratic control of the government.