2015 EDITION VOLUME 16 FEDERALISM-E Samuel Mosonyi |Stare Decisis or Selective Judicial Reasoning? 0 FEDERALISM-E, VOLUME 16 Alexandra LaPlante & Alexander Manderson Chief Editors Royal Military College of Canada Dr. Christian Leuprecht Advisor Department of Political Science, Royal Military College of Canada / Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, Queen’s University Dr. Laura Robinson Advisor Department of English, Royal Military College of Canada Peer-Review Editorial Board Angelique Ahlstrom, University of Victoria Gabrielle Archambault, Royal Military College of Canada Harrison Kelertas, Royal Military College of Canada Conor Lewis, Dalhousie University Abigail McLatchy, Dalhousie University Tyson Murray, Royal Military College of Canada Hamza Tariq, University of Western Ontario Contents Editors' Address 1 Urban Governance and the Future of Canadian Federalism 2 Conor Lewis, Dalhousie University A Collaborative Method to Overcome the Difficulty of Constitutional Amendment 10 Abigail McLatchy The EU: Towards a United States of Europe 16 Eric Servais, University of Victoria Deferential Federalism: The Politics and Policy Implications of ‘Collaborative’ Federalism Since 1994 22 Gregory Wilford, University of Western Ontario Open Federalism: A Balancing Act of Multiculturalist Concerns and Fiscal Imbalances 30 Brianna Wolfe, Dalhousie University La refonte du fédéralisme suisse: impacts sur les autonomies cantonale et communale 37 Laetitia Mathys & Nicolas Keuffer, Université de Lausanne (soumission spéciale - travail de doctorat) Authors & Editors 54 Volume 16 Federalism-e Welcome to Federalism-e Bienvenue à Federalism-E Federalism-E is a peer reviewed Federalism-E est un journal undergraduate journal that encourages universitaire de premier cycle également révisé scholarly debate and research in the area of par des universitaires, qui encourage les débats federalism by exploring topics such as political pédagogiques dans le domaine du fédéralisme theory, multi-level governance, and et explore des sujets tels que les théories intergovernmental relations. Papers were politiques, le gouvernement à plusieurs submitted from across the country and abroad échelons ainsi que les relations and then sent out undergraduate students who intergouvernementales. Ces dissertations ont volunteered to be a part of our peer review été soumises des quatre coins du pays et même board. After extensive evaluation, this year’s de l’étranger, et ensuite envoyées aux élèves de papers were selected and returned to the premier cycle qui se sont portés volontaires authors according to a double blind review pour notre comité de rédaction. Après process before being polished into a publishable plusieurs évaluations, les essais qui vous seront product. The result is this, our 16th consecutive présentés ont été retournés aux auteurs afin year of publication. de permettre à ceux-ci de faire les corrections pour la publication. Le résultat vous est ème It is with great pleasure that we present donc présenté ici, dans la 16 publication this year’s collection of essays. We hope to consécutive du journal. encourage undergraduate students to C’est avec grand plaisir que nous contribute to the community of academic présentons le fruit de cette collaboration. Nous studies, create a forum for better understanding espérons encourager les étudiants de premier the topic of federalism, and to offer high- cycle à contribuer plus à la communauté performing students the experience of universitaire et à créer un forum pour améliorer participating in the process of academic la compréhension sur le sujet du fédéralisme. publication. We hope you enjoy this year's tout en offrant une opportunité pour participer edition. dans la publication d'un journal. Bonne lecture! Alexandra LaPlante and Alex Manderson Co-Editors, Federalism-e Welcome to Federalism-e 1 Urban Governance and the Future of Canadian Federalism Conor Lewis Dalhousie University The Canadian federation is constantly not entrenches, then conventionalizes the being reconfigured. Throughout our 147 years of processes of multi-level governance between all nationhood Canada has evolved from a quasi- three levels of the Canadian federation. This federal 1 state to arguably one of the most analysis leads to the conclusion that the Canadian decentralized federations in the world. However, federation has not adapted sufficiently to the for all the change that has occurred as we reality of urbanization. approach our sesquicentennial anniversary urban The division of powers between federal and city centers are still treated as if they are the provincial jurisdiction was entrenched in s.91 and colonial holdings of their provincial masters. The s.92 of the British North America Act of 1867. The rigidity in which the constitutional division of constitution delineates that the provinces have powers is interpreted in regards to municipal jurisdiction over municipal institutions and control affairs allows for the continued suppression of over generally all matters of a merely local or urban governance. By not allowing the full private nature.5 The decision to give the provinces participation of urban local government within the jurisdiction over municipal government was federation, Canada has turned a blind eye to the compatible with the demographics of nineteenth economic realities of the globalized Knowledge century Canada. In 1861 the total urban Based Economy (KBE)2 and the essential role that population of Canada was 527 220, this accounted “Global City Regions (GCRs)” will play as the for only 16% of the total population.6 With the economic “motors of the information era.” 3 vast majority of the citizenry living in the rural Through the systematic underfunding of our hinterlands urban affairs was not an issue of regional economic hubs,4 the country is limiting pressing substance. However, at the time of the the cultural creativity and fiscal growth of our last census in 2011 Statistics Canada reported that urban municipalities. In order for Canadian urban 81% of Canadians and 86% of Ontarians were now centers, and thereby Canada, to thrive a part of the urban population.7 Although the municipalities and urban citizens need to apply overwhelming majority of Canadians now live in pressure on the federal and provincial cities, municipal governments policymaking governments to establish a legal framework that if 1 Gregory Inwood, Understanding Canadian Federalism: 5 Department of Justice Canada, "The Constitution Acts An Introduction to Theory and Practice (Toronto: 1867 to 1982," January 1, 2013, Accessed November 1, Pearson Canada, 2013), 58. Quasi-Federal: coined by 2014, http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/CONST_E.pdf. K.C. Wheare, it is a model in which provincial The Constitution Acts 1867 to 1982, pg.29. s.92(8) & governments are seen as subordinate to the federal s.92(16) of the constitution are referenced here. government. 6 "Population, Urban and Rural, by Province and 2Thomas J Courchene, "Global Futures for Canada's Territory (Ontario)." Government of Canada, Statistics Global Cities," IRPP Policy Matters 8, no. 2 (2007): 27. Canada. February 4, 2011. Accessed November 1, 2014. 3 Ibid., 1. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum- 4 Ibid., 1. There are 9 economic hubs (Vancouver, som/l01/cst01/demo62g-eng.htm Edmonton, Calgary, Regina and Saskatoon, Winnipeg, 7 Ibid. Toronto, Montreal, Halifax). 2 2 Conor Lewis || Urban Governance and the Future of Canadian Federalism powers remain significantly circumscribed by the former suburbs were given an equal place at provincial government8. Hamilton City Hall, but the issues that the Municipalities, constitutionally speaking suburban citizen wants addressed are drastically are creatures 9 of the provinces. Provincial different then the issues that are plaguing the governments are able to create, eliminate, and inner city. [See Table 1]; regulate municipalities.10 The jurisdictional rights provided to the provinces allow them to control all Hamilton 2005: Average Household Income aspects of urban development. 11 The trend Average Total Number towards amalgamation showcases the supremacy Ward Household of Private of the provinces and the relative weakness of Income Household municipalities. The amalgamation of Ward 2 $41,307 19,430 municipalities, argues Caroline Andrew, is “not so Ward 3 $45,481 16,730 much for [the] better capacity [of the municipality] Ward 12 12 to act but for less expensive city government.” (Formally $126,715 10,070 The act of amalgamation makes the territorial Ancaster) boundaries of a municipality larger. Increasing the Ward 14 size of a city, however, diminishes the ability of (Formally $96,633 8,375 neighborhoods and individual citizens to influence Flamborough) 13 local decision-making, by expanding further away City of Hamilton $70,025 194,455 from the city center suburban voices are allowed [Table 1] to have an influence on urban decision making. http://www.investinhamilton.ca/wp- In January 2001 the five municipalities content/uploads/2013/10/SSSP-WardProfiles- surrounding Hamilton (Ancaster, Dundas, Ward2.pdf (Ward 2) Flamborough, Glanbrook, and Stoney Creek) were http://www.investinhamilton.ca/wp- 14 amalgamated to form the City of Hamilton. The content/uploads/2013/10/SSSP-WardProfiles- Ward3.pdf (Ward 3) 8 Patrick Smith and Kennedy Stewart, "Local Whole-of- http://www.investinhamilton.ca/wp- Government Policymaking in Vancouver: Beavers, Cats, content/uploads/2013/10/SSSP-WardProfiles- and the Mushy Middle Thesis," In Canada: