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Abstract
The role and function of legislative institutions in the transition to neoliberalism have been largely ignored by scholarly literature. This article offers an analysis of the legislative approaches and strategies employed by two Right-wing governments in the Canadian province of Ontario during a period spanning more than 20 years. When viewed comparatively, both governments utilize similar approaches to undermine the capacity of the legislature to hold the executive to account in order to shield their neoliberal restructuring plans from democratic interference. This fits a broader pattern in which the reconfiguration of parliamentary institutions to accommodate the implementation of politically contentious neoliberal legislation has become increasingly commonplace.
Notes
Correction Statement
This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.
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No potential conflict of interest was identified by the author.
Notes
1 Negri, A Revolution Retrieved, 60.
2 Peck and Tickell, “Neoliberalizing Space,” 37.
3 Coulter, “Deep Neoliberal Integration,” 192.
4 Evans and Fanelli, “Common Sense Reloaded,” 150.
5 Coulter, 194.
6 Evans and Fanelli, 150.
7 McDowell, “Dieu et Mon Droit.”
8 McDowell, “Dieu et Mon Droit.”
9 Pond, “Imposing a Neo-liberal Theory,” 170–93.
10 Bagehot, The English Constitution.
11 Bagehot, The English Constitution, 81.
12 Pilon, “Contested Origins of Canadian Democracy,” 106.
13 Pilon, “Contested Origins of Canadian Democracy,” 106.
14 Pilon, “Actually Existing Democracy,” 2.
15 MacDonald, The Happy Warrior, 320.
16 Leduc and White, “Role of Opposition.”
17 Negri, 71.
18 Negri, 94.
19 Jessop, “Schumpeterian Welfare State,” 7.
20 Cerny, “Globalization and the Erosion of Democracy,” 2.
21 Gamble, Free Economy and Strong State, 28.
22 Gamble, Free Economy and Strong State, 28.
23 O’Brien and Bosc, House of Commons Procedure, 724.
24 Bill, 103.
25 Bill, 103.
26 Leach, Debates, 1997, January 14.
27 Leach, Debates, 1997, January 14.
28 Leach, Debates, 1997, January 15.
29 Leach, Debates, 1997, January 15.
30 Bill, 25.
31 Bill, 25.
32 Bill, 25.
33 Bill, 5.
34 Bill, 5.
35 City News, September 10, 2018.
36 The Toronto Star, September 17, 2018.
37 The Toronto Star, September 17, 2018.
38 Loreto, “Making and Implementing Decisions,” 101.
39 McDowell, “Dieu et Mon Droit.”
40 Bill, 5.
41 Bill, 2.
42 Clarke, “Dissolving the Public Realm?” 36.
43 Clarke, “Dissolving the Public Realm?” 36.
44 Clarke, “Dissolving the Public Realm?” 36.
45 Clark, Debates, 2018, August 2.
46 Clark, Debates, 2018, August 2.
47 Clark, Debates, 2018, August 2.
48 Clark, Debates, 2018, August 2.
49 Smith, Debates, 2018, September 17.
50 Smith, Debates, 2018, September 17.
51 Smith, Debates, 2018, September 17.
52 Ford as cited by The Toronto Star, September 18, 2018.
53 Ford as cited by CBC News, September 12, 2018.
54 Ford as cited by The Toronto Sun, September 11, 2018.
55 Ford as cited by The Toronto Sun, September 11, 2018.
56 Ford, Debates, 2018, September 13.
57 Ford, Debates, 2018, September 13.
58 Panitch and Gindin, The Socialist Challenge, 12.
59 Kenney as cited by CBC News, October 18, 2018.
60 Panitch and Gindin, The Socialist Challenge, 12.
61 Panitch and Gindin, The Socialist Challenge, 12.
62 Raney, “The Ontario Legislature,” 91.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Tom McDowell
Tom McDowell teaches in the Department of Public Policy and Administration at The Chang School for Continuing Education at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.