Politics vs. Policy: The Root Causes of Controversial Legislation (Part 1)

Since first coming to office in 2006, and especially since obtaining a majority in the 2011 federal election, the Conservative government of Stephen Harper has steadfastly adopted a range of controversial policies on such things as climate change, crime, drugs, Aboriginal issues, electoral reform, information access, military procurement, statistics, surveillance, taxes, and more recently prostitution. Many of these policies have been pursued without large-scale public engagement or support, and have drawn particularly negative comment from academics, arms-length public officials, social critics, and the judiciary, including most recently the Supreme Court. What is going on? This presentation argues that much of the Conservative party’s policy agenda is pursued not on the basis of good policy, but on the basis of good – or at least winning – politics. Speaker: Dr. Trevor Harrison Dr. Trevor Harrison is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Lethbridge and Director of Parkland Institute. He was born and raised in Edmonton. He holds a B.A. from the University of Winnipeg, an M.A. from the University of Calgary, and a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Alberta. His broad areas of specialty include political sociology, political economy, and public policy. In addition to numerous journal articles and book chapters, Dr. Harrison is the author, co-author, or co-editor of eight books. His op-ed columns frequently appear in national newspapers. Moderator: Terry Shillington Date: Thursday, September 11, 2014 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch)