Part One (2 X 20% = 40%): Respond to two (2) of the following questions.
Limit each response to one typed page (double-spaced; normal font and margins). You can use lectures 1-4 for any direct quotations.
1. What are two important lessons to be drawn from the history of Canada’s political parties provided in Partisan Odysseys?
2. Both the U.S. and Canadian electoral systems use the Single Member Plurality (or First Past the Post) method. What are two strengths and two weaknesses of this electoral system (in Canada or the U.S. or both).
3. With reference to Ch. 3 of WKP and your own consideration of the issues, to what extent are political “scandals” decisive in determining support for a party or leader?
Part Two (20%):View the discussion and respond to the following. Please limit your response to one typed page (double-spaced; normal font and margins). Use lectures 5-8, Gunntermann_electoral…, Voting behaviour…, democratic reform…, and challenge and change… for any direct quotations
WATCH. VIDEO:
Choose two issues considered in the discussion that you think are extremely important for understanding the role of political parties today and offer a comment on the responses of the discussants.
Part Three (40%): Respond as fully as possible to the following.
Limit your response to two typed pages (double-spaced;normal font and margins). Use lectures 9-11 for any direct quotations
Through our readings and discussions in the class, we have been introduced to some recent scholarship on parties, elections and voter behaviour in Canada. As you may have noted, there is much scope for further study in the field.
Choose two questions or issues introduced in the class that you would like to pursue in further studies of your own and explain their importance (try to avoid repeating issues considered in another question on this exam).
