Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-ph5wq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-27T18:19:13.267Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Fair Isn't Always Equal: Constituency Population and the Quality of Representation in Canada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 May 2013

Paul E.J. Thomas*
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
Peter John Loewen*
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
Michael K. MacKenzie*
Affiliation:
University of British Columbia
*
Paul E.J. Thomas, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto, Sidney Smith Hall Room 3018, 100 St. George St., Toronto ON M5S 3G3, paul.thomas@utoronto.ca
Peter John Loewen, Department of Political Science, University of Toronto, Sidney Smith Hall Room 3018, 100 St. George St., Toronto ON M5S 3G3, peter.loewen@utoronto.ca
Michael K. MacKenzie, Department of Political Science, University of British Columbia, C425 – 1866 Main Mall, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z1, mmacke@interchange.ubc.ca

Abstract

Abstract. Is there a conflict between the principles of representation by population and the representation of communities of interest? In Canada, the legal requirement to design electoral districts based on pre-existing regions and communities of interest has produced large discrepancies in district populations. Several authors claim that this situation has a deleterious effect on the representational experiences of those citizens living in more populous districts. This paper examines whether the population of an electoral district affects the quality of political representation in that district. We first present survey data characterizing the relationship between constituency population and citizens' reported satisfaction with democracy and contact with politicians and parties. We then present audit experimental evidence from Canada demonstrating that the helpfulness of politicians towards citizens is not conditioned on constituency population. Our data indicate that constituency population has no clear impact on the quality of representational experiences in Canada, suggesting that it is possible to ensure the effective representation of communities of interest without harming the overall quality of Canadian democracy.

Résumé. Y a-t-il un conflit entre les principes de représentation par personne et de représentation de communautés d'intérêts? Au Canada, des écarts importants entre la population de certaines circonscriptions électorales résultent de l'obligation légale de les délimiter en tenant compte des régions et des communautés d'intérêts préexistantes. Plusieurs auteurs soutiennent que cette situation entraîne des effets néfastes sur la représentation vécue par les citoyens qui habitent les circonscriptions les plus populeuses. Dans cet article, nous vérifions si la taille de la population influence la qualité de la représentation politique dans une circonscription électorale. Nous présentons d'abord des données d'enquête sur la relation entre la taille de la population d'une circonscription et (i) la satisfaction des citoyens à l'égard de la démocratie, (ii) leurs contacts avec les politiciens et (iii) les communications qu'ils reçoivent des politiciens et des partis. Puis, nous présentons des données d'une expérience menée au Canada qui indiquent que la propension des politiciens à aider les citoyens n'est pas influencée par la taille de la population de leur circonscription. Nos résultats indiquent que la taille de la population d'une circonscription n'a pas d'effet clair sur la qualité de la représentation au Canada, suggérant ainsi qu'il est possible d'assurer la représentation efficace des communautés d'intérêts sans nécessairement nuire à la qualité globale de la démocratie canadienne.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Political Science Association 2013 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barnes, Andre and Bèdard, Michel. 2011. Legislative Summary—Bill C-20: An Act to amend the Constitution Act, 1867, the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act and the Canada Elections Act. Ottawa: Library of Parliament.Google Scholar
Canada. Department of Justice. 2012. Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act, Consolidated Statutes of Canada Chapter E-3. 30 November. http://laws.justice.gc.ca/PDF/Statute/E/E-3.pdf (May 18, 2012).Google Scholar
Canada. House of Commons. 2011. Member's Expenditures Report: April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011. http://www.parl.gc.ca/PublicDisclosure/UnderstandingReport.aspx?Language=E&Year=2010-2011. (May 22, 2012).Google Scholar
Canadian National Election Study. 2004. Principal Investigators André Blais, Elisabeth Gidengil, Neil Nevitte, Patrick Fournier, Joanna Everitt. Available at: http://www.queensu.ca/cora/ces.html.Google Scholar
Canon, David T. 1995. “Redistricting and the Congressional Black Caucus.” American Politics Research 23 (2): 159–89.Google Scholar
Conservative Party of Canada. 2011. Here for Canada: Conservative Party of Canada Federal Election Platform 2011. http://www.conservative.ca/policy/platform_2011/ (December 20, 2011).Google Scholar
Courtney, John C. 1988. “The Unfinished Agenda of Electoral Redistributions.” Canadian Journal of Political Science 21 (4): 675–90.Google Scholar
Courtney, John C. 2001. Commissioned ridings: Designing Canada's electoral districts. Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press.Google Scholar
Courtney, John C. 2004. Elections. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.Google Scholar
Docherty, David. 1997. Mr. Smith Goes to Ottawa: Life in the House of Commons. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.Google Scholar
Docherty, David. 2005. Legislatures. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.Google Scholar
Eagles, Munroe, Koop, Royce and Loat, Alison. 2012. “MPs and Their Constituencies: Evidence from ‘Exit Interviews.’” Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Political Science Association, Edmonton.Google Scholar
Eulau, Heinz and Karps, Paul D.. 1977. “The Puzzle of Representation: Specifying Components of Responsiveness.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 2 (3): 233–54.Google Scholar
Evans, Tom. 2005. “The Impact of Representation per capita on the Distribution of Federal Spending and Income Taxes.” Canadian Journal of Political Science 38 (3): 263–85.Google Scholar
Federal Court of Canada. Raiche v. Canada, [2004] FC 679. http://decisions.fct-cf.gc.ca/en/2004/2004fc679/2004fc679.html.Google Scholar
Franks, C.E.S. 2007. “Members and Constituency Roles in the Canadian Federal System.” Regional and Federal Studies 17 (1): 2345.Google Scholar
Frederick, Brian. 2008. “Constituency Population and Representation in the U.S. House.” American Politics Research 36 (3): 358–81.Google Scholar
Handley, Lisa. 2008. “A Comparative Survey of Structures and Criteria for Boundary Delimitation.” In Redistricting in Comparative Perspective, ed. Handley, Lisa and Grofman, Bernie. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Hibbing, John and Alford, John. 1990. “Constituency Population and Representation in the U. S. Senate.” Legislative Studies Quarterly 15 (4): 581–98.Google Scholar
Loewen, Peter John and MacKenzie, Michael K.. 2011. “Federalism and Representation: A Field Experiment.” University of Toronto Working Paper.Google Scholar
Mendelsohn, Matthew and Choudhry, Sujit. 2011. “Canada's Unequal Voters.” The Toronto Star. October 30. http://www.thestar.com/article/1078075–canada-s-unequal-voters (December 20, 2011).Google Scholar
Miller, Warren E. and Stokes, Donald E.. 1963. “Constituency Influence in Congress.” American Political Science Review 57 (1): 4556.Google Scholar
Pal, Michael and Choudhry, Sujit. 2007. “Is Every Ballot Equal? Visible-Minority Vote Dilution in Canada.” IRPP Choices 13 (1).Google Scholar
Pitkin, Hanna F. 1967. The Concept of Representation. Berkeley CA: University of California Press.Google Scholar
Poffenroth, Kim. 2005. “Raiche v. Canada: A new direction in drawing electoral boundaries?Commonwealth Law Bulletin 31 (2): 5360.Google Scholar
Reynolds, Andrew. 2008. “Reserved Seats in National Legislatures: A Comparative Approach.” In Redistricting in Comparative Perspective, ed. Handley, Lisa and Grofman, Bernie. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Sancton, Andrew. 1990. “Eroding Representation-by-Population in the Canadian House of Commons: The Representation Act, 1985.” Canadian Journal of Political Science 23 (3): 441–57.Google Scholar
Sancton, Andrew. 2010. The Principle of Representation by Population in Canadian Federal Politics. Toronto: Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation.Google Scholar
Statistics Canada. 2008. Population and dwelling counts, for Canada and federal electoral districts (2003 Representation Order), 2006 and 2001 censuses—100% data. November 5, http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/hlt/97-550/Index.cfm?TPL=P1C&Page=RETR&LANG=Eng&T=501&S=1&O=A. (December 15, 2010).Google Scholar
Supreme Court of Canada. Reference re Provincial Electoral Boundaries (Sask.), [1991] 2 S.C.R. 158.Google Scholar
Tomlin, Ben. 2007. The Seat Shortage: Changing Demographics and Representation in the House of Commons. Ottawa: CD Howe Institute. http://www.cdhowe.org/pdf/ebrief_45.pdf.Google Scholar
Ward, Norman. 1963. The Canadian House of Commons: Representation. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.Google Scholar