Research Article

Party Constituency Associations and the Service, Policy and Symbolic Responsiveness of Canadian Members of Parliament

Royce Koop^a1 c1

^a1 University of Manitoba

Abstract

Abstract. Effective representation requires that representatives learn of the needs and preferences of their constituents and communicate their representative accomplishments back to those constituents. This article demonstrates how Canadian political parties, specifically their constituency associations in the ridings, assist MPs in their representative functions by facilitating communication between MPs and constituents. Representatives of local “sectors” on constituency association executives provide a means for focused communication between MPs and constituents. The result is that constituency associations enhance the service, policy and symbolic responsiveness of many MPs in their ridings. This article therefore elucidates the largely unrecognized role of Canadian parties' constituency organizations as important democratic and representational actors in the ridings.

Résumé. Pour être efficace, il faut que les élus (1) comprennent les besoins et les préférences de leurs électeurs et (2) communiquent leurs activités en tant que parlementaires. Cet article montre à quel point les partis politiques canadiens, surtout les comités au niveau des comtés individuels, sont importants comme instrument pour réaliser ces tâches. Les comités organisent la communication entre un député et les groupes locaux qui s'intéressent au sujet en question. Pour résumer, les comités de militants fournit un element crucial au succès d'un politicien dans son comté. C'est une dimension de l'activité que les politiologues ont tendance à ignorer.

Correspondence:

^c1 Royce Koop, Department of Political Studies, University of Manitoba, 532 Fletcher Argue, Winnipeg MB, R3T 5V5, royce.koop@ad.umanitoba.ca

Footnotes

Acknowledgments: I wish to thank Harold Jansen and the journal's anonymous reviewers for their comments, Erika Kirkpatrick for providing research assistance and John Richards for translating the abstract. I gratefully acknowledge financial support in the form of two postdoctoral fellowships from Memorial University and the Skelton-Clark Foundation at Queen's University.