Comparing Quebec and Ontario

"With Comparing Quebec and Ontario, Rodney Haddow has established the new gold standard for the comparative study of provincial politics in Canada. The theory underlying the project is solid, coherent, and up to date, the mixed methods approach is innovative, rigorous, and thorough, and the demonstration is systematic, convincing, and nuanced. Haddow's book will have a real and lasting impact on our policy and political debates." -- Alain Noel, Departement de science politique, Universite de Montreal "In this book, Haddow applies leading theories of comparative political economy to Ontario and Quebec with clarity and rigour. He provides new answers to that old chestnut of what makes these two provinces' public policies different." -- Peter Graefe, Department of Political Science, McMaster University

In Comparing Quebec and Ontario, Rodney Haddow analyses how budgeting, economic development, social assistance, and child care policies differ between the two provinces. The cause of the differences, he argues, are underlying differences between their political economic institutions.

Can sub-units within a capitalist democracy, even a relatively decentralized one like Canada, pursue fundamentally different social and economic policies? Is their ability to do so less now than it was before the advent of globalization? In Comparing Quebec and Ontario, Rodney Haddow brings these questions and the tools of comparative political economy to bear on the growing public policy divide between Ontario and Quebec.

Combining narrative case studies with rigorous quantitative analysis, Haddow analyses how budgeting, economic development, social assistance, and child care policies differ between the two provinces. The cause of the divide, he argues, are underlying differences between their political and economic institutions.

An important contribution to ongoing debates about globalization’s “golden straightjacket,” Comparing Quebec and Ontario is an essential resource for understanding Canadian political economy.