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Lecture 16: Public Policy: Comparing

Canada and the U.S

SOSC 152

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A. Sources of Differences

B. Characteristics of the Two SystemsDifferent Types of Policy Processes

C. Case StudiesChinese Students

Free Trade

Acid Rain

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A. Sources of Differences

1. Political Context:

personal strength of the leader

level of popular attention to the issue and public opinion

general direction of government policy - its economic priorities, previous decisions

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2. Institutional Structure: how legislation moves through committees and assemblies

significant differences between US Congress Committee system, where opposition party can hold up bills;

in Canada, limited role for committees.

3. Interest Groups, political coalitions

who are the actors, what are their resources?

interest groups much more active in US system

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4. Locus of Cleavages in the political system:regionalcongress/president, opposition/governmentIdeological

5. global factors: level of dependence or interdependence on issueaffects government's autonomy and freedom of action

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6. Content or nature of the issue: affects stakes of issue as perceived by the actorscollective good (problems of free riders?)redistributive (class issue)moral issue--human rights issueregulatory or deregulatory

7. Policy Implementation: locus of implementation, level of decentralization

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B. Characteristics of the Two Systems 1. CANADA

Cabinet Committee and P.M. centered policy making systemlimited role for House of Commons.

Financial feasibility of policy decided by Min. of Finance (and Treasury Board) Need to assess role of public opinionlimited role of interest groups, particularly short-term interest groups."Single issue constituencies" have no access to formal policy making channels

public tends toward public protestRegional competition on most public policy

major competition between East and West, or French non-FrenchMuch more sensitive to international pressures due to role of foreign investment

less sensitive to broad strategic issues of global military power

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2. UNITED STATESSeparation of powers makes president/congress major cleavage.

President tends to set or control agendamuch bargaining between President and Congress

Power of Single Issue Constituenciesaffect policy by lobbying Congress and targeting Congresssystem more open to influence of lobbies

Congressional Committees locus of power on policy.Regular electoral cycle affects ebb and flow of policy

policy highly influenced by re-election issues

Highly sensitive to global perceptions of U.S. military power and influence

less sensitive to international political economy

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C. Case Studies

Chinese students in the West after TiananmenChinese students in the West after Tiananmen::

ISSUE 1: Would Canada and U.S. give Chinese students in U.S. political protection

risk was relationship with China

great moral issue of human rights

very public issue in both U.S. and Canada, level of outrage in both countries very high

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a. Canadian Response: quiet and quick 4 weeks after Tiananmen, External Affairs called meeting of Sinologists, Chinese community leaders, and Dept. of Manpower and Immigration, to recommend policy. 30 June 1989, Cabinet and PM decide to grant work permits.permits to stay were turned into permanent residency.

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b. American response: issue caught up in inter-party politics and fight between President and CongressChinese students in US act as lobby group, fax attack to members of Congress calling for student bill.President Bush concerned about strategic issues and stable ties to Chinafor Congress a human rights issue and after President sends Scowcroft twice in July and November 1989, Democrats use it against popular President.Congress passes student bill to take policy away from PresidentPresident responds with Executive decree, grants wide rights to Chinese in US to keep issue in his hands

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ISSUE 2: FREE TRADENAFTA – North American Free Trade Agreement

For Canada:enormous potential impact for Canada given external dependence, historically very sensitive issue, major challenge to Canadian sovereigntyregional splits great, Ontario opposed, Quebec and West exporters to U.S. want to buy cheap U.S. goods.

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PM-led process: Mulroney switches view after election, pushes through with parliamentary majorityLiberal Party opposed, uses Senate to slow the billlabour unions, farmer organizations, involved in massive protestsdebates all over Canada in 1987, non-stop media issueother interest groups incorporated through federal commission led by former Liberal leader recruited to make issue non-partisanstrong belief that GATT and U.S. too powerful, Canada needed to make a deal

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US and Free Trade:issue never enters public consciousness or debateimportant only for interest groups.deregulatory policy so splits along sectoral lines, pulp and paper producers, farmers opposed, importers of raw materials and exporters to Canada supportive

Would lower protective tariffs

Political context of Republicans being pro-free trade than democrats, so Republican President plays major role.

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Foreign trade is Executive affair as foreign policy issue, but Congress becomes locus of lobbying.President wants bill to go through with no amendments, avoid political fightCongress, particularly democrats somewhat protectionist, interest groups mixed, 50 presentations to Congress, 30 pro, 20 opposed.US response based on bargaining system between Pres. and Congress, no role for US public opinion, no ideological threat to state.

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ISSUE 3: ACID RAINtransnational issue leads to transnational coalitions of environmentalistshas no influence from Canadian regional politicsPresidential exercises second face of power to keep issue off agendaU.S. domestic politics plays major role

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For Canada:environment major issue since early 1980s, environment #1 issue in Canadapowerful environmental groups black list non-supporting candidates "pin stripe" organization with high name recognition of membersOntario legislators very active on environment.high tax paying province pushing issue

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Ontario industry had already begun to clean its airUS industries harming Ontario and Quebec tourism, fishery, agriculture.unified federal-provincial position, with provinces clearly responsible for environment Transnational coalition of provincial premiers from Eastern Canada and governors of northeast statesFederal government set up public information offices, "beachheads," public service announcements, tv ads, support from US groups

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For US.:

environmental groups strong

regional interests dispersed but centered in mid-West industrial belt and in Kentucky and West Virginia who feared job loss.

see maps

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The Manufacturing Belt

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Where Acid Rain Falls

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US had begun to burn coal after Arab Oil EmbargoStrong Congress under weak President Carter--as domestic issue, Congress makes laws.major political shift after Reagan retires, and Byrd resigns as Senate majority leaderboth had kept issue off agenda Byrd replaced by Mitchell of Maine. Also, Sununu moved to White House. Tip O’Neil as House leader.NE regions reduced its emissions, attacked coal lobby and mid-west on this issue.Bush passed Clean Air act of 1990.