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Distributed for University of British Columbia Press

Racing to the Bottom?

Provincial Interdependence in the Canadian Federation

The spectre of a “race to the bottom” is increasingly prominent in debates about globalization and also within federal systems where the mobility of both capital and individuals prompts fears of interjurisdictional competition with respect to taxes and environmental and welfare standards. While there has been no shortage of either political rhetoric or academic theorizing on this subject, empirical studies have been in shorter supply. This volume seeks to fill that gap by asking: Are Canadian provinces engaged in a race to the bottom and, if so, what are the consequences? It will be of interest to public policy practitioners, as well as to students and scholars of economics and political science.

320 pages | © 2005

Equality | Security | Community


Table of Contents

Figures and Tables / vii

Acknowledgments / xi

1 Provincial Interdependence: Concepts and Theories / 1 Kathryn Harrison

2 A Race to the Bottom in Provincial Business Taxation in Canada? / 25 Kenneth J. McKenzie

3 Still in the Game: Efforts to Govern Economic Development Competition in Canada / 49 Douglas M. Brown

4 Follow the Leader and Dominoes: Games that Provinces Play in Tobacco Taxation / 73 Kathryn Harrison

5 Environmental Policy in Canada: Harmonized at the Bottom? / 113 Nancy Olewiler

6 Slouching toward the Bottom? Provincial Social Assistance Provision in Canada, 1980-2000 / 157 Gerard W. Boychuk

7 Races to the Bottom versus Races to the Middle: Minimum Wage Setting in Canada / 193 David A. Green and Kathryn Harrison

8 Policy Races in the American States / 229 Mark Carl Rom

9 Are Canadian Provinces Engaged in a Race to the Bottom? Evidence and Implications / 257 Kathryn Harrison

Works Cited / 271

Contributors / 291

Index / 293

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