Expert Roundtable on Canada's Experience with Pluralism

In 2008, the Centre convened an Expert Roundtable on Canada’s Experience with Pluralism. Aided by political scientists Jane Jenson (Université de Montréal) and Martin Papillon (University of Ottawa), we asked 11 leading academics to examine the content and processes of Canada’s commitment to pluralism.  

Facilitated by the institutions and mechanisms of liberal democracy, Canadians find points of balance and compromise between competing values, including:

• homogeneity and heterogeneity
• economic security and economic freedom
• institutional symmetry and asymmetry
• group and individual rights.

Negotiation along these spectrums of choice is never ending.

For this reason, Canadian pluralism remains an unfinished product. Subject to new pressures, it requires continual investments of political will, citizen participation and public resources.

Click on the links below to read the roundtable papers.