Representation in Action: Canadian MPs in the Constituencies

by Royce Koop, Heather Bastedo, Kelly Blidook

Canadian Members of Parliament (MPs) are often dismissed as "trained seals," helpless to do anything other than follow commands from party leaders. Representation in Action challenges this view of MPs and shows that the ways they represent their constituents are as diverse as Canada itself. Royce Koop, Heather Bastedo, and Kelly Blidook examine the activities MPs engage in to represent their ridings and determine what accounts for differences in style and agency. Drawing on original observational and interview research and featuring detailed in-depth case studies, this is the first book using intensive participant-observation methods to study Canadian MPs and representation.

248 pages, Paperback

Published August 31, 2018