Canadian Parliamentary Review

Canadian Parliamentary Review
Title	Canadian Parliamentary Review
Discipline	Parliamentary affairs
Language	English, French
Abbreviation	CPR
Publisher	Parliamentary Documentation Service
Country	Canada
Frequency	Quarterly
History	1978–present

Canadian Parliamentary Review

The Canadian Parliamentary Review is a quarterly periodical focused on the workings of federal and provincial legislatures in Canada, aimed at legislators, legislative staff, academics and interested professionals. It publishes articles on procedural practice, comparative studies and contemporary issues affecting House of Commons of Canada, Senate of Canada, Legislative Assembly of Ontario and other provincial and territorial legislatures such as the Assemblée nationale du Québec and the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. The Review frequently features pieces that connect parliamentary practice to institutions like the Interparliamentary Union, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, United Nations General Assembly and comparative bodies including the United States Congress, the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and the Australian Parliament.

History

The Review was established in 1978 amid reforms influenced by debates in the Parliament of Canada and developments in organizations such as the Royal Commission on the Reform of the Institutions of Government, the Task Force on Parliament, and provincial commissions like the Cairns Commission. Early editorial direction reflected discussions occurring in bodies like the Privy Council Office, the Office of the Speaker (Canada), and provincial equivalents in Manitoba, Alberta and Nova Scotia. Over time the Review recorded procedural innovations from events including prorogations and confidence disputes involving the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, the Liberal Party of Canada, and the New Democratic Party. It also chronicled interactions with bodies such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Canadian Human Rights Commission, and inquiries like the Gomery Commission.

Scope and Content

Articles cover procedural mechanics related to institutions such as the Speaker of the House of Commons (Canada), committee systems like the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, and offices including the Parliamentary Budget Officer and the Library of Parliament. Comparative pieces analyze practices in the European Parliament, Bundestag, Knesset, Diet (Japan), and subnational legislatures such as the New York State Assembly and the Scottish Parliament. The Review publishes content on parliamentary law referencing statutes like the Canada Elections Act, constitutional instruments such as the Constitution Act, 1867 and court decisions from the Federal Court of Canada and the Supreme Court of Canada. It also highlights administrative and ethical issues involving organizations such as the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner (Canada), parliamentary clerks, and staff associations tied to the Canadian Political Science Association and the Institute of Public Administration of Canada.

Publication and Distribution

Published by the Parliamentary Documentation Service, the Review is distributed to members of the House of Commons of Canada, senators from the Senate of Canada, provincial and territorial legislators including members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan and the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, and to university libraries at institutions such as the University of Toronto, the Université de Montréal, and the University of British Columbia. It is sent to international partners including the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and legislative libraries like the Library of Congress and the UK Parliamentary Archives. Special issues have coincided with elections involving parties such as the Bloc Québécois, leadership contests within the Conservative Party of Canada, and constitutional debates referencing the Meech Lake Accord and the Charlottetown Accord.

Editorial Structure and Contributors

The editorial team historically included parliamentary officers and academics drawn from institutions like Queen's University, McGill University, Carleton University, and Dalhousie University. Contributors have included legislative clerks, former speakers, judges from the Ontario Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada, and scholars associated with the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Journal of Political Science. The Review routinely commissions analyses from experts on topics linked to the Canadian Bar Association, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and policy centres such as the Institute for Research on Public Policy and the Fraser Institute.

Impact and Reception

The Review has influenced procedural reform debates in chambres such as the Senate of Canada and the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and informed scholarly work cited in journals like the Canadian Journal of Political Science and monographs from presses including the University of Toronto Press. Its articles are used by staff during events such as orientation for newly elected members, workshops run by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Canada Region), and training at institutions like the Canadian School of Public Service. Commentators in media outlets such as the Globe and Mail, the National Post, and the CBC have referenced the Review when covering parliamentary procedure, ethics inquiries, and legislative reform.

Formats and Accessibility

The Review is issued in English and French and historically appeared in print before expanding to digital distribution consistent with platforms used by the Parliament of Canada and library networks like the Canadian Research Knowledge Network. Back issues are preserved in collections at the Library and Archives Canada, university libraries including York University Libraries, and legislative libraries such as the British Columbia Legislative Library. Accessibility initiatives align with standards promoted by agencies like the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and transparency practices advocated by organizations such as the Open Government Partnership.

Category:Canadian periodicals Category:Parliamentary procedure publications