"On 2 May 2011, Canadians watched as the Stephen Harper Conservatives won their first majority government, ending a string of minority governments. Jack Layton led the NDP to its best performance ever, becoming the Official Opposition for the first time in the party's history, and Michael Ignatieff and the federal Liberals had their worst showing to date. Even to the casual observer, it was clear that this election marked a major shift in Canadian politics. In reality, the country's political landscape and national party system had been changing for quite some time.

Parties, Elections, and the Future of Canadian Politics provides the first comprehensive account of political change in Canada over the past two decades, particularly during the 1993, 2004, and 2011 federal elections. Contributors explore the changing landscape from both historical and contemporary perspectives and speculate on the future of the national party system. They discuss how parties have evolved in response to new challenges, how elections are fought on different terms than those of the past, and how these developments and challenges have changed the way voters view political parties and elections. By doing so, they make a crucial contribution to our understanding of Canadian politics in the wake of a one of the most tumultuous periods in the country's history."--pub. desc.