instructions:
Topic 2 – Cabinet Composition vs. Cabinet Decision-Making: A few weeks ago in the fall of 2015, Canada’s new prime minister, Justin Trudeau, went to great length to stress that he had chosen “a cabinet that looks like Canada.”

When it comes to representation in cabinet or in Parliament, or in other political institutions, should we aim to mirror Canada’s social diversity (in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, etc) or should we choose the best talent available for public office?

Brenda O’Neill, “Unpacking Gender’s Role in Political Representation in Canada,” Canadian Parliamentary Review 38, 2 (Summer 2015): 22-30 [journal is online; look under archives]

Tim Schouls, “Why Group Representation in Parliament Is Important,” in Crosscurrents: Contemporary Political Issues, Sixth Edition, edited by Mark Charlton and Paul Barker (Scarborough, Ont.: Nelson, Thomson Canada Limited, 2009): 339-51

John H. Redekop, “Group Representation in Parliament Would Be Dysfunctional for Canada,” in Crosscurrents: Contemporary Political Issues, Sixth Edition, edited by Mark Charlton and Paul Barker (Scarborough, Ont.: Nelson, Thomson Canada Limited, 2009): 352-66