Gerald Baier (Ph.D, Dalhousie) joined the department in 2003. His teaching and research interests are in Canadian politics with a focus on the Constitution, federalism and public law. He is a regular commentator on federal politics in national and local media. His past research has explored the role of judicial decision-making in the shaping of federalism in Canada, Australia and the United States. He is presently conducting a comprehensive study of the Supreme Court of Canada’s institutional character and processes.

Selected Publications

The Canadian Regime (6th Edition) with Patrick Malcolmson, Richard Myers and Thomas M.J. Bateman (Toronto: UTP Higher Ed, 2016)

Contested Federalism: Certainty and Ambiguity in the Canadian Federation with Herman Bakvis and Douglas M. Brown (Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2009)

Courts and Federalism: Judicial Doctrine in the United States, Australia, and Canada (Vancouver: UBC Press, 2006)

“Canada: Federal and Subnational Constitutional Practice “in Alan Tarr and Michael Burgess eds., Constitutional Dynamics in Federal Systems: Subnational Perspectives (Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2012)

“Fixed Election Dates, The Continuous Campaign and Campaign Advertising Restrictions” (with Jennifer Smith) in Herman Bakvis and Mark Jarvis eds., From ‘New Public Management’ to the ‘New Political Governance’ (Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2012)

“The New EU Constitution: Federalism and Intergovernmental Relations – Lessons from Canada.” Regional and Federal Studies 15:2 (June 2005)

“Arbitrating a Fiction: The Nova Scotia/ Newfoundland and Labrador Boundary Dispute and Canadian Federalism.” Canadian Public Administration 46:3 (Fall 2003) (with Paul Groarke)

New Judicial Thinking on Sovereignty and Federalism: Canadian and American Comparisons Justice System Journal 23:2 (2002)

Tempering Peace, Order and Good Government: Provincial Inability and Canadian Federalism. National Journal of Constitutional Law 9(3) October 1998, 277-305.

Graduate Supervision

Professor Baier welcomes the opportunity to work with graduate students interested in topics related to federalism, the Constitution, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, intergovernmental relations and the courts.

Former Students

Jonah Goldberg (2017)

Jessica Weller (2017)

Chelsea Lehner (2017)

David Chesman (2016)

Jamie Pow (2015) “Leave it to the amateurs : a career development explanation of political experience among Members of the Canadian Parliament” Jamie is a Ph.D Student in Political Science at Queen’s University (Belfast).

Émilie Horrocks-Denis (2013) “The rocky road to reconciliation : exploring the effects of Aboriginal title jurisprudence on the relationship between First Nations and the Crown in Canada.” Emilie is a law student at McGill University.

Joel Nikkel (2010) “Expert witnesses : why the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada selects legal mobilization” Joel is Principal Giving Coordinator at Hope Mission in Edmonton, AB.

Liam O’Flaherty (2008) “Doing Provincial Constitutions Differently: Codifying Responsible Government in the Age of Executive Dominance” Liam is a PhD Student in History at Simon Fraser University

Linda Whittaker (2007) “Culture for One or Culture for All? How Canadian Federalism Influences Federal and Provincial Policy Toward the Book Publishing Industry.” Linda is a PhD Student in Accounting at the University of Waterloo.

Erin Crandall (2006) “Reforming the Economic Union: The Agreement on Internal Trade and Intergovernmental Relations in Canada.” Erin is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Acadia University

Robert Babczak (2005) “Debating an Ideal Federal Arrangement for the European Union.” Robert is Director of Corporate Relations and University Affairs at Montreal Medical International Inc.

Philip Gass (2004) “Prime Ministers and Canadian Foreign Policy.” Philip is Senior Policy Advisor  with the International Institute for Sustainable Development.