Panel Discussion: Where is the Class in Canadian Politics?

Where is the Class in Canadian Politics?

Class divisions in Canada are frequently overlooked or erased. With increasing socioeconomic inequality, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to revisit the political importance of class. This panel will confront major contemporary issues relating to class politics in Canada. Panelists will discuss definitional parameters of class, the nature of class awareness, and the presence of distinct working-class interests. The panel will also examine the role of political parties, as their messaging and policy commitments continue to target an amorphous middle class. Lastly, panelists will consider the potential for greater class diversity in Canadian legislatures, as politicians are overwhelmingly drawn from a small number of white-collar professions.  

Panelists:

• Daniel Westlake is the Buchanan Post-Doctoral Fellow in Canadian Democracy at Queen's University. 
• Melanee Thomas is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Calgary.
• Ted Hsu is a former research physicist, former Member of Parliament, and 2022 Ontario Liberal Party candidate for Kingston-and-the-Islands.

Moderator: Jacob Robbins-Kanter, PhD Candidate in Canadian Politics at Queen’s University.

Date: Tuesday April 6, 4:30-5:30pm via Zoom. 

FREE, Registration Required: Eventbrite 

Event sponsors: Queen’s University Political Studies Dept, CSDD, CORA.

For information please contact: j.robbins-kanter@queensu.ca