Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Summer 2022 - POL 324 D100

The Canadian Constitution (4)

Class Number: 3827

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    May 10 – Aug 8, 2022: Tue, 1:30–5:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Aug 10, 2022
    Wed, 8:30–10:30 a.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    Six lower division units in political science or permission of the department.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An analysis of the Canadian constitution from a theoretical and comparative perspective. Amendment, entrenchment, civil rights.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course sheds light on the interplay between formal and informal constitutional rules, between law and politics. Students considering law school will benefit from this introduction to constitutional law, and others will gain insights into how Canada's constitution works in theory and practice. You will learn about the vast discretion judges have, the principles they use in their decisions, and the shifting interpretations they have given to Canada’s constitutional documents. The central focus will be on the division of responsibility for specific areas of public policy between the federal and provincial governments. The course will also explore constitutional conventions, the informal rules that dramatically modify how some of the formal rules operate in practice. You should take away from this course an appreciation of how intertwined politics and law are, both in the work of judges and in the rules governing Canada’s political actors.

COURSE ORGANIZATION:

Four-hour lecture per week for the first half of term, with a two-hour lecture and a two-hour tutorial in the second half.

Grading

  • Midterm exam 10%
  • Term paper 45%
  • Presentation 10%
  • Attendance 5%
  • Final exam 30%

NOTES:

* Students are required to submit written assignment to the Turnitin.com service in order to get credit.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

P. Monahan, B. Shaw, & P. Ryan, Constitutional Law, 5th Edition
ISBN: 9781552214411

Department Undergraduate Notes:

The Department of Political Science strictly enforces a policy on plagiarism.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN SUMMER 2022

Teaching at SFU in summer 2022 will involve primarily in-person instruction.  Some courses may be offered through alternative methods (remote, online, blended), and if so, this will be clearly identified in the schedule of classes. 

Enrolling in a course acknowledges that you are able to attend in whatever format is required.  You should not enroll in a course that is in-person if you are not able to return to campus, and should be aware that remote, online, or blended courses study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who may need class or exam accommodations, including in the context of remote learning, are advised to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112) as early as possible in order to prepare for the summer 2022 term.