J. Patrick Boyer 
Forcing Choice [EPUB ebook] 
The Risky Reward of Referendums

Foreword by Peter Russell
On Democracy
Preface: A Word About Words
1 High-Risk Democracy
2 Anvil of a Self-Governing People
3 Our Own Democratic Landscape
4 The Sovereign People of Canada
5 Referendum Law Normalizes Democratic Life
6 Referendums in Harmony with the Constitution
7 Charter Protection of Minority Rights
8 Just What Constitutes a “Majority”?
9 No Such Thing as “Direct Democracy”
10 Referendums and Elections: Alike, Yet So Different
11 “Mandates” from the People
12 How Hard Is Asking a Clear Question?
13 Aren’t Some Issues Just Too Complex?
14 To Vote on the Principle, or the Package?
15 Continuing Adult Education
16 Referendums Reveal, Do Not Create, Divisions
17 Voting on Democracy
18 Voting to Ratify, Join, and Subdivide Confederation
19 Voting to Break Confederation: Round One, 1980
20 Voting on Confederation’s Makeover: Getting to the Charlottetown Accord
21 Voting to Break Confederation: Round Two, 1995
22 Voting on Prohibition
23 Voting on Conscription
24 Voting on Aboriginal Questions
25 Voting on Women’s Rights
26 Voting on Food Supply Issues
27 Balloting on Everything from Time of Day to a Fixed Link
28 Democratic Accountability Through Municipal Ballot Questions
29 Canada’s Place in a Universe of Referendums
30 Rewards of Citizen-Centred Democracy
Appendix: Canadian Ballot-Issue Votes: National, Provincial, Territorial
Acknowledgements
Notes
Bibliography
Index

J. Patrick Boyer studied law at the International Court of Justice in The Netherlands, served as Canada’s Parliamentary Secretary for External Affairs, and works for democratic development overseas. The author of twenty-three books on Canadian history, law, politics, and governance, Patrick lives with wife, Elise, in Muskoka and Toronto.