Author Archives: J.W.J. Bowden

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About J.W.J. Bowden

My area of academic expertise lies in Canadian political institutions, especially the Crown, political executive, and conventions of Responsible Government; since 2011, I have made a valuable contribution to the scholarship by having been published and cited extensively. I’m also a contributing editor to the Dorchester Review and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Parliamentary and Political Law.

My Presentation on Malapportionment at the Canadian Political Science Association’s Conference in 2026


I presented an abridged history of malapportionment in the House of Commons at the Canadian Political Science Association’s annual conference on 2 June, which this year took place at the University of Ottawa. Ideally, one would like to go on … Continue reading

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Changing the Names of Ridings from Redistribution 2022, Part 2


Since last I wrote on “The Last Gasp of Redistribution 2022: Changing the Names of Ridings” in early April, the House of Commons debated Bill C-25 (part II of which contains the Riding Name Change Act, 2026), at Second Reading, … Continue reading

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My First Academic Books


I recently completed my first two books, twin scholarly monographs entitled Representation by Population in the House of Commons of Canada and Where to Draw the Line: Readjusting Federal Electoral Boundaries in Canada. The first covers the history and practice … Continue reading

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The Smith Government Exploits the Flaws of Alberta’s Electoral Boundaries Commission Act


Introduction Alberta’s Electoral Boundaries Commission Act contains key structural flaws that encouraged a judge to exercise poor judgement and gave Premier Smith an opening to exploit. First, in all other provinces and in Ottawa, an electoral boundaries commission consists of … Continue reading

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Upcoming Articles for the Spring of 2026


Repealing Fixed-Date Election Laws Nova Scotia, the last province to adopt a fixed-date elections law in 2021, also became the first to repeal one in March 2025. The hegemony of these laws lasted only four years. More significant still, Ontario … Continue reading

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