The objective of this course is to introduce students to the fundamentals of the Canadian political system and the methods by which it is studied. Students will learn about the importance of Parliament, the role of the courts in Canada’s democracy, federalism, and the basics of the constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and other concepts and institutions basic to the functioning of the Canadian state. Students will also learn about the major political cleavages in Canada such as those arising from French-English relations, multiculturalism, the urban-rural divide, as well as being introduced to settler-Indigenous relations. Students will be expected to think critically about the methods that are used to approach the study of Canada along with their strengths and limitations.