Faculty and staff

Hamish Telford is an associate professor of political science at the University of the Fraser Valley. He is the author of Engaging Canadian Politics (Northrose, 2021), and Talking Past Each Other: Quebec and the Federal Dialogue in Canada, 1867-2017 (Peter Lang, 2018). He is a past president of the BC Political Studies Association, and he twice served on the board of the Canadian Political Science Association. He is a frequent commentator on BC and Canadian politics in the national and international media.

Courses taught

POSC 100 – Introduction to Politics

POSC 110 – Introduction to Canadian Politics

POSC 120 – Introduction to Ideologies

POSC 230 – Comparative Politics

POSC 305 – BC Politics

POSC 309 – Canadian Constitutional Politics

POSC 310 – Canadian Federalism

POSC 410 – Seminar on Canadian Politics

PhD - UBC

MA - McGill

BA - Toronto

BOOKS

Talking Past Each Other: Quebec and the Federal Dialogue in Canada, 1867-2017 (New York: Peter Lang, 2018). 

Rules of the Game: An Introduction to Canadian Politics (Toronto: Pearson Education, 2015).

EDITED BOOKS

Canada: The State of the Federation, 2002: The Institutions of Executive Federalism (Kingston: Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, in association with McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2004), with Peter Meekison and Harvey Lazar.

The Impact of Global and Regional Integration on Federal Political Systems (Kingston: Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, in association with McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2003), with Harvey Lazar and Ronald L. Watts.

Canada: The State of the Federation, 2001: Canadian Political Culture(s) in Transition (Kingston: Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, in association with McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2002), with Harvey Lazar.

ARTICLES AND CHAPTERS

“BC as an Intergovernmental Relations Player: Still Punching Below its Weight?” in Michael Howlett, Dennis Pilon and Tracy Summerville, eds., British Columbia Politics and Government (Toronto: Emond Montgomery Publications, 2009).

“The Federal Spending Power Revisited: Can Open Federalism Bridge the Divide between Quebec and the Rest of Canada?” Policy Matters (Institute for Research on Public Policy, 2008).

“The Institutionalization of Executive Federalism: Towards Collaborative Federalism?” in Peter Meekison, Hamish Telford, and Harvey Lazar, eds., Canada: The State of the Federation: The Institutions of Executive Federalism (Kingston: Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, 2004), with Peter Meekison and Harvey Lazar.

“The Federal Spending Power in Canada: Nation-building or Nation-destroying,” Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 33:1 (Winter 2003).

“Divergent Trajectories: The Impact of Global and Regional Integration on Federal Systems,” in Harvey Lazar, Hamish Telford, and Ronald L. Watts, eds., The Impact of Global and Regional Integration on Federal Systems, (Kingston: Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, 2003), with Harvey Lazar and Ronald L. Watts.

“Canadian Political Culture(s) in Transition and the State of the Federation,” in Hamish Telford and Harvey Lazar, eds., Canada: The State of the Federation, 2000-01: Canadian Political Culture(s) in Transition (Kingston: Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, 2002), with Harvey Lazar. 

“The Reform Party/Canadian Alliance and Canada’s Flirtation with Republicanism,” in Hamish Telford and Harvey Lazar, eds., Canada: The State of the Federation, 2000-01: Canadian Political Culture(s) in Transition, (Kingston: Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, 2002).

“Federalism in Multinational Societies: Switzerland, Canada and India in Comparative Perspective,” in R. Saxena (ed) Mapping Canadian Federalism for India (Delhi: Konark Publishers, 2002).

“Counter-Insurgency in India: Observations from Punjab and Kashmir,” Journal of Conflict Studies, 21:1, Spring 2001.

“Liberalism versus Communitarianism and Canada’s Constitutional Conundrum,” Journal of Canadian Studies, 33:3, Fall 1998.

“The Federal Process in India: From Domineering to Conflictual Federalism,” in Elliot Tepper and John Wood (editors) Enriched by South Asia: Celebrating 25 Years of South Asian Studies in Canada, Volume 2 (Montréal: Canadian Asian Studies Association, 1994).

“The Political Economy of Punjab: Creating Space for Sikh Militancy,” Asian Survey, 32:11, November 1992.

REPORTS

“Foundation-Provincial-Territorial Relations” in The Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation: A Performance Evaluation, with Harvey Lazar et al, Tabled in the House of Commons, Fall 2002.

SHORT ARTICLES AND REVIEWS

Review, A Matter of Confidence: The Inside Story of the Political Battle for BC, Rob Shaw and Richard Zussman, Ormsby Review, Forthcoming 2018.

Review, The Campbell Revolution? Power, Politics, and Policy in British Columbia, Jason Lacharite and Tracy Summerville (editors), Ormsby Review, February 22, 2018.

Review, Turning Parliament Inside Out: Practical Ideas for Reforming Canada’s Democracy,  Michael Chong, Scott Simms, and Kennedy Stewart (editors), Ormsby Review, August 28, 2017.

Review, Viscount Haldane: The Wicked Stepfather of the Canadian Constitution, Frederick Vaughan, Journal of Historical Biography, 10 (Fall, 2011).

Review, Racing to the Bottom? Provincial Interdependence in the Canadian Federation, Kathryn Harrison, editor, Publius: The Journal of Federalism, 37:1 (2006).

“Survivance versus Ambivalence: The Federal Dilemma in Canada,” Asymmetry Series, Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, Queen’s University (2005).

“Expanding the Partnership: The Proposed Council of the Federation and the Challenge of Glocalization,” in Douglas Brown and France St. Hilaire, eds., Special Series on the Council of the Federation (Kingston: Institute of Intergovernmental Relations, 2003).

OP-ED ARTICLES

“The Father’s Day Death my Dad Deserved but didn’t Get,” The Star, June 14, 2019.

“Public Schools ask Parents to sign away Children’s Privacy Rights,” Vancouver Sun, October 29, 2017.

“Greens’ Action could put voters off proportional representation electoral system,” The Province, September 20, 2017.

“Could a Liberal-NDP Alliance be in the Cards?” The Province, May 28, 2017.

“What Went Wrong with BC Liberals?” Abbotsford News, May 12, 2017.

“Historical Voting Patterns May Decide Election,” Abbotsford News, May 5, 2017.

“Could Greens Push NDP into Power,” Abbotsford News, April 26, 2017.

“In politics pick your battles carefully,” Chilliwack Times, August 19, 2015.

“Conservative fortunes turned on the niqab,” Chilliwack Times, October 22, 2015.

“Moral obligation to assist refugees,” Chilliwack Times, October 28, 2015.

“Cabinet making is a tricky task,” Chilliwack Times, November 4, 2015.

“BC politics still polarized, but left vs. right battle is history,” Globe and Mail Online, May 16, 2013.

“The Quebec Values Charter,” Abbotsford Times, September 15, 2013.

“The Senate Expense Scandal,” Abbotsford Times, June 1, 2013.

“Sunny Clark beats dour Dix,” Chilliwack Times/Abbotsford Times, May 16, 2013.

“The politics of B.C.'s debt,” Chilliwack Times/Abbotsford Times, May 2, 2013.

“We have 4 weeks to decide,” Chilliwack Times/Abbotsford Times, April 18, 2013.

“Election campaigns matter,” Chilliwack Times/Abbotsford Times, April 9, 2013.

“Vote splitting will be an issue for the left,” Vancouver Sun, December 13, 2012.

“Still Time for Serious Discussion,” Abbotsford Times, April 26, 2011.

“BC Has Itself to Blame if It’s Short-Changed in Canada,” Vancouver Sun, March 27, 2007.