"Two Cheers for Minority Government presents a concise, accessible analysis of the prevalence of minority governments in Canada. Using the Canadian case to reflect on the processes and procedures of the parliamentary system, Peter H. Russell explores the tendency for people in parliamentary government to prefer elections which result in one party getting a margin of seats. Russell aims to explain why a minority government is not only a likely outcome of parliamentary elections in Canada but is also, for most, the best possible outcome. He argues that the best result of parliamentary actions is for no party to end up with a majority of seats in the lower house. So called "hung" parliaments result in much more decision of policy in the elected chambers of parliament. This makes for government that is more accountable to the people. The new edition reveals how the increasing frequency of parliamentary elections resulting in no party winning majority seats is resulting in parliamentary government, world wide, evolving in a positive, democratic direction.

Ultimately, Two Cheers for Minority Government aims to help both citizens and politicians to make the most of minority government, give it more stability, and make it work as well as it can for Canada"--.