Business and Environmental Politics in Canada [Paperback]

"This is an important and probing analysis and is without doubt the definitive book on business and environmental politics and policy in Canada." - G. Bruce Doern, Carleton University

Macdonald's study of business-government relations addresses an important gap in the Canadian environmental policy literature. The historical case studies offer a nuanced picture of the diverse interests and strategies of the Canadian business community that challenges the current enthusiasm for 'corporate social responsibility.

(Kathryn Harrison, University of British Columbia )

Business and Environmental Politics in Canada examines the way in which industries and firms work to influence the regulatory standards intended to improve their environmental performance. Filling an important gap in the environmental policy literature, this is the first book-length treatment of the subject in Canada. A review is provided of political action taken since the 1960s by the large firms which have found themselves at the centre of the hot-button issues of the day—water pollution, refillable pop bottles, acid rain, chemicals, smog and climate change. Three questions focus the analysis. What determines the political objective of the regulated firm? What strategies do the large firms use to influence environmental policy? And, finally, how powerful is business in the arena of environmental politics—to what extent is Canadian environmental policy shaped by business lobbying?

This book will be of interest to scholars, environmental professionals, and all those concerned about the degree to which environmental standards are determined by the regulated industries themselves.

Douglas Macdonald received his Ph.D. from York University and is a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Environment, University of Toronto. He has written widely on environmental policy, including the role of business, and is the author of The Politics of Pollution (McClelland & Stewart, 1991).