Publisher description: Delves into the history, structure, mechanisms, and roles of Canada's political parties, and assesses the degree to which Canadians can rely on political parties as vehicles for grassroots participation. With an emphasis on Canada's federal parties, Cross examines party membership, candidate recruitment, leadership selection, policy development, election campaigning, and party financing. Throughout, he maintains a clear focus on how well Canadian parties are serving the Canadian people, and, in keeping with the aims of the Democratic Audit, interrogates their performance in terms of participation, inclusiveness, and responsiveness. In addition, the book also draws on the experiences of provincial parties to provide a comprehensive portrait of party life in Canada. Where appropriate, comparisons are drawn with parties in other Western democracies.