Comparative Analyses of Canadian and American Environmental Policy: An Introduction to the Symposium

Canada and the United States offer an intriguing basis for comparative analysis in environmental policy. Canadian and American policymakers often face the same challenges and pursue similar, if not identical, goals. Yet, the pursuit of those goals and the final outcomes can differ dramatically. Given all the dimensions on which these two countries are comparable, we thus are left with a puzzle. How can we explain the different experiences of the two nations? In this article, we pose some answers to that question and preview the empirical analyses that follow. In short, we suggest that in spite of substantial common ground between the two nations, significant institutional differences exist that shape policy behavior and subsequent outcomes. We posit the importance of differences in intergovernmental relations, legislative-executive behavior, and systems of regulatory policymaking. After discussing the comparability of environmental policy in these two nations, we discuss those institutional differences and then offer some theoretical expectations for the cases to follow.