Constitutional Pariah is the first comprehensive account of the Senate in the aftermath of the landmark Supreme Court decision that resulted in one of the most significant reforms to Parliament in Canadian history.

Emmett Macfarlane is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Waterloo. He is a regular contributor to Maclean's, the Globe and Mail, and the Institute for Research on Public Policy's Policy Options.

Emmett Macfarlane's profile page

• Commended, Donald Smiley Prize, Canadian Political Science Association

Centered around the 2014 Supreme Court of Canada decision Reference re Senate Reform (2014 SSC 32), this book goes beyond a simple discussion of the decision itself and sets the context through a study of the past, present, and future of the Senate... Macfarlane lets the topic bloom out around the decision and, in the end, leaves the reader with an excellent grounding in all things Senate.

Canadian Law Library Review

… [Macfarlane’s] book provides a clear and vigorous account of the last few decades of debates over the Senate, particularly the 2014 reference to the Supreme Court about what changes Parliament can make to the Senate without seeking constitutional amendments.

Christopher Moore's History Blog

If there is a better book on the challenges of constitutional change in Canada, I have yet to see it.

Alberta Law Review

I encourage scholars to enter the conversation on the possibilities and limits of Senate Reform that Macfarlane has initiated with this dazzling book and to join the broader discussion on constitutional reform in Canada from perspectives in law, political science, and beyond.

Alberta Law Review