Politics in Manitoba is the first comprehensive review of the Manitoba party system that combines history and contemporary public opinion data to reveal the political and voter trends that have shaped the province of Manitoba over the past 130 years. The book details the histories of the Progressive Conservatives, the Liberals, and the New Democratic Party from 1870 to 2007. Adams looks in particular at the enduring influence of political geography and political culture, as well as the impact of leadership, campaign strategies, organizational resources, and the media on voter preferences. Adams also presents here for the first time public opinion data based on more than 25,000 interviews with Manitobans, conducted between 1999 and 2007. He analyzes voter age, gender, income, education, and geographic location to determine how Manitobans vote. In the process Adams dispels some commonly held beliefs about party supporters and identifies recurring themes in voter behaviour.

Christopher Adams is Rector of St. Paul's College in Winnipeg and an adjunct professor at the Asper School of Business and at the University of Winnipeg. He holds a PhD in political science from Carleton University, and teaches graduate courses in business and politics at University of Winnipeg and University of Manitoba.

Christopher Adams' profile page

“Adams combines his expertise in Manitoba’s political system with a thorough political history and rich quantitative data to create one of the most insightful and authoritative works on Manitoba’s party stem available…From scandals, to policy decisions, to humourous tales, Adams relies on both primary and secondary documents to tell a clear, detailed history of each party, explaining how internal decisions have affected both party and province…slic[ing] through nearly 150 years of history to build a complete and detailed examination that is beneficial to readers.”

American Review of Canadian Studies

“In recent decades, provincial politics have garnered increased attention as the academic community has grown and specialized studies have proliferated…This book is a useful workmanlike contribution to the small but growing bookshelf devoted to Manitoba politics.”

University of Toronto Quarterly, Winter 2010