Canadian advocacy has evolved over the past few decades. A core function of the nonprofit sector, advocacy endures in an unsympathetic neoliberal landscape – one dominated by a rise in government surveillance, ongoing government funding cuts, and confusion over what activities are permissible.

Exploring the unpredictable and fluid nature of public policy advocacy work carried out by nonprofit organizations across Canada, The Shifting Terrain sheds light on the strictures and opportunities of this crucial aspect of the voluntary sector. Authors from diverse backgrounds, including academics, activists, practitioners, and legal experts, illustrate what the shifting course of advocacy means in philosophical, theoretical, political, and practical terms. Offering a critique of advocacy practices directed at the nonprofit–provincial/territorial government interface and beyond, this anthology outlines regulatory changes made by the Canada Revenue Agency, exposes the conflicted internal structures and processes of advocacy work, challenges "permissible advocacy activities," presents provocative thinking about alternative ways forward, and proposes recommendations for improvement.

A comparative historical study and a contemporary examination, The Shifting Terrain invites readers to contemplate the implications of advocacy for public participation, the shaping of public policy, and Canadian democracy.

Nick J. Mulé is associate professor in the School of Social Work and the School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies at York University.

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Gloria C. DeSantis is assistant professor in the Justice Studies Department at the University of Regina.

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Peter R. Elson is a senior research fellow at the Institute for Community Prosperity at Mount Royal University and an adjunct assistant professor in the School of Public Administration at the University of Victoria.

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