Bifurcation of a Rural-Urban Regional Partnership: A Study of Hidden Dynamics

Authors

  • Dr. Lorraine A Nicol University of Lethbridge
  • Dr. Christopher J Nicol University of Lethbridge

Abstract

Region-based solutions present a promising avenue to addressing contemporary challenges facing municipalities. But regional formations require the messy reworking of networks of power among multiple stakeholders, often leading to power struggles. Challenges can be compounded when a rural-urban dimension is added to such an undertaking. This study examined the hidden power dynamics of a case involving 18 rural and urban municipalities in the Calgary region of Alberta called the Calgary Regional Partnership (CRP). In 2005 these municipalities voluntarily embarked on a major city-region initiative involving land-use planning and water sharing. However, by 2009 four rural municipalities had left the CRP, bifurcating the partnership along rural and urban lines. The dynamics of this case were traced through time and viewed through the lens of Foucault’s concepts of discourse and mechanisms of exclusion as well as Hajer’s concepts of metaphors, story-lines and discourse coalitions. The study demonstrates how mechanisms of exclusion led to the creation of dominant discourses, the formation of coalitions around counter-discourses, and the eventual disintegration of the rural-urban dimension of the partnership. Keywords: water, regionalism, Foucault, Hajer, discourse, power --------------------------------------------------- Résumé Les solutions par région sont un moyen prometteur pour faire face aux défis contemporains des municipalités. Cependant, les formations régionales requièrent le remaniement confus des réseaux de pouvoirs parmi de multiples parties prenantes, menant souvent à des luttes de pouvoir. Des défis peuvent être amplifiés lorsqu'une dimension rurale-urbaine est ajoutée à une telle entreprise. Cette étude examine les dynamiques de pouvoir cachées d'un cas impliquant 18 municipalités rurales et urbaines dans la région de Calgary, en Alberta, appelée Calgary Region Partnership (CRP) ou Région du Partenariat de Calgary. En 2005, ces municipalités volontaires se sont embarquées dans une initiative majeure municipalo-régionale impliquant la planification territoriale et le partage des eaux. Cependant, avant 2009, quatre municipalités rurales avaient déjà quitté le CRP, séparant les partenariats entre les lignes rurales et urbaines. Les dynamiques de ce cas ont été tracées à travers le temps et considérées sous l'angle des concepts du discours et des mécanismes d'exclusion de Foucault ainsi que les concepts de métaphores, de scénarios et de coalitions discursives de Hajer. L'étude montre dans quelle mesure les mécanismes mènent à la création de discours dominants, à la formation de coalition autour de contre-courants, et à l'éventuelle désintégration d'une dimension rurale-urbaine d'un partenariat.

Author Biographies

Dr. Lorraine A Nicol, University of Lethbridge

Dr. Nicol holds a Doctorate in Biosystems and Biodiversity (University of Lethbridge), a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Studies (University of Lethbridge), and a Master’s Degree in Economics (Queen's University). She has worked for a diverse number of federal and provincial government departments including the Economic Council of Canada, Human Resources Development Canada, Saskatchewan Finance, and the Saskatchewan Public Service Commission. After moving to Lethbridge in 2001, Dr. Nicol developed an interest in water resources policy and management in Alberta, and has worked in this field ever since. A significant amount of her research has focussed on studying irrigation water management. Her doctoral research focused on city-regionalism and the challenges of developing a water management framework within the Calgary Regional Partnership.

Dr. Christopher J Nicol, University of Lethbridge

Dr. Nicol holds a Doctorate in Economics from Queen's University. Beginning in 1985 he spent sixteen years at the University of Regina. In 1995 he was promoted to Professor of Economics, and in 1997 he was promoted to Head of the Department of Economics. Since July 1, 2001, he has held the positions of Professor of Economics and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Lethbridge. His areas of research interest are in econometrics, applied econometrics, theory of consumer behaviour, natural resources management and city-regionalism. He is also keenly interested in macroeconomic policy debates, especially those arising in the wake of the financial crisis of 2008.

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Published

2016-01-06

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Articles