Skip to Main Content
Banner image for Mount Allison University Libraries and ArchivesBanner image link to Mount Allison UniversityMount Allison University Libraries and Archives
Hours | Libraries Home | Music Library | University Archives

Contemporary Canadian Govt. & Politics: Quotations

Quotations

Quotations can be found in most primary sources. Care must be taken to copy quotations accurately and not to take them out of context. See Citing Sources Used for guides that provide details on the proper ways to use quotes in a research paper.

Books that compile quotes by famous people are numerous. However, compilations of Canadian political quotations are much fewer. You may need to consult both.

Canadian Political Quotations:

The Broadview Book of Canadian Parliamentary Anecdotes. Edited by Marc Bosc. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 1990. 344 p.

This compilation has a selection of incidents retold and reprinted from many sources.

The Oxford Book of Canadian Political Anecdotes. Edited by Jack McLeod and Cynthia M. Smith. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1988. 273 p.

Presents quotes, jokes, and incidents told by and involving Canadian political leaders with a brief explanation of their context. Index of names and authors included.

Canadian Quotations:

Colombo's All Time Great Canadian Quotations. Toronto: Stoddart, 1994. 272 p.

The Dictionary of Canadian Quotations & Phrases. Rev. & Enlarged ed. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1979. 1063 p.

These compilations are organized by subject, so it is easy to pick out the quotes relating to Politics, Elections, Confederation, etc.

Political Quotations:

Dictionary of Political Quotations. By Lewis D. Eigen and Jonathan P. Siegel. London: Hale Ltd.,1994. 785 p.

The Oxford Dictionary of Political Quotations. Edited by Antony Jay. 3rd ed. Oxford, New York: Oxford U. Press, 2007. 560 p.

These contain only a few Canadian quotes.

General Quotations:

Simpson's Contemporary Quotations: The Most Notable Quotes from 1950 to the Present. Edited by James B. Simpson. 1st ed. rev. New York: HarperCollins, 1997. 657 p. 1988 edition searchable online along with "Bartlett's", "Columbia" and "Respectfully Quoted" at Bartleby.com. https://www.bartleby.com/quotations

Sources like Simpson's will generally include many political quotes, among other topics, but few Canadian ones. Search by name for quotations by or about a Canadian head of state, government official or politician.

To find more books of collected quotations:

Common Library of Congress subject headings:

[Person/subject] -- quotations (e.g. Chretien, Jean, 1943- -- quotations)
Canada -- politics and government -- anecdotes
Quotations, Canadian
Politicians -- quotations
Political science --quotations, maxims, etc.