tier systems. Chapter 4 examines existing “city–states” in theory and practice, using examples from Europe, such as in Switzerland, Germany and Spain. Throughout, the book is interspersed with discussions and hypothetical scenarios about provinces and cities in Canada, but with a clear emphasis on Southern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Region, which is taken up in the penultimate chapter. The conclusion is a short recap of the arguments advanced. At the same time, it also offers a small glimpse into central issues that readers might have liked Sancton to treat in more detail. Sancton states that it is not necessary to “redesign the ways in which our city— regions are governed; rather we need to make better use of the wide array of institu- tions we already have” ~134!. He continues, stating that debate and conflict about the relative role of provincial governments and local authorities are endemic: “We need strong municipalities and local authorities involved in a great variety of public services, and we need strong provincial governments that lay down the general poli- cies and ensure that they are not violated” ~136!. In light of Sancton’s focus on refut- ing the theoretical argument and practical ability to provide municipalities with more autonomy, it would have been valuable if the final chapter or an additional chapter had elaborated on these observations about the future relationship between local author- ities and other levels of government. In the preface, Sancton acknowledges that the book may be considered too negative and institutionally conservative ~xii!. While some may agree, the area of greatest potential improvement is not necessarily in tone, but in the choice to focus so much attention on refuting the arguments for self-government in lieu of advanc- ing a vision for how cities may be positioned in the future federation and to answer- ing some of the important questions the author advances. If self-government is not achievable, what does it means to accept that complexity is a natural part of urban governance ~102!? How does this challenge or facilitate policy innovation at the local level? Indeed, there may not be a definitive answer to the question of “who does what” ~134!, but some consideration of “how much of what” ~see Thomas Hue- glin, “The Principle of Subsidiarity: Tradition-Practice-Relevance,” Constructing Tomorrow’s Federalism, Winnipeg, University of Manitoba Press, 2007, 202! would have been a welcome addition to the book given the ongoing absence of a clear federal urban agenda and Sancton’s contribution to discussions and debates about the place of cities in the Canadian federation. Given that more self-government is not desirable or practically feasible according to Sancton, what theoretical and prac- tical insights follow? This book is concise, readable, well referenced and well researched. It makes an important contribution to the study of cities in Canada and it will serve as an excellent reference for practitioners and scholars. It can also serve to spark debate and discussion in Canadian university courses on federalism and Canadian urban pol- itics. Further, where the book ends, other scholars should begin by carefully reflect- ing on the practical and theoretical problem that remains: what is the place of cities and city–regions in the future federation and how will their potential be realized? CHRISTOPHER GORE Ryerson University L’empire au miroir :Stratégies de puissance aux États-Unis et en Russie Didier Chaudet, Florent Parmentier et Benoît Pélopidas Librairie Droz, Paris-Genève, 2007, 246 pages doi:10.10170S0008423909990527 Avec un titre comme celui-ci, L’empire au miroir : Stratégies de puissance aux États- Unis et en Russie, l’ouvrage, fruit du travail collectif de Didier Chaudet, Florent Par- mentier et Benoît Pélopidas, aurait pu s’ajouter à la longue liste des ouvrages analysant 1064 Recensions / Reviews