The Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada, also known as the Macdonald Commission, was a historic landmark in Canadian economy policy. Prime Minister

Pierre Trudeau Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau ( , ; October 18, 1919 – September 28, 2000), also referred to by his initials PET, was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the 15th prime minister of Canada The prime mini ...

appointed the Royal Commission in 1982, and it presented its recommendations to Prime Minister

Brian Mulroney Martin Brian Mulroney ( ; born March 20, 1939) is a Canadian lawyer, businessman, and politician who served as the 18th prime minister of Canada from 1984 to 1993. Born in the eastern Quebec city of Baie-Comeau, Mulroney studied political sci ...

in 1984. The commission's recommendations reflect three broad themes mainly derived from neoconservative ideology. Firstly, the report suggested for Canada to foster a more flexible economy, which would be capable of adjusting to international and technological change, and it recommended greater reliance on the market mechanisms and a

free trade Free trade is a trade policy that does not restrict imports or exports. It can also be understood as the free market idea applied to international trade. In government, free trade is predominantly advocated by political parties that hold econo ...

agreement with the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. Secondly, the commission recommended various reforms to the

welfare state A welfare state is a form of government in which the state (or a well-established network of social institutions) protects and promotes the economic and social well-being of its citizens, based upon the principles of equal opportunity, equitabl ...

model and emphasized social equity and economic efficiency. Thirdly, the commission recommended the adoption of an elected Senate in order to better represent Canada's diverse regions. Most notably, the commission’s recommendations affected trade policy directly by giving greater legitimacy and momentum to the debate surrounding free trade with the United States. Mulroney began trade negotiations with the American administration shortly after the report was released. Indeed, free trade is regarded as the signature recommendation of the commission.

Members

* Chair – Donald S. Macdonald * Executive Director – Gerry Godsoe * Director of Policy – Alan Nymark * Directors of Research –

Ivan Bernier Ivan () is a Slavic male given name, connected with the variant of the Greek name (English: John) from Hebrew meaning 'God is gracious'. It is associated worldwide with Slavic countries. The earliest person known to bear the name was Bulgari ...

Alan Cairns Hugh Alan Craig Cairns, (2 March 1930 – 27 August 2018) was a Canadian political scientist and professor. His scholarship focused on diverse topics within Canadian politics, including federalism, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, electoral ...

, and

David Chadwick Smith David Chadwick Smith (August 12, 1931 – May 22, 2000) was a Canadian economist An economist is a professional and practitioner in the social sciences, social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and a ...

(Later,

Kenneth Norrie Kenneth Harold Norrie (born 1946) is a Canadian economic historian specializing in the economy of Western Canada at the turn of the century. Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Norrie received his undergraduate degree from the University of Saskat ...

and

John Hartley Sargent John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

took on the roles of co-Directors of Research). * Joint Editorial Head –

David Ablett David Ablett (4 February 1941 – 24 July 2010) was a Canadian journalist and editor for ''The Vancouver Sun'', the ''Toronto Star'', and other media. He was born in Gibson's Landing, British Columbia, Canada. Ablett attended the University of Br ...

and

Michel Vastel Michel Vastel (20 May 1940 – 28 August 2008) was a Québécois journalist and columnist for '' Le Journal de Montréal'' and other medias. He was born in Saint-Pierre-de-Cormeilles, Eure, France and immigrated to Canada in 1970. Vastel ...

External links

In 2005, the

C. D. Howe Institute The C. D. Howe Institute (french: Institut C. D. Howe) is a Canadian nonprofit policy research organization in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It aims to be distinguished by "research that is nonpartisan, evidence-based, and subject to definitive exper ...

created a volume to mark the 20th anniversary of the Macdonald Commission Report.

The Canadian Encyclopedia has an overview.

The

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...

has the complete collection available on microtext. Royal commissions in Canada 1982 establishments in Canada 1985 documents Canada–United States relations

Members

Further reading

External links