The Macdonald Commission Report
  • In November 1982, the Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada (also known as the Donald MacDonald Royal Commission) was publicly announced under the chairmanship of the Honourable Donald S. Macdonald appointed by formed Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.
  • The commission was established to investigate the future prospects and challenges facing the Canadian economy and its respective regions along with the prospects and challenges of Canadian governmental institutions.
  • The economic recession of 1981-82 was the catalyst of this commission, but there were also concerns about the economy at time with respect to inflation, unemployment, low-productivity growth, etc.
  • The commission ultimately recommended a free trade 'leap of faith' with the United States and the adoption of a neoliberal economic growth strategy.
  • Under the leadership of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, based on these recommendations, the federal government began initiating trade negotiations with the United States and the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement was signed in 1989 and NAFTA in 1994.
Citation

Canada. Privy Council Office. Report of the Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada. [Ottawa, Ontario], 1985. https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/472251/publication.html

Further Readings

For more information on the Macdonald Commission Report: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3330019

Overlapping Topics
Economy
Policy Sub-Topic
Economy (Canada-U.S. Relations)
Policy Type
Royal Commission

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