In Pursuit of the Public Good: Essays in Honour of Allan J MacEachen

Joseph Garcea is a professor of political Studies at the University of
Saskatchewan.

The product of a conference honoring Allan MacEachen, one of Canada’s
leading Liberal politicians, this collection of essays provides valuable
insights into the changing role of the Canadian state in recent decades,
and in the formulation and implementation of public policy.

Most of the chapters focus on the role of successive Liberal and
Conservative governments in developing the Canadian social welfare
state. One essay makes the argument that the pursuit of the public good
in the future will require the integration of both social and economic
policy, as well as a form of decentralization in which provinces are
willing to make a commitment to the pan-Canadian ideal of a social and
economic union. Another essay takes issue with the Bank of Canada for
pursuing a zero-inflation policy. These and other essays deal with the
obstacles faced by the state in its pursuit of the public good, not the
least of which is the public’s disenchantment with governments.

Readers of this thoughtful book will benefit from the wisdom shared by
leading commentators on governance in Canada.