John R. Allan

Initially prepared for an Institute of Intergovernmental Relations conference jointly sponsored by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Policy and Sustainable Prosperity, the papers presented here are by an outstanding group of those actively involved in conducting research and developing policy in this contested area. The issues are analyzed from legal, economic, and political perspectives, with particular attention paid to intergovernmental and international aspects.

Canada: The State of the Federation 2006/07 deals with transitions that have been initiated by a variety of factors and have profound implications. Scholars from several disciplines analyze the implications of these transitional forces, bringing historical, analytical, fiscal, and political perspectives to bear on issues arising from equalization and fiscal imbalance. Contributors examine the ramifications of recent major changes to equalization and show how these changes will have far-reaching and, in some cases, troubling implications. Further transitions arise in the area of federal-provincial relations as a result of Prime Minister Harper's commitment to "open federalism." In this context, contributors re-examine the role and use of federal spending power and explore whether the Canadian federation might be better served by a totally new approach to federalism. Finally, the implications of transitions affecting the role and place of cities in the Canadian federation are considered. Particular attention is given to the significance of the on-going information revolution, which privileges cities - most importantly "global city regions" - as the new, dynamic drivers of growth, innovation, and trade. Contributors include Marc-Antoine Adam (Queen's University), John R. Allan (Queen's University and University of Regina), Robin Boadway (Queen's University), Paul Boothe (University of Alberta), Thomas J. Courchene (Queen's University and Institute for Research on Public Policy), Gordon DiGiacomo (University of Ottawa), James P. Feehan (Memorial University), Anne Golden (The Conference Board of Canada), Paul A. R. Hobson (Acadia University), Christian Leuprecht (Royal Military College of Canada and Queen's University), L. Wade Locke (Memorial University), Janice MacKinnon (University of Saskatchewan), Al O'Brien (University of Alberta), Joe Ruggeri (University of New Brunswick), Anwar Shah (World Bank), Janice Gross Stein (University of Toronto), Garth Stevenson (Brock University), and Jean-François Tremblay (University of Ottawa).