The increasing globalization of production and the conservative agenda for market-led growth are dramatically affecting the life of the average Canadian and the choices made by social and economic policy makers. As Daniel Drache, Meric Gertler, and the contributing authors show, the worldwide reorganization of markets poses new challenges for domestic industry while continental trade initiatives threaten the livelihood of Canadian workers and the stability of communities across all regions of the country. Environmental quality is similarly at risk from development strategies driven more by...

The contributors first analyse recent public-sector initiatives that have altered the Canadian economy and transformed Canadian society. These include monetarist macroeconomic policies, a trade deal with the United States, and the increasing use of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to make regulatory decisions. The contributors then analyse the consequences of these changes for some of Canada's key industries and for Canadian social policy, noting the conservative agenda's effect on workers' incomes, work conditions, social benefits, and the role of the state in the economy. The final...