Selected Primary Sources and their Finding Aids:
The following are some key primary sources for research in contemporary Canadian government and politics, listed with some of the finding aids, guides, and special explanatory material or search strategies required to find and use them. They are organized into five categories based on whether the information was originally presented verbally, in print, as a recorded image, in personal papers, or is very current.
-
WHAT WAS SAID:
- Quotations
- Speeches
- Interviews
- In Parliament (Speech from the Throne, Debates, Committees)
- In Cabinet (Decisions, Public Hearings)
- WHAT WAS WRITTEN:
- Political Party Publications:
- Party Platforms, Campaign Literature, etc.
- Special Collections
- Government Publications:
- Reports (Departmental Annual Reports, Royal Commissions, Task Forces)
- Policy Papers
- In Parliament (Journals, Sessional Papers, Committee Reports)
- Law and Legislation (Acts, Bills, Regulations, Orders in Council)
- Court Reports
- News Sources:
- PERSONAL PAPERS:
- Unpublished Sources
- Published Sources
- RECORDED IMAGES:
- Film, Television, Video Footage
- Photographs and Cartoons
- WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW:
- In Political Parties
- In Government
- In Court
- News Sources
- Contacting People
- Your Own Experience: Getting Involved in Government and Politics
|
|
See also Special Topics for primary source material dealing more specifically with government finance, international relations, women in politics, provincial / local government and politics, etc.
|
|
