Selected Primary Sources and their Finding Aids: What Was Written -- Introduction

The official documents produced by political parties and the federal government are valuable primary source material for researchers and should not be overlooked. They not only show the workings of these institutions, they can contribute to an understanding of political and social change. They provide an excellent window on the issues of the day and reveal the motivations and thinking of those who would influence them. Click on the headings below for details on some of the key written records of Canadian political parties and the federal government.

See also Special Topics for primary source documents relevant to International Relations, Government Finance, Women in Politics, etc. and from provincial and local governments and political parties.