An analytical study in Canadian political economy examining the evolution of the National Policy and its influence on the expansion of Canadian trade, with particular emphasis on the wheat economy of Western Canada. The author traces the formative role of tariff policy and state intervention in shaping the pre-1900 growth of the so-called “wheat empire,” establishing the economic framework within which prairie agriculture developed.
The work proceeds to a detailed examination of grain marketing challenges in the early twentieth century, focusing on the period from 1900 to 1920 and the legislative responses devised to address producers’ concerns. Particular attention is given to the emergence and activities of organized growers’ movements. A substantial section is devoted to a critical analysis of the open market system, alongside a historical account of the policies and operations of the Canadian Wheat Pools. The concluding portion situates these developments within the broader economic philosophy underpinning the National Policy, offering a sustained interpretation of its long-term implications for Canadian agricultural and trade policy.
Notes adapted from the publishers information.
