LibGuides: Canadian Studies: Government Sources, Debates

About this page

This page provides access points for documents and publications of the Government of Canada including Parliament and federal departments and agencies.

Primary and Official Sources - Electronic

Canadian Intergovernmental Conference Secretariat
Created by the First Ministers of Canada in May 1973. It is an agency of both the federal and provincial governments that provides administrative services for the planning and conduct of First Ministers, Ministers and Deputy Ministers federal-provincial-territorial and provincial-territorial conferences held throughout Canada.

The multilateral intergovernmental conference is a critical component of Canadian federalism. It is a key element for consultation, coordination, negotiation and

Debates, Records, and Proceedings - Electronic

Canada Parliaments - Durations of Sessions

LEGISINFO
Use for finding information on legislation currently before Parliament. This tool provides electronic access to a wide range of information about individual bills, such as: the text of the bill at various stages; government press releases and backgrounders (for government bills); legislative summaries; important speeches at second reading; votes; and coming into force data. Covers the 37th Parliament (2001) to the present.
Parliament of Canada. Chamber Business
Choose House "Business" or Senate "in the Chamber". Hansard (Debates) and Journals of the House of Commons and Senate of Canada are online from the 35th Parliament, 1st Session (January 17, 1994) to the present .
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Print holdings from 1867 to the present held in the Main Library. See the following call numbers:

* J103 K33 for the Journals of the House of Commons,
* J103 J3 for the Journals of the Senate,
* J103 K2 for the House of Commons Debates (Hansard)
* J103 J2 for the Senate Debates (Hansard)
Canadian Hansard Dataset (1901-2019) – in English only:
Historical Debates of the Parliament of Canada 1867-1996
1st Parliament (1867-72) - 35th Parliament, 1st Session (1994-96). After 1996, go to parl.gc.ca
Canadian Parliamentary Historical Resources collection from the Library of Parliament. Includes Journals and Debates.
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See also Historical debates of the Parliament of Canada, 1867-1996.
Scrapbook (Reconstituted) Debates: The Early Debates of Parliament
Newspaper clippings pasted into scrapbooks by Library of Parliament staff from 1867 to 1871 remain the only organized source of parliamentary proceedings during that period. Official reporting of the debates of Canada’s Parliament began in 1871 in the Senate and in 1875 in the House of Commons. Coverage: Senate from 1867 to 1870,
House of Commons 1867 to 1874. Site created by the the Parliament of Canada in collaboration with the Library of Parliament
Debates of the House of Commons (Reconstituted, 1867-1870)
Early Canadiana version.
Debates of the Senate (Reconstituted, 1867-1871)
Early Canadiana version
Senate Debate Indexes
3rd session, 34th Parliament 1991-1993 -
st session, 38th Parliament 2004-2005
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Created by the Senate.
Sessional Papers of the Parliament of the Dominion of Canada 1867-1900
Digital version covers 1867 to 1900. Print holdings covering 1867 to 1924 in Main at call number J103 H.
Early Canadiana version.
Privy Council Office Information Resources
Includes: Cabinet, Commissions of Inquiry, Former Prime Ministers Archive, Guide to Canadian Ministries Since Confederation, Orders in Council, Royal Commissions.
Indian Affairs Annual Reports 1864 - 1990
Searchable database. From website"
"This database contains references to be found in more than 40,700 digitized pages of the original annual reports for the Indian Affairs portfolio for the years 1864 to 1966 and the complete annual reports for the department of Indian Affairs from 1967 to 1990."
Canada Gazette
The official newspaper of the Government of Canada since 1841. Online coverage from 1998, with pdf versions "official" since 2002.
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Print holdings in Main at the call numbers listed below:

* Canada Gazette Part II at call number JS A222
Canada Gazette (1841-1997)
Library and Archives Canada digitized issues of the Canada Gazette from 1841 - 1997.
Canada Parliament -records digitized by the Internet Archive
Records created by the Parliament of Canada, incluidng Sessional papers, census, annual reports, journals, and debates.
Former Prime Ministers' Archive
From the Privy Council Office

Debates, Records and Proceedings - Print

The titles listed below are found on the 3rd floor of McPherson Library, shelved by Call Number. Also available in the Law Library in Legislative Compact Shelving

House of Commons debates, official report (Hansard). 1875 to the present.
Call Number: J103 K2

Debates of the Senate, official report (Hansard). 1873 to the present.
Call Number: J103 J2

Reconstituted Debates of the House of Commons (1867/68 ,<1870>-1872) and Senate of Canada (1867/68-1871)
Call Numbers J103 K18 and J103 J18.

Sessional Papers of the Parliament of the Dominion of Canada. 1867-1924
Call Number J103 H6

Journals of the House of Commons of Canada. 1868 to the present
Call Number J103 K3

Journals of theSenate of Canada. 1868 to the present
Call Number J103 J3

House of Commons and Senate Standing and Special Committees Minutes and Proceedings Shelved by committee, starting at Call number J103 J6

The above titles are also available at the Law Library. The titles listed below are only available at the Law Library.

Unpublished House of Commons Sessional Papers [microform]12th Parliament, 6th session (12 Jan. 1916/18 May 1916)]-33rd Parliament, 2nd session (30 Sept./1986/1 Oct. 1988. Priestly Law Microfilm KE55.2 C362

Canadian parliamentary committees [microform]. 1935-2008 (1st Sess.39th Parl.) Arrangement: 1935 to 1979 (18th to 31st Parliament), alphabetically by Committee. 32th Parliament onward, by Parliament and Session. There is some overlap. With this 40th Parliament, Parliamentary Publications will no longer produce microfiche for its committee publications
Priestly Law Microfiche Call Number: KE37 C35