A. Paul Pross

Parliamentary Influence and the Diffusion of Power

Several phenomena which have been separately observed in Canada are linked: namely the diffusion of power within the executive-administrative branch, the proliferation and expanded role of pressure groups, and the increased attention parliament has been receiving from interest organizations. Suggesting that this last may reflect fundamental changes in the policy system as a whole, it is argued that a tendency toward bureaucratic pluralism has led agencies to develop extra-governmental support at the interest group level; and that both interest groups and agencies have found it useful to exploit the legitimating and publicizing capacities of parliament. In so doing they have contributed to the enhancement of parliaments role in the policy process.

Canadian provincial government publishing: Recent developments

Abstract Reviews progress made during the past five years in the improvement of provincial document collections. Attributes the general improvement to a number of developments, principally increasing governmental awareness of problems related to policy formation and to political communication in general, which in turn has occasioned a trend toward reorganization of information systems. Recent reorganizations of government institutions facilitate the discovery and acquisition of publications. Public and private mechanisms for the distribution of publication are insuring a reliable flow of materials to the libraries. Checklists and bibliographies in the field are becoming more extensive and reliable. Creation of new facilities to better coordinate the production and distribution has taken place in several provinces, which are identified. An appendix lists new finding aids for acquisition of provincial publications.