This volume is the twelfth in the series on federal government spending and policy performance compiled by Carleton University's School of Public Administration. This edition assesses the future of Canada in the post-Meech, post-free trade era. Four articles concentrate on the increasing fragmentation of Canada after the failure of the Meech Lake Accord, and each of the others ponders various topics in the context of an era when the nature of the federation seems very much in questions.

Authors from western Canada, the Atlantic region and Quebec explore the changing political landscapes in their areas, while others consider the shifting realities in aboriginal-state relations. Abortion, race relations, federal grants to interest groups, benefits to the elderly, and telecommunications policy are all reviewed as aspects of the "mature" agenda of the Progressive Conservative party in power. Taken as a group, these articles provide a multifaceted and sometimes surprising evaluation of government performance.