AcknowledgmentsIntroduction Part A: The Role of Ideas, Interests, and Institutions in the Canadian Policy-Making ProcessI. Ideas and Interests in Shaping Public PolicyII. Where Ideas and Interests Intersect: Mapping the Policy-Making TerrainA. An OverviewB. Standing and Semi-permanent Policy Advisory BodiesC. Parliamentary CommitteesD. Ad Hoc Commissions of Inquirya) Historical Originsb) The Legal Basis of Commissions of Inquiryc) Forms of Inquiriesd) The Frequency and Sectoral Scope of Commissions of Inquirye) Strengths of Commissions of Inquiryf) Critiques of Commissions of InquiryE. Ad Hoc Government Task Forces Part B: Personal Reflections on Engagements with the World of Ideas and Interests in Public InquiriesI. Consumer Protection PolicyII. Competition Policy ReformIII. Regulation of Professional ServicesIV. Property Rights and DevelopmentV. Trade Policy ReformVI. Legal Aid ReformVII. Electricity Sector Reform in OntarioVIII. Future Role of Government in Ontario Part C: Lessons Learned (the Hard Way)I. SerendipityII. Short-TermismIII. Policy-Oriented Ad Hoc Public Inquiriesa) Terms of Referenceb) Leadershipc) Compositiond) Process IV. Investigative/Hybrid Ad Hoc Public InquiriesV. Positive Theories of the Public Policy-Making Process RevisitedVI. Concluding Thoughts NotesIndex

"In this deeply reflective work of late-career scholarship, Michael J. Trebilcock, a pioneer and towering figure in the field of law and economics, draws on his extensive experience in public inquiries in multiple jurisdictions to temper and enrich the conceptual frameworks offered in his original work and to provide keen insights into the role of inquiries in the policy process."