The Macdonald-Laurier Institute for Public Policy exists to make poor quality public policy in Ottawa unacceptable to Canadians and their political and opinion leaders by proposing thoughtful alternatives through non-partisan and independent research and commentary.

MLI’s activities include:

Initiating and conducting research identifying current and emerging economic and public policy issues facing Canadians, including, but not limited to, research into defence and security, foreign policy, immigration, economic and fiscal policy, Canada-US relations, regulatory, regional development, social policy and aboriginal affairs;

Investigating and analysing the full range of options for public and private sector responses to the issues identified and to act as a catalyst for informed debate on those options;

Communicating the conclusions of its research to a national audience in a clear, non-partisan way;

Sponsoring or organizing conferences, meetings, seminars, lectures, training programs and publications using all media of communication (including without restriction, the electronic media), for the purposes of achieving these objects;

Providing research services on public policy issues, or other facilities, for institutions, corporations, agencies and individuals, including departments and agencies of Canadian governments at the federal, provincial, regional and municipal levels, on such terms as may be mutually agreed, provided that the research is in furtherance of these objects.


What people are saying about us

"Media coverage and popular policy comment from Ottawa distorts the actual policy choices available to the federal government. Emphasis is more on financial and regulatory demands from various claimants and seldom on how wealth can be grown to produce these distributions. On a range of issues from foreign affairs and aid to defence and aboriginal policy, the emphasis is almost totally on idealistic intention and seldom does it trace the intelligent realism that practically limits our choices. An intelligent force such as MLI is desperately needed to redress the balance."

Hon. Tom Hockin, former Minister and Member of Parliament