Sub-series consists of deputy ministerial files concerning general administrative and financial aspects of the Department of the Environment's mandate for the mid-1970s and early 1980s. Although the dates of the files range from 1973 to 1981, most of the files cover the years 1977-1981. Deputy ministers during these years were Robert F. Shaw (11 June 1971 to 30 December 1974) and J. Blair Seaborn (31 December 1974 to 19 December 1982).
The files are arranged in blocks of numbers reflecting the programmes which involved the deputy minister during these years. There are only two file blocks covered: Administration (1000-1499) and Finance (1500-1999). The Administration block accounts for two-thirds of the files.
The administrative files deal with acts and legislation, agreements, committees, conferences, cooperation and liaison among organizations, interdepartmental relations, reports and returns, and surveys and studies. These files emphasize relations among the provinces, federal committees, and the international community with respect to environmental policy. Reports and correspondence included in the files range from the federal studies on acid rain, alternative energy, and environmental concerns in Canada's north to records about studies on organizations interested in global strategy such as the International Whaling Commission, the United Nations Conference on Human Environment, and the International Atomic Energy Agency.
A large portion of the administrative files contain letters representing concerns of the public, natives, environmental groups, and the corporate sector. These letters and the government's response chart the development and implementation of policies and legislation during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The finance file block (1500-1999) contains files on finance, agreements and arrangements such as federal/provincial cost-sharing programs, and audits.
