The records in this accession were created and/or maintained by the Secretary for the Cabinet Committee on Economic Development. The file block for these records is 1402 - "Cabinet Committee of Economic Development Ministers". This Committee was also known as the Board of Economic Development Ministers.
This accession consists of files from or concerning the weekly meetings of the Economic Development Committee (EDC). The EDC was established November 24, 1978, by Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau, and was charged with focusing and strengthening the efforts of the federal government in promoting economic development in Canada. The board was designed to improve the management and coordination of federal departments concerned with economic matters. It could reassess the priorities of the economic departments, and recommend the re-allocations of funds between departments to meet these priorities. A primary aim of the Committee was to create a climate more advantageous for increased economic growth and industrial development.
This Committee was chaired by the Minister of State for Economic Development (MSED) and comprised the relevant group of ministers with departments relevant to economic development. This committee therefore included the ministers from: the Department of Industry, Trade and Commerce; the Department of Regional Economic Expansion; the Department of Fisheries and Oceans; the Department of Consumer and Corporate Affairs; the Department of Finance; the Department of Labour; the Department of Transport; the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development; the Department of the Environment; the Ministry of State for Federal-Provincial Relations; the Treasury Board; the Department of Agriculture; the Department of Employment and Immigration; the Ministry of State for Science and Technology; the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources; the Ministry of State for Small Businesses and Industry; and, the Ministry of State for International Trade. Secretariat support was provided by the MSED.
The general files for this committee consist of correspondence relating to the operation of the committee, such as correspondence related to putting items on the agenda, notes of the Minister of the MSED about the progress of the committee, draft memoranda to cabinet, etc.
