The Centre for Research and Information on Canada (CRIC) was established in April 1996 in Montreal to manage the Council's research, analysis, communication and education activities. CRIC's goal was to inform and educate Canadians on major political trends through publications, research, symposia, and public events. CRIC research activities focused on the preparation of information materials needed to conduct constructive debate on key Canadian issues and to provide credible, objective arguments in favour of Canadian federalism. Published information was intended for donors and directors of the Council, federalist opinion leaders, unity groups, the media, and the general public. The series includes national research on public opinion trends regarding Canadian economic development, business and industry, government and politics, and provincial concerns. In 1998, CRIC launched its own national in-depth tracking poll, Portraits of Canada, to create a more accurate means of tracking the evolution of public opinion on topics related to national unity than had been provided by sporadic polling. The research records include Portraits of Canada results analyses, graphs and statistics, and for dissemination there are presentation tools, schedules, written commentary, news releases, and press reviews. In 2000 CRIC established a Research Branch in Ottawa responsible for conducting polls, studies and drafting special publications, while a small research group was set up within the Quebec Regional Office to track economic, political and social issues in Quebec. Records pertaining to the Quebec regional office include research on issues such as Quebec referendum voting tendencies, Quebecers' perceptions of themselves, consequences of Quebec separation and sovereignty, attachment to Canada and other issues.
CRIC's Communications and Citizen Participation Office handled media relations for the Council and was responsible for its web content. This office also supervised and supported the activities of four regional offices in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, and Quebec City. CRIC initiated a system of regional round tables in Quebec. These events, which had a prescribed structure and composition, were attended by representatives from federalist political parties and special interest and regional groups. Records include invitation lists, presentation tools, questionnaires, correspondence, reports, and photocopies of photographs taken during these events. The series also contains action plans and information on the training of spokespersons including lists of training session participants, questionnaires, and evaluations of the sessions. Records relating to the Quebec round tables also include material covering tours of Quebec-born Canadian ambassadors abroad in the Province of Quebec. These include invitation lists, correspondence, itineraries, speech extracts, biographical notes and newspaper clippings. Outside Quebec, CRIC established provincial round tables based on the Quebec prototype. The records primarily concern Ontario round table meetings and consist of attendee lists, member lists, agendas and minutes, questionnaires, and correspondence.
Through the regional offices, the Communications and Citizen Participation Office organized and hosted events such as the Canada Conferences and the Crossroads Conference series on Aboriginal issues, Breaking the Fast events focusing on Muslim issues, and the BorderLines national consultation. Other events included a panel discussion on Western Discontent and a national conference on The Future of Rural Canada. Records relate primarily to events planning including proposals, correspondence, programs and program outlines, management plans, marketing and conference delegate recruitment plans, budgets, sponsorship packages, biographical notes and newspaper clippings. Records of the Young Leaders Luncheon and Dialogue Series include invitations, executive summaries, speakers' biographical notes, speaking notes, discussion guide questions, table discussion feedback. There is also a Toronto Young Leaders Directory. CRIC established Les Grands Prix des Hebdos, an awards program for journalists with French-language community newspapers. CRIC's publications included the Opinion Canada newsletter, the weekly news bulletin, Direction, the CUC Magazine, and the Council's annual report.
