Forty years on: the Macdonald Commission and its enduring legacy

The Macdonald Commission's pivotal report recommended the gradual dismantling of trade barriers, but also warned of the danger that the U.S. could leverage in its economic influence.

Former Liberal cabinet minister Donald Macdonald chaired the Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada, which issued its final report in September 1985. Photograph courtesy of Library and Archives Canada

Opinion

BY JACQUES J.M. SHORE, WENDY WAGNER

September 3, 2025

In September 1985, the Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada—commonly known as the Macdonald Commission—unveiled a transformative blueprint for Canada’s economic future. Chaired by Donald Macdonald and backed by prominent...

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