• Note: works best when the government has made a clear statement on policy
• Leave out the word "policy" in the search to retrieve a range of documents from which to intuit the government's policy
• Alternative words to use instead of "policy": guideline, initiative, strategy, framework, directive, action plan, guidance
• Check the Division of powers and responsibilities for different levels of government 
• Policies, regulations and laws by department or agency (Government of Canada)
• Search the Canadian Public Documents Collection (1996- 2019) or the Canadian Think Tanks Collection ( 1990s - present) 
• CanLII contains much more than statutes, regulations and court judgments of every jurisdiction in Canada, it includes articles, reports and other resources (video, 3:49)
• Search globally for your policy topic:
  • Columbia International Affairs Online (CIAO)
  • Think Tank Search (Harvard Kennedy School)
  • European parliamentary research service
  • Policy Commons
• A Framework for Analyzing Public Policies: Practical Guide

For the fullest information on government policy, it is often necessary to search across the full range of government publications.

• The Debates cover arguments for and against policies
• Statutes codify policies
• The Budget sets out fiscal policy
• The Public Accounts track the money spent to realize the policies
• Annual reports (of departments, of programs, on acts) track implementation of policies
• Statistics measure the impact of policies
• Audit reports evaluate policy effectiveness
• News releases announce new directions in policy

Royal Commissions, Commissions of Inquiry, Green Papers and Task Forces provide background materials to policy formation.

Government 101: Why Understanding Government Matters in the Policy Process