The Richer versus the Poorer Provinces since Confederation. The untold history of how Ottawa tackled fiscal inequalities among the resentful provinces. In 1957, after a century of scathing debates and threats of provincial separation, Ottawa finally tackled the dangerous fiscal inequalities among its richer and poorer provinces. Equalization grants allowed the poorer provinces to provide […]
The Art of Sharing August 2, 2020
Gorgeously designed in full colour with archival and contemporary images. On May 3, 1915 the death of a young friend on the battlefields of Ypres inspired Canadian soldier, field surgeon and poet John McCrae to write “In Flanders Fields”. Knopf Canada commemorates the poem with a new anthology of writing on war, loss and remembrance. […]
In Flanders Fields July 10, 2015
The Unexpected Louis St-Laurent July 2, 2020
Contributors to The Unexpected Louis St-Laurent assess the degree to which he set the policy agenda. They explore the features of his personality that made him effective (or sometimes less so), the changes he wrought on the state apparatus and federal-provincial relations, and the substance of his government’s policies. Available from UBC Press.
Let the Eastern Bastards Freeze in the Dark November 3, 2012
This is not a regional story. It is a story of Canada. And it is still playing out in real time whenever Canadians ponder the privileges and the challenges of the West’s resource wealth. One of the first authoritative looks at the struggle over resources with the Rest of Canada that has plagued the West […]
ABOUT MARY:
Mary is a former journalist who obtained a doctorate in Canadian history from York University in 2017. Her first history book, Let the Eastern Bastards Freeze in the Dark: The West Versus The Rest Since Confederation, was published in November 2012. It won the J. W. Dafoe Book Prize in 2013 and was a finalist for the Donner Book Prize. She completed an M.A. in history at York in 2008-2009. Before that, she was a journalist for over three decades, including a decade on Parliament Hill. That job was the ticket to lifelong learning. Mary’s subsequent academic studies allowed her to pursue a decades-long fascination with resource control as well as equalization and transfer payments, which are emphatically not boring! Mary intends to keep writing history books for the rest of her days.
For collaborations and general inquiries, feel free to call at 416-806-3972 or send me an email.
Witness to Yesterday: The History of
Equalization in Canada
PODCAST | FEBRUARY 11, 2021
In her interview with Greg Marchildon, Dr. Janigan describes the origins of the idea in the Commonwealth Grants Commission in Australia, how Prime Minister Louis St-Laurent’s government set up the first formal program and how this programs has been refined since. Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or SoundCloud.
HIGHLIGHT OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Doctorate in history from York University in October 2017.
“Treason to Their Memory” in In Flanders Fields: 100 Years, 2015.
J.W. Dafoe book prize, 2013.
Donner Foundation book prize finalist for 2012.
November 2012: publication of Let the Eastern Bastards Freeze in the Dark: The West Versus The Rest Since Confederation, which traced the West’s struggle to obtain resource control from Ottawa during the 60 years after Confederation.
M.A. in history at York University. 2009.
Hy Solomon Award for public policy journalism in 2004 from Public Policy Forum.
Co-edited a book for the C.D. Howe Institute on the Constitution with University of Toronto political scientist Richard Simeon.
National Newspaper Award for analyzing the Constitution Act, 1982, clause by clause.
Silver Magazine Award in 1992 for work in analyzing the Charlottetown Accord.
Part of groups that won silver and gold magazine awards for analyses of deficits and constitutional problems.
UPCOMING WORKS:
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eds. Richard Albert, School of Law, The University of Texas at Austin; Nathalie Des Rosiers, Massey College, University of Toronto; and Alexandra Flynn, Peter A Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia. University of British Columbia Press.
McGill-Queen’s University Press, Fall 2023 or Spring 2024
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eds. André Lecours, Daniel Béland, Trevor Tombe and Eric Champagne, University of Toronto Press.
Publication date January 2024.
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University of Toronto Press, date TBA.
upcoming SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS:
Fiscal Federalism in Canada
Date: May 30
Time: 08:45am to 10:15am
Location: York University, Accolade West-ACW 002
Read more.