Advisory agencies in Canada: an introduction

. This paper reports the results of a sample survey of the members of 76 Canadian federal and provincial advisory agencies. These agencies serve as as entities wherein the widespread interests of the public on a particular policy issue area may be aggregated. The paper introduces the subject, reviews some of the American experience with such agencies, and introduces findings from this Canadian study both about members' attitudes toward their agency and the work of their agency, and about the members themselves. The study finds that such agencies constitute another level at which interest accommodation occurs. It also suggests that as the level at which advice is rendered increases the belief in the seriousness and importance of the work increases. As for the members, the study concludes that they represent more of an educated elite than perhaps would be assumed to be the case with citizen participatory bodies. The study concludes that advisory agencies seem to have a useful role in the administrative‐policy process, at least insofar as members are concerned. Summary : There would appear to be little doubt that insofar as participants are concerned advisory agencies, appointed with sufficient solemnity and liaising with sufficiently senior policy‐makers, are considered worthwhile components of the policy process, especially where matters of economics are concerned. We shall turn now to the members themselves.