Not long ago, deficits were seen as positive things in Canada. Now deficits are seen as evil. Timothy Lewis has just published a fascinating book which traces the transformations of Canadian attitudes. [It is an illuminating account of the interaction between ideas and politics, between economic theories and political limitations, possibilities or necessities." -- Graham Fraser, Toronto Star The best examination of Canadian fiscal politics in ages, a long overdue and accessible analysis of how Keynesian deficit policy was transformed from an acceptable to an unacceptable notion over the second half of the twentieth century. This is a brilliantly sweeping historical, theoretical, and political study. In the long run, Canadian policy analysts and citizens will benefit from the insights and political options that it provides, including the promise of a possible political resurrection of Keynesian ideas. -- Robert Campbell, author of Grand Illusions: The Politics of the Keynesian Experience in Canada, 1945-1975 This is the story of the passing of the Keynesian economic policy era in Canadian federal politics.

Lewis pulls all the strands together in a theoretically-informed, historically rich, and engagingly written narrative. In doing so, he makes an important contribution to a field of study that is central to political science, public administration, and policy analysis. -- Neil Bradford, author of Commissioning Ideas: Canadian National Policy Innovation in Comparative Perspective .a thoughtful, detailed analysis of deficit politics and its relationship to the role of ideas in shaping both public policies and public perceptions of them.an effective teaching and analytical tool for instructors and students of public policy. -- Geoffrey Hale, Canadian Journal of Political Science.