This book tells the story of Canada's universities and the public policies that have shaped and supported them focusing on university and government interdependence. The book concentrates on the period from the mid-1950s to the early 1990s. However, Chapter 1 begins with a summary account of the development of Canadian universities from their beginnings in the 17th century to the eve of their highest growth in the 1950s. From there the account proceeds in two parts, the first exploring the formation and content of public policy and the second examining changes in the government and management of universities. The five chapters of Part I look at the expansion of the university system, the management of their growth, the development of provincial systems, and the consequent strain placed on the delicate balance of university-government relations. Part II addresses public policy in four chapters beginning with a look at the controversy surrounding the Crowe affair in 1957 and the subsequent reform movement. The following chapters explore a second wave of reform and the constraint characterizing the 1980s. The final chapter draws together the major themes and presents reflections on Canadian federalism and public policy. Included are 19 tables, two charts, and an index. Notes accompany each chapter. (JB)