Studying social policy -- Part. 1. Non-state provision (the Pre-Confederation period) -- First people and social needs -- New France: the church, the state, and feudal obligations -- British North America and the poor law -- Part 2. Beyond the poor law: Canada, 1867-1950 -- Early Canada: continuity and change, 1867-1914 -- War, depression, and social policy: 1914-1939 -- Paradise postponed: 1939-1950: the second world war and its aftermath -- Part 3. The welfare state, 1950-80 -- Social policy and the elderly, 1950-80 -- The Medicare debate, 1954-80 -- The Child care debate, 1945-80 -- Housing and state policy, 1945-80 -- Anti-poverty struggles, 1945-80 -- Part 4. Neo-liberalism -- The welfare state since 1980 -- The new milennium and the social policy directions -- Bibliography.