ABSTRACT
Classic definitions of public policy refer to government action and inaction – attributes readily apparent in the choice of commissions of inquiry and task forces as policy tools. This chapter outlines the general nature and purpose of commissions of inquiry and task forces as policy tools. It covers the ways in which they contribute to policy formulation and other parts of the policy process. The chapter explores an analytical framework focused on ideas, institutions, actors, and relations to highlight and assess their utility and value as policy tools. The ideational framework influencing the choice of any policy tool is multi-faceted. Where commissions of inquiry and task forces are concerned, precedential knowledge, information, and fact are open to contestation. Institution refers to the formal political system, which includes the constitution and federalism and the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. All these avenues of policy decision-making can be considered institutions.
