The twenty-ninth edition of How Ottawa Spends focuses on the policies of the Harper government and the course of federal-provincial relations. Leading scholars of Canadian public policy explore several key policy areas, including fiscal balance in the federation, tax policy, regulatory capacity, the federal funding of territorial and northern Aboriginal governments, child care policy, higher education policy, telecommunications policy, and the rapid appearance and disappearance of the federal social economy initiative - i.e., "how Ottawa doesn't spend." Contributors include Frances Abele (Carleton & IRPP), Cheryl N. Collier (Carleton), Geoffrey Hale (University of Lethbridge), Walter Hettich (emeritus, California State), Edward T. Jackson (Carleton), Rianne Mahon (Carleton), Allan M. Maslove (Carleton), Clara Morgan (Carleton), Michael J. Prince (University of Victoria), Richard Schultz (McGill), Robert Slater (Carleton), Barry Stemshorn (University of Ottawa), and Stanley L. Winer (Carleton).

An examination of federal and provincial government responsibilities with respect to native peoples, these essays deal with the most appalling "political football" in Canadian politics. Specially commissioned experts in the field write on topics such as fiscal, legal and constitutional issues, and examine the circumstances of specific native groups in Canada.