Ken Norrie

Ken Norrie is a Professor of Economics at McMaster University. He first joined the University of Alberta in 1971, and was promoted to Full Professor in 1980. He was Associate Dean of Arts (Social Sciences) in 1989 to 1990, Acting Chair of the Economics department in 1993 to 1994, Chair in 1997 to 1999 and Dean of Arts from July 1999 to December 2001. He joined McMaster University in January 2002 as Professor of Economics and, from January 2002 until September 2006, served as Provost and Vice-President (Academic). He was seconded to the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) from February 2007 until January 2012, serving as Vice-President (Research).

Professor Norrie spent the academic year 1979 to 1980 as a Visiting Associate Professor at Queen’s University. He was seconded to the Royal Commission on the Economic Union and Development Prospects for Canada (the Macdonald Commission) in 1983 to 1984 and 1984 to 1985. In 1990 to 1991, he was Clifford Clark Visiting Economist at the Department of Finance, Government of Canada. He was the editor of Canadian Public Policy/Analyse de Politique between 1986 and 1990, and has served on the editorial boards of Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Journal of Regional Science, Prairie Forum and National History.

Professor Norrie’s teaching and research interests lie in the areas of Canadian economic history, higher education, regional economics, and economic policy. He is the author or co-author of five monographs, including A History of the Canadian Economy, 4th edition with Doug Owram and Herb Emery. He has published articles in The Canadian Journal of Economics, Journal of Economic History, Canadian Public Policy, Agricultural History, Canadian Papers in Rural History, Canadian Journal of Political Science, Economy and History, Journal of Canadian Studies, Explorations in Economic History, and Publius: the Journal of Federalism. He has also published a number of book chapters and papers in conference proceedings. He wrote a number of research papers at HEQCO and was the principal author of the first three annual reviews.

Professor Norrie earned his BA from the University of Saskatchewan in 1967, a BA (Honours) in economics in 1967, an MPhil from Yale University in 1969, and a PhD from Yale in 1971.

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