This fonds consists of the papers created by Senator Orville Phillips during his 36 years in the Senate although they are heavily weighted to the last decade as many were destroyed by fire and during an office move. They came from at least two different offices and there is some overlap in the subject content of the various series of papers which have been arranged in accordance with the filing system in place in the Senator's office with the exception of briefing books which have been removed from binders and incorporated into the appropriate series. The papers comprise the following eight series: Administrative files; Policy files; Whip's files; Veterans Affairs general files; Senate Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs; Constituency files; Progressive Conservative Party files; Audiotapes.

The fonds consists of a mixture of the personal and public papers of the late Premier, Walter R. Shaw. Original order as evidenced by file folder titles was maintained; where papers were loose or otherwise unidentifiable as to source, an attempt has been made to fit them into the existing arrangement or to create new titles. The following nine series, arranged chronologically by W.R. Shaw's personal and public activities and by media have emerged: personal papers; civil service career; Premier's papers, Leader of the Opposition files; Legislative Assembly records; desk diaries; Sound recordings; photographic materials; and scrapbooks.