The Canadian Royal Commission On the Arts, Letters and Sciences

• DOI: 10.1177/106591295100400404
• Date: 01 December 1951
• Author: H.F. Angus
• Published date: 01 December 1951
• Subject Matter: Articles

THE CANADIAN ROYAL COMMISSION ON THE
ARTS, LETTERS AND SCIENCES
H. F. ANGUS
University of British Columbia
HE
ROYAL COMMISSION on National Development in the Arts,
t Letters and Sciences, appointed by the Government of Canada on
April 8, 1949,1 presented its Report in May, 1951.2 In general terms,
the Commission had been directed to conduct an examination into existing
federal agencies, such as the Broadcasting Corporation, the National
Film Board, and various libraries and museums, &dquo;with a view to recom-
mending their most effective conduct in the national interest and with full
respect for the constitutional jurisdiction of the provinces.&dquo;3 The over-
riding purpose of encouraging &dquo;institutions which express national feeling,
promote common understanding and add to the variety and richness of
Canadian life, rural as well as urban,&dquo;4 justified the Commission in taking
a very broad view of its duties.
A
Royal Commission is a flexible device employed both by the federal
and by provincial governments to conduct inquiries for which no special
procedure is provided by law. It may be used to explore a question on
which legislation appears desirable, but on which no clearly defined
position has been taken by any political party. Three, or even five, com-
missioners may be appointed so that various regional or cultural interests
will be represented. An inquiry of this sort has the advantage of com-
mitting the government to nothing more than the general terms employed
in giving a commission its instructions. No policy need be announced until
the report has been studied. In the meantime the question remains in a
sense sub judice, and is removed from political discussion.
A commission has great freedom of choice both as to its staff and as
to its procedure. It will normally be concerned to obtain all the assistance
that it can from well-informed people, to give ample opportunity for all
shades of opinion to be expressed, and to see that appropriate research
studies are made. While a commission has power to demand information
on oath, it is unlikely to do so when matters of opinion are under dis-
cussion. The work of the research staff, rather than fear of the Lord or of
prosecution for perjury, is relied on to check inaccuracies. Interested
parties may be represented by counsel, and witnesses may be cross-
examined.
1
Order in Council, P.C. 1786 (April 8, 1949).
2 Report of the Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences (Ottawa:
King’s Printer, 1951).
3 Order in Council, P.C. 1786.
4 Ibid.
577

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578
A commission’s report, which is printed in English and French,
normally consists of recommendations, more or less precise according to
the subject matter of the inquiry, together with a full explanation of the
reasons for them. If commissioners who represent different shades of
opinion can unite in unanimous recommendations, their conclusions are
likely to be generally accepted as a reasonable compromise. But the last
word lies with the legislature.
The whole process is not without educational value....