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- Duncan Commission
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The national Royal Commission on Maritime Claims, also referred to as the Duncan Commission, was created by Prime Minister Mackenzie King by Privy Council Order on April 7, 1926 (P.C. 505). It was established in response to the claims of the Maritime Rights movement. Sir Andrew Rae Duncan, British expert on coal industry regulation, was appointed Chairperson along with Hon. William Bernard Wallace, Justice of the County Court of District One in Nova Scotia, and English Professor Cyrus Macmillan from Prince Edward Island, working at McGill University in Montreal, as co-commissioners. (Professor Macmillan would later become federal Fisheries Minister.) The Royal Commission’s mandate was 1) to examine and make recommendations to address the Maritimes’ grievances against higher costs for transporting goods by the Canadian National Railway (freight rates), formerly called the Intercolonial Railway, as compared with other parts of Canada; 2) the lack of overseas shipping of Canadian trade goods through Maritime ports; and 3) the lack of action on economic policies promised at the time of Confederation. Public hearings were held in Halifax NS, Saint John NB, Charlottetown PE, Sydney NS, Amherst NS, Yarmouth NS, and in Montreal PQ from July 21 to August 31, 1926. In addition, many informal visitations to local Boards of Trade in the 3 provinces were made, along with a visit to Winnipeg to investigate the transport of grain, and private meetings held in Montreal and Ottawa ON. Evidence was received from over one hundred witnesses, including representatives from Government, trade, commerce, railway administration, and private citizens. The final report, submitted on September 23, 1926, recommended freight rate reductions, an increase in federal payments to the provinces (equalization payments), and new port management for Halifax and Saint John New Brunswick. After fulfilling its duties, the Commission ended.
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CREATED 2022-12-02 Karen White
Revised 2023-01-11 Karen White (edited history as per Peer Review)
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- English
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