Royal Commission on Canada's Economic Prospects : The Royal Commission on Canada's Economic Prospects was established under Order in Council (P.C. 909, 17 June 17) under Part I of the Inquiries Act (R.S.C., 1952, c.154) and on the recommendation of the Prime Minister to inquire into and report on the long-term prospects of the Canadian economy, including: (a) developments in the supply of raw materials and energy sources; (b) the expected growth in the population of Canada and the changes in its distribution; (c) prospects for growth and change in domestic and external markets for Canadian productions; (d) trends in productivity and standards of living; and (e) prospective requirements for industrial and social capital. The Commissioners were Walter Lockhart Gordon, Chairman; Omer Lussier, Albert Edward Grauer, Andrew Stewart and Raymond Gushue. The Secretary was Douglas Valentine LePan.
In his autobiography, Walter Gordon relates that during the 1940s and 1950s he became concerned about the economic policies of the Government of Canada. Early in 1955 Gordon drafted an article in which he raised questions on the validity of a number of these policies, particularly selling control of Canada's natural resources and business enterprises to foreigners. Gordon was apprehensive about the effect this might have on Canada's independence. He concluded by advocating the creation of a royal commission to examine economic issues in the context of Canada's population growth and national output. The article was intended for publication in the journal of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs. Before publishing it, Gordon decided to ask Ken Taylor, the Deputy Minister of Finance, if it would be embarrassing to the government. Walter Harris, the Minister of Finance, contacted Gordon a few days later because he liked Gordon's idea for a royal commission on Canada's economic future and wanted to propose it in his forthcoming budget speech. On 5 April 1955 Harris delivered his budget speech in the House of Commons including the proposal for a royal commission. Subsequently, on the advice of Prime Minister St. Laurent, Harris requested that Gordon act as chairman of a royal commission on Canada's Economic Prospects, to which Gordon agreed. (See (Walter L. Gordon, A Political Memoir, Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 1977, pp. 59-61.)
Hearings of the Commission were held in St. John's, Halifax, Charlottetown, Fredericton, Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria from 18 October 1955 to 9 March 1956. The Commission received 330 submissions. RG33-35 General Inventory
