Report of the Massey Commission

June 3, 2017

Vincent Massey at Rideau Hall, Gar Lunney. National Film Board of Canada, Photothèque, Library and Archives Canada, a144172

1951

In April 1949, Prime Minister Louis St-Laurent appointed the Massey Commission to assess the state of arts and culture in Canada. After holding public meetings across the country, the commission released its report in June 1951. It recommended federal funding for a wide range of Canadian cultural initiatives. Some of these recommendations resulted in the establishment of the Canada Council for Arts and the National Library of Canada. The report was a catalyst in the Canadian government’s increased involvement in developing and promoting Canadian culture.

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