Rowell–Sirois commission (1937–40)

In August 1937 the Canadian government set up one of the most important commissions in the history of Canada: the royal commission on dominion-provincial relations, known after its chairmen as the Rowell–Sirois commission. Its mandate was to examine the balance of powers and responsibilities between the federal and provincial governments. The commission finally submitted its imposing report to the government in May 1940. The royal commission’s work would serve as the foundation for the federal government’s development of social programs inspired by Keynesian economic theories and for the introduction of a system of equalization payments.