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This is a list of Canadian royal commissions or commissions of inquiry since Confederation.
In Canada, royal commissions and commissions of inquiry are official inquiries into matters of national concern, either in order to look into an important general issue or to fully investigate a specific incident. They are appointed by the governor-in-Council (Cabinet), according to the Inquiries Act, by an order-in-Council that includes the names of the commissioners, the terms of reference, and the body's powers; commissions are often referred to informally by the name of the chairperson or commissioner(s), such as the "Gomery Inquiry", a commission headed by John Gomery.[1] The findings are reported to Cabinet for appropriate action; while these are non-binding, many have a significant impact on public opinion and the shape of public policy.
The Crown in right of each province can also appoint a royal commission. Federal inquiries are limited to matters within the constitutional jurisdiction of the Parliament of Canada; they can only look at issues within provincial jurisdiction that are connected to federal jurisdiction, such as policing on-reserve, child welfare on-reserve, etcetera. Other types of federal public inquiries include task forces and departmental investigations.
Since the 1960s, royal commissions have tended to be reserved for broad topics, whereas commissions of inquiry have more focused. From 1867 to 2013, there have been almost 450 federal commissions of inquiry, with and without the royal title; more than 1,500 departmental investigations; and an undetermined number of task forces.[2]
- ^ For an account of the origins of Canada's original Inquiries Act see Tom Mitchell, "1846: Canada's First Inquiries Act," Journal of Canadian Studies, Vol. 55, No. 3, 2021.
- ^ Fox, Paul (7 February 2006), "Royal Commissions", The Canadian Encyclopedia, Historica Canada, retrieved 5 October 2023