Canada. Cabinet. War Committee

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Canada. Cabinet. War Committee

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        Dates of existence

        1939-1945

        History

        On 5 December 1939 the Cabinet War Committee was established. Its terms of reference were to consider questions of general policy, to consider reports from special and other committees and to coordinate war activities. It was composed of the Prime Minister, the leader of the Government in the Senate, the Ministers of Justice, Finance, National Defence, Mines and Resources and the Secretary of State for External Affairs (Prime Minister Mackenzie King). Any member of the Cabinet or civil service could be called upon to attend when the subject warranted their presence.

        In May 1940, the Committee was enlarged to include the Minister of Munitions and Supply and the Minister of National Defence for Air. In July 1940, the Committee was again enlarged to include the Minister of National Defence for Naval Services. From time to time, other Ministers attended meetings of the Cabinet War Committee without being named as full members. Throughout the history of the Committee there were very few occasions when the Prime Minister was not in the chair. When he was absent, he did not turn his duties over to the Minister of National Defence but to the Minister of Mines and Resources as the next senior member. By 11 April 1945, when it held its last meeting, it had convened 339 times covering virtually all matters of policy relating to the conduct of war. Though not officially called the "War Cabinet", it was the effective wartime government of Canada.

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        Final

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        • English

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          Amicus

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