Robert MacLaren Fowler (7 December 1906 – 13 July 1980) was a Canadian lawyer, best remember for chairing the Royal Commission on Broadcasting of 1955–57, whose conclusions, though not adopted at the time, eventually led to the creation of the Canadian Radio-Television Commission.

Biography

Born in

Peterborough Peterborough ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in the City of Peterborough district in the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire, England. The city is north of London, on the River Nene. A ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, Fowler was educated at the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...

and

Osgoode Hall Osgoode Hall is a landmark building in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The original -storey building was started in 1829 and finished in 1832 from a design by John Ewart (architect), John Ewart and William Warren Baldwin. The structure is n ...

, before practising law in Toronto. He served on the staff of the Rowell–Sirois Commission. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Fowler was Secretary of the Wartime Prices and Trade Board from 1942 to 1945, when he resigned to become President of the Canadian Pulp and Paper Association, a post he would hold until 1976. A Liberal supporter, he was appointed to chair the Royal Commission on Broadcasting in 1955. In 1957, the Commission recommended the creation of a national regulator for all broadcasting, public and private. The recommendation was rejected by

John Diefenbaker John George Diefenbaker (September 18, 1895 – August 16, 1979) was the 13th prime minister of Canada, serving from 1957 to 1963. He was the only Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, Progressive Conservative party leader between 1930 an ...

's government. He was among the first group of appointees to the

Order of Canada The Order of Canada () is a Canadian state order, national order and the second-highest Award, honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit. To coincide with the Canadian Centennial, ce ...

in 1967, receiving the Medal of Service (later exchanged for that of an Officer of the Order of Canada).

References

* https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/robert-maclaren-fowler * Avowed 'anti-nationalist' dies in Hawkesbury, ''The Ottawa Citizen'', July 15, 1980, p. 36 {{DEFAULTSORT:Fowler, Robert 1906 births 1980 deaths Businesspeople from Ontario People from Peterborough, Ontario Lawyers in Ontario 20th-century Canadian lawyers University of Toronto alumni Osgoode Hall Law School alumni Officers of the Order of Canada 20th-century Canadian businesspeople