The Canadian High Commission to Britain was established on 10 June 1880. (Statutes of Canada, 43 Victoria., C11, 1880) When Sir Alexander Galt assumed the position of High Commissioner in 1880, his role was quasi-diplomatic. His responsibility was to conduct the business of the Canadian government in Great Britain. This meant all manner of government activity which would concern Canada, including defence arrangements, trade, finance, immigration, justice, shipping, etc. He was assisted in this work by representatives of various Canadian Government departments. But from the very beginning the High Commissioner began to act in a generally representative capacity and to perform tasks which were comparable to a diplomatic officer. The powers of the High Commissioner grew and by the early years of the twentieth century Lord Strathcona, High Commissioner from 1896-1914,had assumed responsibility for the overwhelming majority of the powers and responsibilities of the Canadian government in Great Britain.(Canada, House of Commons Debates, 5 December 1912).

AMDigital Reference: R219-1-4-E Volume 16.

Reproduction of: External Affairs. High Commissioner's Office, London. Series I. Department of Agriculture, Jan 1891-Dec 1892 Jan 1891 - Dec 1892.

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Adam Matthew Digital (Firm), digitiser.