Massey Report

Canadian government document

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July 16, 2026

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The Massey Report, officially titled the Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters, and Sciences, was issued in 1951. It warned that Canadian culture was becoming indistinguishable from that of the United States due to American media influence. Consequently, the Canadian government mandated that mass media encourage Canadian content. While the report's success is debated, it spurred efforts to promote local cultural products. The report also preceded Canada's official adoption of multiculturalism in 1971. The Massey Report is distinct from William Ferguson Massey, a New Zealand statesman and Prime Minister from 1912-1925.123

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Canada
Cultural life
…(what became known as the Massey Report) warning that Canadian culture had become invisible, nearly indistinguishable from that of the neighbouring United States, owing to years of “American invasion by film, radio, and periodical.” Henceforth, the government declared that Canada’s mass media would be required to encourage Canadian content—books, television…
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…(what became known as the Massey Report) warning that Canadian culture had become invisible, nearly indistinguishable from that of the neighbouring United States, owing to years of “American invasion by film, radio, and periodical.” Henceforth, the government declared that Canada’s mass media would be required to encourage Canadian content—books, television…
Read More