REPORT OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION 



The natives, both Indians and Esquimaux, on the eastern shores of Hudson 

 bay suffer, perhaps to a greater extent than any others, from periodical scarcity 

 of food, as also from lack of deer skins with which to make suitable clothing. 

 It would therefore seem highly desirable that one or more herds of reindeer 

 should be established on this coast. 



Attention is called to the evidence of the Reverend W. G. Walton, Mission- 

 ary of the Church of England, stationed on James bay, as also to the special 

 statement which he has prepared at the request of the Commission, and which 

 is attached as Appendix No. VIII. It will be noted that he has no hesitation in 

 stating that any tame reindeer located there would be quite safe from attack 

 by either Indians or Esquimaux. 



The Reverend William Peck, Missionary of the Church of England in 

 Baffin's island and Ungava from 1876 to 1918, in his evidence before the Com- 

 mission, corroborated the statements of other witnesses as to the suitability of 

 Ungava both in the matter of vegetation and the absence of caribou, and was 

 strongly of opinion that the establishment of reindeer herds would be of great 

 assistance to the natives, both Esquimaux and Indians. 



As Ungava forms part of the province of Quebec, the co-operation of the 

 provincial authorities would be necessary in arranging for the establishment of 

 experimental herds on that peninsula. 



West Coast of Hudson Bay — 



From the evidence of Mr. J. H. D. Tyrrell, Colonel Starnes, Mr. D. W. 

 MacLachlan, C.E., and others, it is evident that the area comprising a strip of 

 land about thirty-five miles wide on the west coast of Hudson bay and to the 

 north of Fort Nelson, is but ill adapted to the maintenance of domesticated 

 reindeer herds. While in the southern part of this area, there is a certain amount 

 of rough food, the surface conditions are such as to render effective herding out 

 of the question. The northern part, between Fort Churchill and Wager inlet, 

 is said to be so barren and rocky as to furnish but little feed of any kind. 



Arctic Coast — 



Your commissioners were fortunate in being able to secure much valuable 

 information as to the potentialities, from a reindeer point of view, of the terri- 

 tory lying within about thirty miles of the Arctic coast, between the International 

 Boundary on the west, and Kent peninsula on the east. As will be seen from the 

 evidence accompanying this report (Appendix No. I) the witnesses familiar 

 with this coast were practically unanimous in the opinion that while some 

 localities are better than others, by far the greater part of this area is eminently 

 adapted for the maintenance of reindeer. 



It could, in fact, scarcely be otherwise, as the vegetation and other con- 

 ditions are almost exactly similar to those which prevail in those portions of 

 Alaska where the reindeer industry has proved most successful. 



All were, however, agreed that there would be more or less difficulty in 

 keeping the reindeer separate from the wild caribou, which, in herds varying 

 greatly in size, constantly frequent this region. 



There is a definite migration of caribou northward in March, April and May, 

 in which the animals cross the ice to Victoria island, either at Dolphin and Union 

 strait or at Dease strait to the east of Coronation gulf. 



As they do not move in a body, but in small detachments, the migrations 

 occupy considerable periods, and it will be evident that great trouble would be 

 experienced in keeping reindeer herds clear of these migratory- bands. 



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