George F. MacDowell was born in 1913, in Prince Edward Island. He studied at Dalhousie University from 1930 to 1933, but did not complete a degree. During WWII, MacDowell served in Canada and Europe as a member of the Royal Canadian Signals Corps. After the war, he returned to Dalhousie University, graduating with a B.A. in 1947. Subsequently, he graduated with a Masters Degree in Economics from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. George McDowell taught at both Mount Allison University and the University of Alberta before coming to Brandon in 1957 to teach at Brandon College. He remained as a professor in the Economic Department until his retirement in 1979.
MacDowell's work was published in the Canadian Journal of Economics and Political Science. In 1971, McClelland & Stewart published his account of the Brandon Packers strike of 1960 titled "The Brandon Packer's Strike: A Tragedy of Errors." In Brandon, MacDowell maintained a relationship with the local Association of Fire Fighters, aiding them with collective bargaining procedures. He also served as Chairman for the MacKenzie Seeds Board, and was a member of the Manitoba Development Corporation Board.
MacDowell never married and had no known children. He passed away on February 26th, 1986.
Custodial History
This collection was in the possesion of George MacDowell until his death. It was then held by the Brandon University Department of Economics until 1997, at which time it was transferred to the McKee Archives at Brandon University.
Scope and Content
The bulk of this fonds falls into five main categories:
1. Records dealing with the Brandon Packers Strike of 1960 and the subsequent legal actions against the owners, including all 2215 pages of the Brandon Packers Strike Commission;
2. Records dealing with the Commission of Inquiry into The Pas Forestry and Industrial Complex, including the complete transcript of the inquiry measuring approximately 5m. This Commission dealt with the conduct of Churchill Forest Industries, a company owned by a Swiss financial firm, which, in the 1960's, was given approximately 93 million dollars by the Roblin Provincial Government to develop The Pas Forestry and Industrial Complex. Churchill Forest Industries and its parent company subsequently came under suspicion of fraud and accused of fradulently transfering The Pas Forestry funds into other foreign business interests;
3. Records dealing with business loans awarded by the Manitoba Development Corporation during the 1970's and 1980's to businesses primarily within Manitoba;
4. Records dealing with McKenzie Seeds, and McKenzie Steele-Briggs Seeds during the early 1980's when George MacDowell was a board member of McKenzie Seeds;
5. Records dealing with Professor MacDowell's career as a Professor at Brandon University, including records relating to his courses and to administrative activities.
To a lesser extent, this collection includes records dealing with the University of Saskatchewan College of Commerce, the publication the "Manitoba New Democrat," issues associated with politics, labor and union in the prairie provinces from the 1960's to the 1980's, articles from various economic periodicals including "Economica" and "Public Finance," a variety of government reports from 1941 to 1981, and records dealing with George MacDowells' relationship with the Brandon Firefighters Association.
Notes
File level inventory available. Description written by Mike White (2002).
Souris Co-operative Elevator Association Limited Organizational papers: 1927 - 1976 Certificate of Incorporation, 28 June 1927 Memorandum of Association (includes By-laws), 27 June 1927 Agreement between SCE and MPE, 1 February 1933 By-law no. 15, 1933 Agreement between SCE and MPEk, 1 August 1951 By-law no. 23, 6 November 1951 Letter re: 1951 Operating agreement (By-law no. 23), 22 May 1952 MPE General By-laws, 27 October 1952 Agreement for sale, 1 August 1959 Agreement for sale, 11 March 1960 Letter re: Agreement for sale, 3 August 1961 Directors' Resolution, 18 October 1961 Agreement between MPE and SCE, 1 August 1967 By-law no. 26, 23 March 1967 Agreement between SCE and MPE, 1 August 1972 Letter re: 29 continuing elevator associations, 22 October 1975 Letter, 14 January 1976 Letter, 16 March 1976 Transfer agreement re: Direct membership, 16 March 1976 Letter re: Above agreement, 23 March 1976 Special Directors meeting, 15 April 1976 Minutes of Executive Board meetings, volume 1, 5 March 1947 - volume 6, 4 December 1978 Minutes of Shareholders Annual meetings, 1951 - 1973, 1947, 1949 Financial records and statistics Statement of surplus, 1939 - 1952 Final statements, 1931 - 1938, 1942 Auditors' reports, 1929 - 1976 Comparative financial statements, 1953 - 1973, 1978 Correspondence, 1956 - 1980 Membership list Inactive list, November 1961 Advisement of New members, no date Miscellaneous Buildings re: Dollar value, mill rate, 1961 - 1962 Rough note re: Roll values, land and building etc, 1967 - 1968 Rough copy re: Annual meeting minutes, 2 December 1969 Statement and demand for taxes, 1973 Statement and demand for taxes, 1974 Receipts for grand opening, November 1977 Letter re: MPE Donation to event, 17 November 1977 Rough agenda, 1977 Organizational meeting - rough, 15 January 1979 Rough - SCEA, 15 January 1979 Rough notes, 1979 Rough copy re: Annual meeting minutes, 29 October 1968 Letter re: Demand for taxes, 4 December 1974 Rough note re: Sales service data, no date Resolution re: Fuel costs and cheap food policy, no date Rough copy re: Annual meeting, no date Corporate Name: Rural Municipality of Glenwood; local Pool Committee minutes November 18, 1985 - November 18, 1991.
See fonds level description of RG 4 for history/bio of MPE
Scope and Content
This sub-series consists of miscellaneous MPE records:
Box 1:
1a-5. Miscellaneous files March 5 1925-Nov 19 1973
Box 2:
6. Membership Lists
7. Training and Development
8. Member Complaints
9. MPE Employee Handbook
10. Plebiscite Nov 24 1951
11. Quiz Programs 1940, 1948
Canadian Wheat Pool Visitors Book 1930-1956
12. Delivery Ledger 1967-1968
13. Information re: Wheat Export Shipments 1924-1930
14. Important Issues by Association June 2 1944
15. Grain Booklets
