• Sutherland DC

• Chiropractic / Canada
• Chiropractic / history
• Chiropractic / legislation and jurisprudence

This paper presents some of the significant milestones that were reached in the long struggle from rejection to acceptance. While it does not attempt to include all of the historical events which contributed to this evolutionary process, it does identify some of the key elements in the laying of a sound foundation upon which the profession could continue to build. It is hoped that other papers will be written to add to our understanding of this important era in chiropractic’s early development. The years from 1917-1958 deal mainly with medicine’s intransigent opposition; then the tide began to turn in chiropractic’s favour. Governments appointed commissions of enquiry to bring some order into the health care field. Our profession’s brief to the Royal Commission on Health Services was described by the Minister of National Health and Welfare as “a very powerful document”. The government enquiries, in addition to identifying professional weaknesses, also made favourable recommendations which encouraged the further growth and development of chiropractic. Commenting on his work as a Royal Commissioner, Mr. Justice Gerard Lacroix said that the medical opposition to chiropractic was:“... based on bias and prejudice, ignorance and refusal to learn about chiropraxy. I thought it safer to know and understand before judging” (p. 13).8

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