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John Hewgill Brockelbank was born in Heathcote, Grey County, Ontario on June 24, 1897. Along with his parents (Edward Brockelbank, Sarah Ann Hewgill Brockelbank), he moved to a homestead near North Battleford, Saskatchewan in 1911. While still a student, on March 31, 1917 he enlisted in the 196th Western University Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, embarking from Halifax two months later on June 2. He was discharged from military service on May 17, 1919.

After returning from the war, Brockelbank started a farm near Bjorkdale, Saskatchewan, became active in farmers’ organizations, and entered provincial politics under the party banner of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF). His first election was in the June 1938 general election for the Tisdale Electoral Division. He would be twice re-elected in this riding before it was dissolved after the 1948 election, whereupon he switched to the new riding of Kelsey where he won four consecutive terms until his retirement in 1967. In 1941, he was chosen interim-leader of the CCF when leader George Hara Williams resigned his seat to enlist in the Army. Brockelbank ran for the leadership of the party in 1942, and although he lost to Tommy Douglas, he remained Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, as Douglas did not have a seat in the Legislature at the time. Following the CCF’s victory in the 1944 general election, Brockelbank was appointed to cabinet as Minister of Municipal Affairs. He would remain in cabinet until the CCF were defeated by the Ross Thatcher led Liberal Party in 1964. During his time in cabinet Brockelbank served as minister of the following portfolios: Municipal Affairs (1944-1948); Natural Resources and Industrial Development (1948-1950); Natural Resources (1950-1956); Mineral Resources (1953-1962); and Provincial Treasurer (1962-1964).

On May 24, 1974, Brockelbank received an honorary degree from the University of Saskatchewan (Regina Campus) [now known as University of Regina].

Brockelbank died on May 30, 1977.

George Franklin Arbuckle was born February 17, 1909 in Toronto, Ontario. He attended the Ontario College of Art between 1927 and 1930, during which time he studied under J.W. Beatty, F.S. Challener, J.E.H. MacDonald. After establishing his own studio, Arbuckle made a living through freelance painting commissions and teaching art at Franz Johnston's art school and at Northern Vocational School. In 1940 he took a a position with Bomac Engravers in Toronto, and in 1941 was transferred to their Montreal office, but left the firm in 1944 to become a freelancer again. He obtained commissions for paintings from company's such as the Hudson's Bay Company, Labatt Brewery, Maclean's Magazine, and Dow Chemicals, often for the depiction of historical subjects and landscapes. Arbuckle also produced murals and tapestries for clients, including the Château Champlain Hotel in Montréal, City Hall in Hamilton, Shawinigan Water and Power Co. in Quebec City, and for the new east block of Ontario Parliament Buildings. After seventeen years in Montreal, Arbuckle and his family returned to Toronto in September 1958 and afterwards would teach at the Ontario College of Art until 1989. He had several solo exhibitions over the years, including at the Roberts Gallery in Toronto (1971, 1974, 1977, 1979,1982, 1984, 1987, and 1991); and Wallack Galleries in Ottawa (1978)

Arbuckle was elected to the Ontario Society of Artists in 1933 and to the Association of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 1936, finally becoming a full member in 1943. He was elected Member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 2001.

Arbuckle died on September 12, 2001.

In 1934, Arbuckle married Frances-Anne Johnston (daughter of Franz Johnston, member of the Group of Seven), whom he had met when they were both students at the Ontario College of Art. They had two daughters (Robin, Candace).

The Saskatchewan Power Resources Commission was appointed on January 7, 1927 to inquire and report upon the economic practicability of generating power at central power plants and water power sites in the province and the distribution of power throughout the province. Within the Commission's terms of reference, twelve specific questions were presented to the Commission. Responses to these questions laid the framework for how electric power would be generated, sold, supplied, distributed and regulated in the province of Saskatchewan. The Commission presented its final report on July 12, 1928.

Based on the recommendations of the Saskatchewan Power Resources Commission, the Saskatchewan Power Commission was established under The Power Commission Act, 1929, assented to January 18, 1929. Its mandate was to manufacture, distribute, sell and supply electricity to residential and business customers in Saskatchewan. It also acted as a regulatory body to supervise the operations of private utility companies, and to establish and operate a power system under public ownership.

Louis Augustus Thornton was appointed commissioner of the Saskatchewan Power Commission on January 25, 1929. An office was opened in Regina on February 11, 1929 for Thornton and a small staff including Samuel R. Parker (engineer) and Arthur Hayworth (secretary and legal advisor). The Commission was responsible for the administration of The Power Commission Act, 1929 as well as The Electrical Licensing Act, 1929. It also assumed responsibility for files of the Department of Railways, Labour and Industries that were relative to work of the Commission.

In its infancy, the Commission pursued the purchase of privately-owned power companies and municipally-owned plants. By 1931, it had acquired fourteen plants and was serving 120 centres throughout the province. The depression of the 1930s slowed the Commission's growth and expansion, and only necessary work was done to maintain the infrastructure already in place. However, as the decade ended, an improved economic situation, coupled with war-related contracts from the National Department of Transport and National Defence, proved profitable for the Commission. The Commission purchased more small power companies and renewed expansion of its network to provide more affordable and efficient power services to its customers. L.A. Thornton was succeeded by H.F. Berry as commissioner in 1945.

Under the Crown Corporations Act, 1947, the Saskatchewan Power Commission was converted to the Saskatchewan Power Corporation on February 1, 1949 (O.C. 188/49, amended by O.C. 297/49). Henceforth, the Saskatchewan Power Commission existed purely as a small, governmental body to regulate power production in jurisdictions within Saskatchewan not administered by the Saskatchewan Power Corporation. H.L. Berry resigned as commissioner, but sat on the board of directors of the Saskatchewan Power Corporation until 1950.

On April 14, 1959, section 8 of an Act to amend The Local Government Board Act (S.S. 1959, c. 97) repealed The Power Commission Act, 1929 and the Local Government Board assumed jurisdiction over all orders and consents made or granted by the Saskatchewan Power Commission.