The Ottawa Journal - July 3, 1942.

All Exhibitors Already Notified Says Manager

     There will be no Ottawa Exhibition this year and probably none till the war has ended, it was announced Thursday night by the Department of National Defence.
     Cancellation of the fair, which has become after more than 50 years one of the big features of the Capital's roster of public events, was decided upon after careful consideration by the Defence Department and the Exhibition directors. With the present Army Basic Training Centre established in Lansdowne Park, holding of the exhibition would mean loss of a month or six weeks of training while the men were being moved to another base.
     Last year the fair was held under canvas and the Medical Training Centre at the park was moved to Camp Borden.
     Under newly-made arrangements, the exhibition will be canceled for the duration, unless circumstances again alter the plans. It had been announced formerly that the fair would be held. All exhibitors have been notified of the cancellation.
     Alderman E. A. Band, president of the Central Canada Exhibition Association, told The Journal after the Government announcement 		was made that the association had intimation a few days ago of the impending move to cancel this year's fair.
     'While we are sorry to discontinue the Ottawa Exhibition, we must co-operate 100 percent with the Dominion Government authorities,' he said.
     The exhibition authorities were made aware of the Government's intention to cancel the fair early this week and had been taking steps accordingly. The contract with George A. Hamid Inc. to provide the grandstand show called for a July 1 cancellation deadline and this was carried out when indications appeared this week that it would be impossible to stage the fair.
     A somewhat similar agreement regarding cancellation had been made with the Conklin interests regarding the midway and it was possible to cancel this contract without great expense to the Exhibition Association.
     "The board of directors is only too glad to co-operate with the Department of National Defence. The annual exhibition at Lansdowne Park will be suspended for the duration of the war, unless other arrangements can be made at a later date."