Series consists of records documenting the life of Patrick McTaggart-Cowan. Includes autobiographical notes, curriculum vitae, biography, a 1929 high school annual, school notes, honourary degrees, certificates, interviews, and articles about McTaggart-Cowan.

Series consists of correspondence created and received by Patrick McTaggart-Cowan in both his personal and professional life. Includes records that reflect his student days at UBC and Oxford, his professional life from when he first joined the Meteorological Service to when he retired from the Science Council in 1975, and correspondence after his retirement. Also includes correspondence relating to a number of projects, events or interests with which McTaggart-Cowan was concerned.

Series consists of records relating to the personal finances of McTaggart-Cowan. Includes records that reflect income while serving in Newfoundland, household accounts, banking records, and purchases.

Series consists of a collection of artifacts accumulated by Patrick McTaggart-Cowan. Includes trophies, plaques, one print, and medals received by McTaggart-Cowan including the Order of Canada and Member of the British Empire. Series also includes a wooden replica of the university mace presented to McTaggart-Cowan in 1968.

Series consists of diaries, journals, notepads, and appointment books that reflect McTaggart-Cowan's daily activities. Also includes one diary written by Margaret McTaggart-Cowan, and scrapbooks complied by her.

Series consists of speeches given by McTaggart-Cowan on a number of topics, including meteorology, education, and science policy. Includes both finished speeches, rough notes, and background material. Also includes notes on lectures in meteorology given at SFU.

Series consists of publications written or collected by McTaggart-Cowan. Includes articles by McTaggart-Cowan, newspaper clippings, and publications and reports about the oil spill at Chedabucto Bay.

Series consists of photographs produced throughout Patrick McTaggart-Cowan's personal and professional life. Includes photographs of family, school days, portraits, Gander airport, conferences, SFU, and others.

Series comprises records relating to McTaggart-Cowan's work as Head of the Task Force Operation Oil, established by the Minister of Transport in February 1970.

On February 4, 1970 the Liberian tanker the Arrow was wrecked on Cerberus Rock in Chedabucto Bay, off Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. The tanker was bound from Venezuela carrying a cargo of 108,000 barrels of Bunker C fuel oil for Imperial Oil Limited. It is estimated that some two-thirds of the cargo was released into the Bay, polluting 190 miles of the Bay's 375-mile shoreline. The wreck in Chedabucto Bay was the first major spill of heavy Bunker C oil in frigid waters and presented problems for clean-up which were without precedent.

Initial clean-up efforts were directed by James Hornsby of Imperial Oil; he was replaced on February 13. On February 20, the Minster of Tranport appointed a three-man Task Force dubbed “Operation Oil,” with McTaggart-Cowan as the Head, assisted by Dr. H. Sheffer of the Defense Research Board of Canada (Deputy Head), and Capt. M. A. Martin of Maritime Command. The mandate of the Task Force was to minimize damage to the economy and ecology of the region, to gain a knowledge and understanding of oil spills in order to contend with similar incidents in the future, and to make recommendations for minimizing occurrences of oil spills and for providing immediate response and control. In overseeing the clean-up, the Task Force established various headquarters and field units, with much of the on-site capability being provided by the Canadian Armed Forces. Operation Oil reported to the Minister on September 1, 1970 (Final Report, volumes I - III). Clean-up efforts continued over the next two years, and the Task Force delivered the fourth and last volume of its Final Report on May 23, 1972.

Records include correspondence, memoranda, minutes, photographs, diaries, reports and publications (including the Final Report of the Task Force), press releases and press clippings, telegrams, proposals, contracts, plans and drawings, claims sheets and invoices.

Note that the records in this series were made or received by McTaggart-Cowan in his official capacity as Head of the Task Force, an agency of the federal government. Accordingly, in terms of provenance these are public records of Ministry of Transport. The records remained, however, in the physical custody of McTaggart-Cowan and were transferred to the Archives along with his private papers.

Note that associated records may also be held by the federal government department Environment Canada. According to a letter to McTaggart-Cowan dated July 6, 1971 (see file F-65-9-1-19), "much of the reconnaissance data obtained at Chedabucto Bay on ‘Operation Oil' has been placed on microfilm and is stored at the Canadian Oceanographic Data Centre."

Sub-series consists of general correspondence created or received by Patrick McTaggart-Cowan. Records document a wide range of activities, and concerns relevant to McTaggart-Cowan's personal and professional life.

Sub-series consists of correspondence relating to specific subjects, such as acid rain and oil spills. Also includes correspondence relating to conferences attended by McTaggart-Cowan.

Subseries consists of articles, presentations and correspondence relating to public speaking engagements by McTaggart-Cowan concerning his experiences, findings and opinions relating to the Chedabucto Bay oil spill.

Subseries comprises documents relating to the Chedabucto Bay oil spill which were received or collected by McTaggart-Cowan and retained for background, reference and information purposes. The authors of the material were not members of the Task Force and include academics, government and industry researchers, and journalists. Records consist of press clippings and published and non-published studies, reports and papers.

Sub-series consists of correspondence reflecting the relationship between McTaggart-Cowan and Simon Fraser University. Includes records that reflect his tenure as president, his resignation, the granting of an honourary degree in 1972, and his continued involvement with the university.

Subseries comprises records relating to the communication of the activities and findings of Operation Oil. Records consist of reports received by McTaggart-Cowan from the various units of the Task Force, situation reports and progress reports sent to Ottawa by McTaggart-Cowan, and Operation Oil's published Final Report. Volumes I – III of the Final Report were submitted to the Minister in 1970; Volume IV covered the subsequent follow-up activities and was delivered in 1972 (published 1973).

Subseries comprises photographic records documenting the activities of Operation Oil. Records consist of photographs, a register of negatives and correspondence with the photographer.

Subseries comprises records relating to the activities of Operation Oil, including project management, liaison with the Ministry of Transport, salvage, clean-up, research, international correspondence, and liaison with the local community and general public.

Records consist predominantly of correspondence and memoranda, but also include McTaggart-Cowan's operations diaries, telegrams, reports, proposals, plans, drawings, press releases, claims sheets, and invoices.

Subseries comprises records relating to the regular meetings of Operation Oil personnel, including meetings of Task Force heads and meetings of the evening staff. Records consist of minutes.