Donald Gordon (Canadian businessman)
Encyclopedia
Donald Gordon, was a Canadian
businessman and the former President of the Canadian National Railways from 1950 to 1966.
Born in Oldmeldrum
, Scotland
, he came to Canada at an early age. At the age of 15 he joined the Bank of Nova Scotia in Toronto, becoming assistant chief accountant and assistant manager of the Toronto branch. In 1935, he was appointed Secretary of the Bank of Canada
and later became deputy governor. From 1941 to 1947, he was Chairman of the War-Time Prices and Trade Board. From 1950 to 1966, he was the head of the CNR.
He was involved in the controversy over naming the Queen Elizabeth Hotel
, after its founding in Montreal
. Quebec nationalists wanted it called Château Maisonneuve in honour of Montreal's founder, Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve. Gordon decided it should be named for the queen, who had unexpectedly come to the throne in 1952 while the hotel was still on the drawing boards.
He was also involved in a controversy in 1962 when he said that no French-Canadian was enough comptent to be vice-president of the Canadian National Railway
.
In 1944, he was made a Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George. In 1968, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada
.
Queen's University
in Kingston, Ontario
has honoured Donald Gordon, naming a university residence Donald Gordon House, and its conference centre Donald Gordon Centre. He is a member of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
businessman and the former President of the Canadian National Railways from 1950 to 1966.
Born in Oldmeldrum
Oldmeldrum
Oldmeldrum is a village and parish in the Formartine area of Aberdeenshire, not far from Inverurie in North East Scotland. With a growing population of over 2000, Oldmeldrum falls within Scotland's top 300 centres of population. The A947 road from Aberdeen to Banff runs through the centre of the...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, he came to Canada at an early age. At the age of 15 he joined the Bank of Nova Scotia in Toronto, becoming assistant chief accountant and assistant manager of the Toronto branch. In 1935, he was appointed Secretary of the Bank of Canada
Bank of Canada
The Bank of Canada is Canada's central bank and "lender of last resort". The Bank was created by an Act of Parliament on July 3, 1934 as a privately owned corporation. In 1938, the Bank became a Crown corporation belonging to the Government of Canada...
and later became deputy governor. From 1941 to 1947, he was Chairman of the War-Time Prices and Trade Board. From 1950 to 1966, he was the head of the CNR.
He was involved in the controversy over naming the Queen Elizabeth Hotel
Queen Elizabeth Hotel
The Queen Elizabeth Hotel is a grand hotel in Montreal, Quebec. Completed in 1958, it was built by the Canadian National Railway, but was later sold to Canadian Pacific Hotels, now Fairmont Hotels and Resorts...
, after its founding in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. Quebec nationalists wanted it called Château Maisonneuve in honour of Montreal's founder, Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve. Gordon decided it should be named for the queen, who had unexpectedly come to the throne in 1952 while the hotel was still on the drawing boards.
He was also involved in a controversy in 1962 when he said that no French-Canadian was enough comptent to be vice-president of the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
.
In 1944, he was made a Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George. In 1968, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
.
Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
in Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
has honoured Donald Gordon, naming a university residence Donald Gordon House, and its conference centre Donald Gordon Centre. He is a member of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame
Canadian Business Hall of Fame
The Canadian Business Hall of Fame honours "Canada's most distinguished business leaders", selected by an independent panel representing Canadian business, academic and media institutions....
.
External links
- Donald Gordon at The Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian EncyclopediaThe Canadian Encyclopedia is a source of information on Canada. It is available online, at no cost. The Canadian Encyclopedia is available in both English and French and includes some 14,000 articles in each language on a wide variety of subjects including history, popular culture, events, people,...