Fred C. Stinson
Encyclopedia
Frederick Coles Stinson (December 28, 1922 – June 17, 2007) was a Canadian
, lawyer, politician, and diplomat, and the Member of Parliament for the federal riding of York Centre
from 1957 to 1962.
Born in Toronto
, Ontario
, Stinson graduated from Trinity University
in Toronto before joining the Royal Canadian Navy
in 1940, serving on convoy duty. He returned to Canada after the war and graduated from law school, articling at the firm of Parkinson Gardiner, where he met his future political mentor, Fred Gardiner, the future chairman of Metropolitan Toronto.
Stinson became a school trustee in the early 1950s and soon afterwards was appointed chairman of the North York board of education. In the 1957 federal election
, at the age of 34, he ran for federal office in the riding of York Centre
for the Progressive Conservative Party
, defeating the incumbent, Al Hollingworth
, by over 10,000 votes. He was re-elected in the 1958 federal election
, but his lack of support for Prime Minister John Diefenbaker
in the 1956 Tory leadership convention meant that he had little support from party leadership. In addition, the scuttling of the Avro Arrow project and the closure of the plant near his riding made him unpopular in his riding; he blamed the Arrow decision for his loss in the 1962 federal election
to James Edgar Walker
, a Liberal
. The riding has elected Liberals to Parliament ever since.
During his time as a Member of Parliament, Stinson visited Mainland China, being the first sitting Canadian member of parliament to do so, and attended the United Nations
as part of the Canadian delegation, witnessing Nikita Khrushchev's
interruption of Harold Macmillan
's speech. He later founded Canadian University Service Overseas
and was honorary consul for Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso
).
After his parliamentary career ended, Stinson criticized the Diefenbaker government for what he felt was its anti-American stance. He returned to private practise in Toronto and was one of the organizers of the Churchill
Society for the Advancement of Parliamentary Democracy.
Frederick Coles Stinson died in Toronto on June 17, 2007.
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...
, lawyer, politician, and diplomat, and the Member of Parliament for the federal riding of York Centre
York Centre
York Centre is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1904 to 1917 and since 1953....
from 1957 to 1962.
Born in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Stinson graduated from Trinity University
University of Trinity College
The University of Trinity College, informally referred to as Trin, is a college of the University of Toronto, founded in 1851 by Bishop John Strachan. Trinity was intended by Strachan as a college of strong Anglican alignment, after the University of Toronto severed its ties with the Church of...
in Toronto before joining the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
in 1940, serving on convoy duty. He returned to Canada after the war and graduated from law school, articling at the firm of Parkinson Gardiner, where he met his future political mentor, Fred Gardiner, the future chairman of Metropolitan Toronto.
Stinson became a school trustee in the early 1950s and soon afterwards was appointed chairman of the North York board of education. In the 1957 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1957
The Canadian federal election of 1957 was held June 10, 1957, to select the 265 members of the House of Commons of Canada. In one of the great upsets in Canadian political history, the Progressive Conservative Party , led by John Diefenbaker, brought an end to 22 years of Liberal rule, as the...
, at the age of 34, he ran for federal office in the riding of York Centre
York Centre
York Centre is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1904 to 1917 and since 1953....
for the Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
, defeating the incumbent, Al Hollingworth
Al Hollingworth
Allan Henry Hollingworth was a Canadian, lawyer, politician, and judge.Born in Brockville, Ontario, he attended Brockville Collegiate Institute before receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Bachelor of Commerce degree both from Queen's University in 1942...
, by over 10,000 votes. He was re-elected in the 1958 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1958
The Canadian federal election of 1958 was the 24th general election in Canada's history. It was held to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 24th Parliament of Canada on March 31, 1958, just nine months after the 23rd election...
, but his lack of support for Prime Minister John Diefenbaker
John Diefenbaker
John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963...
in the 1956 Tory leadership convention meant that he had little support from party leadership. In addition, the scuttling of the Avro Arrow project and the closure of the plant near his riding made him unpopular in his riding; he blamed the Arrow decision for his loss in the 1962 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1962
The Canadian federal election of 1962 was held on June 18, 1962 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 25th Parliament of Canada...
to James Edgar Walker
James Edgar Walker
James Edgar Walker was a Canadian politician.Born in Vegreville, Alberta, he attended the University of Alberta. After working as an insurance agent, he was transferred to Ontario in 1939 by the farm equipment company he was working for at the time. During World War II, he was a corporal with the...
, a Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
. The riding has elected Liberals to Parliament ever since.
During his time as a Member of Parliament, Stinson visited Mainland China, being the first sitting Canadian member of parliament to do so, and attended the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
as part of the Canadian delegation, witnessing Nikita Khrushchev's
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
interruption of Harold Macmillan
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
's speech. He later founded Canadian University Service Overseas
CUSO
CUSO was founded June 6, 1961 as Canadian University Service Overseas . It was a Canadian non-profit organization that provided volunteers to aid in the development of Third World countries. In 2008, CUSO merged with VSO Canada to become CUSO-VSO...
and was honorary consul for Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
).
After his parliamentary career ended, Stinson criticized the Diefenbaker government for what he felt was its anti-American stance. He returned to private practise in Toronto and was one of the organizers of the Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
Society for the Advancement of Parliamentary Democracy.
Frederick Coles Stinson died in Toronto on June 17, 2007.