Harold Fisher
Encyclopedia
Harold Fisher, KC
(November 1, 1877 - 1928) was mayor
of Ottawa
from 1917-1920 and a Liberal MPP from 1923-1926.
He grew up in Toronto
where he attended Jarvis Collegiate Institute
, the University of Toronto
, and then got his law degree from Osgoode Hall
. He was called to the Ontario bar in 1902. He moved to Ottawa
in 1903 and became one of that city's most important lawyers. He was elected as an Alderman in 1913 and became mayor in 1917. As mayor his most important accomplishment was founding the Ottawa Civic
hospital. Built in the still largely agricultural area west of the city at a cost of some two million dollars, the hospital project was controversial, but Fisher felt it was important after the city had been devastated by the Spanish flu
. In 1920, he became a King's Counsel
. In 1923, he was elected to the provincial legislature
representing the riding of Ottawa West
and was made opposition finance critic with the Liberals. He served on the board of the Civic Hospital from 1924 until his death.
He died of pneumonia
in 1928.
Ottawa's Fisher Park High School
and Fisher Avenue are both named after him.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(November 1, 1877 - 1928) was mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
from 1917-1920 and a Liberal MPP from 1923-1926.
He grew up 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...
where he attended Jarvis Collegiate Institute
Jarvis Collegiate Institute
Jarvis Collegiate Institute is a high school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Jarvis is located on Jarvis Street. Founded in 1807 it is the second oldest high school in Ontario after the Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute, and the oldest high school in Toronto.-History:Jarvis Collegiate was...
, the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, and then got his law degree from Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall is a landmark building in downtown Toronto constructed between 1829 and 1832 in the late Georgian Palladian and Neoclassical styles. It houses the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Divisional Court of the Superior Court of Justice, and the Law Society of Upper Canada...
. He was called to the Ontario bar in 1902. He moved to Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
in 1903 and became one of that city's most important lawyers. He was elected as an Alderman in 1913 and became mayor in 1917. As mayor his most important accomplishment was founding the Ottawa Civic
The Ottawa Hospital
The Ottawa Hospital or L'Hôpital d'Ottawa is a major, non-profit, public, university teaching hospital in Ottawa made up of the former Grace Hospital, Riverside Hospital, Ottawa General Hospital and Ottawa Civic Hospital. It is a 1,195-bed academic health sciences centre...
hospital. Built in the still largely agricultural area west of the city at a cost of some two million dollars, the hospital project was controversial, but Fisher felt it was important after the city had been devastated by the Spanish flu
Spanish flu
The 1918 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the first of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus . It was an unusually severe and deadly pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin...
. In 1920, he became a King's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
. In 1923, he was elected to the provincial legislature
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
representing the riding of Ottawa West
Ottawa West
Ottawa West was a federal and provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1935 to 1997 and in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1908 to 1926 and from 1955 to 1999. It covered the western part of the Ottawa area.-Federal...
and was made opposition finance critic with the Liberals. He served on the board of the Civic Hospital from 1924 until his death.
He died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in 1928.
Ottawa's Fisher Park High School
Fisher Park High School
Fisher Park High School is a closed High School in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.Located within a kilometer of Island Park Drive, Fisher Park's student population included children of many of Ottawa's wealthier citizens and a large contingent of Ottawa's Portuguese and Italian communities...
and Fisher Avenue are both named after him.