Heath MacQuarrie
Encyclopedia
Heath Nelson Macquarrie was a Canadian
politician
, teacher
, scholar, and writer
. Macquarrie described himself as a Red Tory
, using the term in the title of his autobiography Red Tory Blues.
During the October Crisis
of 1970, he agonized over the implementation of the War Measures Act
, and was prepared to vote against it, but relented for the sake of keeping the Tory caucus united behind Robert Stanfield
. Writing in retrospect, Macquarrie described his vote in favour of the Act as "fundamentally wrong".http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/chambus/senate/deb-e/088db_2002-02-07-E.htm?Language=E&Parl=37&Ses=1#0.2.W54BJ2.4ZG09H.NX85RG.42
He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons
as a Progressive Conservative
candidate in the 1957 federal election
that brought John Diefenbaker
to power. He served as a Member of Parliament
for twenty-two consecutive years, until he was elevated to the Canadian Senate
in 1979 on the advice of Joe Clark
. He sat in the upper house for a further fifteen years, retiring at the mandatory age of 75 in 1994.
He was publicly loyal to Clark's successor, Brian Mulroney
, but privately disagreed with the government on several occasions, once saying during a caucus meeting, "You know, a lot of people think I have a prominent nose because of my enjoyment of a certain beverage. Well, that's all nonsense. I got it that way by having to hold it so often while voting for some of Mulroney's bills."http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/chambus/senate/deb-e/088db_2002-02-07-E.htm?Language=E&Parl=37&Ses=1#0.2.W54BJ2.4ZG09H.NX85RG.42
Macquarrie remained active following his retirement from the Senate in 1994, by contributing a column to the Hill Times and to newspapers in his home province of Prince Edward Island
.
Macquarrie was educated at Prince of Wales College
, the University of Manitoba
, the University of British Columbia
and McGill University
. He earned his doctorate
at McGill, choosing for his thesis topic Robert Borden
. He lectured at Brandon University
and at Mount Allison University
, in economics
, political science
and international relations
.
He edited and wrote the introduction to the published edition of Sir Robert Borden
's diaries. An admirer of the World War I
-era prime minister, Macquarrie considered Borden to be the architect of Canadian independence.
Heath Macquarrie died at the age of 82. He was survived by his wife, Isabel and three children: Heather, Flora and Iain.
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, scholar, and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. Macquarrie described himself as a Red Tory
Red Tory
A red Tory is an adherent of a particular political philosophy, tradition, and disposition in Canada somewhat similar to the High Tory tradition in the United Kingdom; it is contrasted with "blue Tory". In Canada, the phenomenon of "red toryism" has fundamentally, if not exclusively, been found in...
, using the term in the title of his autobiography Red Tory Blues.
During the October Crisis
October Crisis
The October Crisis was a series of events triggered by two kidnappings of government officials by members of the Front de libération du Québec during October 1970 in the province of Quebec, mainly in the Montreal metropolitan area.The circumstances ultimately culminated in the only peacetime use...
of 1970, he agonized over the implementation of the War Measures Act
War Measures Act
The War Measures Act was a Canadian statute that allowed the government to assume sweeping emergency powers in the event of "war, invasion or insurrection, real or apprehended"...
, and was prepared to vote against it, but relented for the sake of keeping the Tory caucus united behind Robert Stanfield
Robert Stanfield
Robert Lorne Stanfield, PC, QC was the 17th Premier of Nova Scotia and leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. He is sometimes referred to as "the greatest prime minister Canada never had", and earned the nickname "Honest Bob"...
. Writing in retrospect, Macquarrie described his vote in favour of the Act as "fundamentally wrong".http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/chambus/senate/deb-e/088db_2002-02-07-E.htm?Language=E&Parl=37&Ses=1#0.2.W54BJ2.4ZG09H.NX85RG.42
He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
as a Progressive Conservative
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....
candidate 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...
that brought 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...
to power. He served as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for twenty-two consecutive years, until he was elevated to the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
in 1979 on the advice of Joe Clark
Joe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
. He sat in the upper house for a further fifteen years, retiring at the mandatory age of 75 in 1994.
He was publicly loyal to Clark's successor, Brian Mulroney
Brian Mulroney
Martin Brian Mulroney, was the 18th Prime Minister of Canada from September 17, 1984, to June 25, 1993 and was leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1983 to 1993. His tenure as Prime Minister was marked by the introduction of major economic reforms, such as the Canada-U.S...
, but privately disagreed with the government on several occasions, once saying during a caucus meeting, "You know, a lot of people think I have a prominent nose because of my enjoyment of a certain beverage. Well, that's all nonsense. I got it that way by having to hold it so often while voting for some of Mulroney's bills."http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/chambus/senate/deb-e/088db_2002-02-07-E.htm?Language=E&Parl=37&Ses=1#0.2.W54BJ2.4ZG09H.NX85RG.42
Macquarrie remained active following his retirement from the Senate in 1994, by contributing a column to the Hill Times and to newspapers in his home province of Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
.
Macquarrie was educated at Prince of Wales College
Prince of Wales College
Prince of Wales College is a former university college, which was located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. PWC merged with St. Dunstan's University in 1969 to form the University of Prince Edward Island....
, the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
, the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
and McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
. He earned his doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
at McGill, choosing for his thesis topic Robert Borden
Robert Borden
Sir Robert Laird Borden, PC, GCMG, KC was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the eighth Prime Minister of Canada from October 10, 1911 to July 10, 1920, and was the third Nova Scotian to hold this office...
. He lectured at Brandon University
Brandon University
Brandon University is a Canadian university located in the city of Brandon, Manitoba, with an enrolment of 3383 full-time and part-time students. The current location was founded on July 13, 1899, as Brandon College as a Baptist institution. It was chartered as a university by then President Dr....
and at Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University is a primarily undergraduate Canadian liberal arts and science university situated in Sackville, New Brunswick. It is located about a half hour from the regional city of Moncton and 20 minutes from the Greater Moncton International Airport...
, in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
and international relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
.
He edited and wrote the introduction to the published edition of Sir Robert Borden
Robert Borden
Sir Robert Laird Borden, PC, GCMG, KC was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the eighth Prime Minister of Canada from October 10, 1911 to July 10, 1920, and was the third Nova Scotian to hold this office...
's diaries. An admirer of the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
-era prime minister, Macquarrie considered Borden to be the architect of Canadian independence.
Heath Macquarrie died at the age of 82. He was survived by his wife, Isabel and three children: Heather, Flora and Iain.
Sources
- Debates of the Senate (Hansard), February 7, 2002 consisting of several tributes to Macquarrie following his death