Thomas Langton Church
Encyclopedia
Thomas Langton "Tommy" Church (1870 – February 7, 1950) was a Canadian
politician.
After serving as Mayor of Toronto from 1915 to 1921, he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1921 election
as a Conservative from the riding
of Toronto North
. He was defeated in the 1930 election
in Toronto West Centre
, but returned to Parliament as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Toronto East
in a 1934 by-election
. He remained in the House of Commons until his death in 1950.
As mayor, Church was strongly backed by the Toronto Telegram
and opposed by the Toronto Daily Star
. He was occasionally mocked in the pages of the Star by Ernest Hemingway
who was, at the time, a reporter for the paper. Late in his career as an MP, Church denounced the newly formed United Nations
as "modern tower of Babel", for "which Canada and Great Britain should not allow their interests to be the play thing."
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.
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...
in the 1921 election
Canadian federal election, 1921
The Canadian federal election of 1921 was held on December 6, 1921 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 14th Parliament of Canada. The Union government that had governed Canada through the First World War was defeated, and replaced by a Liberal government under the young leader...
as a Conservative from the riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Toronto North
Toronto North
Toronto North was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1904 to 1925. It was located in the city of Toronto in the province of Ontario...
. He was defeated in the 1930 election
Canadian federal election, 1930
The Canadian federal election of 1930 was held on July 28, 1930 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 17th Parliament of Canada...
in Toronto West Centre
Toronto West Centre
Toronto West Centre was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1925 to 1935. It was and located in the province of Ontario...
, but returned to Parliament as 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,...
(MP) for Toronto East
Toronto East
Toronto East was a federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1935. It was located in the city of Toronto in the province of Ontario. It was created by the British North America Act of 1867.East Toronto initially consisted of St. Lawrence, St. Davids and...
in a 1934 by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
. He remained in the House of Commons until his death in 1950.
As mayor, Church was strongly backed by the Toronto Telegram
Toronto Telegram
The Toronto Evening Telegram was a conservative, broadsheet afternoon newspaper published in Toronto from 1876 to 1971. It had a reputation for supporting the Conservative Party at both the federal and provincial level. The paper competed with the liberal Toronto Star...
and opposed by the Toronto Daily Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
. He was occasionally mocked in the pages of the Star by Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
who was, at the time, a reporter for the paper. Late in his career as an MP, Church denounced the newly formed 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 "modern tower of Babel", for "which Canada and Great Britain should not allow their interests to be the play thing."