Walter Stewart Owen
Encyclopedia
Walter Stewart Owen, OC
, QC
(January 26, 1904 – January 13, 1981) was the 22nd Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
from 1973–1978.
In his youth, Owen was the first premier of the British Columbia Older Boys' Parliament, which later became the British Columbia Youth Parliament
. He became a prominent lawyer
in Vancouver. He was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 1928 and in 1933 was named the youngest crown prosecutor in Canada
at that time. He later went into private practice and co-founded the Vancouver law firm Owen Bird. In 1958, he was elected as the president of the Canadian Bar Association
.
In 1956, Owen and business partner Frank Griffiths
purchased New Westminster radio station
CKNW and co-founded Western International Communications Ltd. ("WIC").
He is the father of Philip Owen
, who served three terms as the mayor of the city of Vancouver.
In 1978, he was made an Officer 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...
, QC
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...
(January 26, 1904 – January 13, 1981) was the 22nd Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
The Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia is the viceregal representative in British Columbia of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared with equally the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest...
from 1973–1978.
In his youth, Owen was the first premier of the British Columbia Older Boys' Parliament, which later became the British Columbia Youth Parliament
British Columbia Youth Parliament
The British Columbia Youth Parliament is a youth service organization that operates in the guise of a "parliament" in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The BCYP fulfills its motto of "Youth Serving Youth" by means of "legislation" enacting community service projects and other...
. He became a prominent lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in Vancouver. He was called to the Bar of British Columbia in 1928 and in 1933 was named the youngest crown prosecutor in Canada
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...
at that time. He later went into private practice and co-founded the Vancouver law firm Owen Bird. In 1958, he was elected as the president of the Canadian Bar Association
Canadian Bar Association
The Canadian Bar Association represents over 37,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers, and law students from across Canada.-History:The Association's first Annual Meeting was held in Montreal in 1896. However, the CBA has been in continuous existence in its present form since 1914...
.
In 1956, Owen and business partner Frank Griffiths
Frank Griffiths
Frank A. Griffiths was a Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada media mogul through his company, Western International Communications Ltd. ....
purchased New Westminster radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
CKNW and co-founded Western International Communications Ltd. ("WIC").
He is the father of Philip Owen
Philip Owen
Philip Walter Owen was the mayor of Vancouver, British Columbia from 1993 to 2002, making him one of Vancouver's longest serving mayors. His father was Walter S. Owen, who was Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia from 1973 to 1978....
, who served three terms as the mayor of the city of Vancouver.
In 1978, he was made an Officer 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...
.