William McLean Hamilton
Encyclopedia
William McLean Hamilton, PC
, OC
(February 23, 1919 – June 7, 1989) was a Canadian
politician.
He was born in Montreal
, Quebec
, Canada. His father, Ernest Hamilton
, was a lacrosse
player who won a gold medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics
. He was a student at the Montreal High School and he took a B.Sc
from Sir George Williams University in business administration.
He sat on Montreal City Council
and the Executive Council of Montreal.
He was elected to parliament in the 1953 election
as a Progressive Conservative
for the riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
. In his maiden speech to Parliament in November he accused the very conservative Liberal
government led by Louis St. Laurent
of being socialists. His criticisms were based on the government being corporatistic and taking an interest in private business activities.
Following the 1957 election
, he was appointed Postmaster General of Canada
by John Diefenbaker
. In that office he annoyed many of his colleagues by not permitting the post office to be used a reward for party supporters. He also drew ire by attempting to close many small and inefficient post offices.
Despite his staunch fiscal conservatism and anti-communism
, he was a supporter of the Quebec Liberal Party over the Union Nationale. Hamilton disliked the corruption of the Union Nationale and their infusion of strict Catholicism into Quebec politics. Hamilton was an Anglican.
He resigned as Postmaster General on July 12, 1962 after he was defeated in the 1962 election
by Edmund Tobin Asselin
. Hamilton could not speak French
, and it was a more important issue in 1962 than it had been previously.
After his defeat Hamilton left Montreal for Vancouver
where he ran a business.
In 1978 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
, OC
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...
(February 23, 1919 – June 7, 1989) was a Canadian
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.
He was born in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada. His father, Ernest Hamilton
Ernest Hamilton
Ernest Samuel "Ernie" Hamilton was a Canadian lacrosse player who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics. He was part of the Canadian team which won the gold medal. He was the father of politician William McLean Hamilton.-External links:*...
, was a lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
player who won a gold medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
. He was a student at the Montreal High School and he took a B.Sc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
from Sir George Williams University in business administration.
He sat on Montreal City Council
Montreal City Council
The Montreal City Council is the governing body of Montreal, Quebec. The head of the city government in Montreal is the mayor, who is first among equals in the City Council. The mayor is Gérald Tremblay, who is a member of the Union des citoyens et des citoyennes de l'Île de Montréal...
and the Executive Council of Montreal.
He was elected to parliament in the 1953 election
Canadian federal election, 1953
The Canadian federal election of 1953 was held on August 10 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 22nd Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Louis St...
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....
for the riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce , also nicknamed NDG, is a residential neighbourhood of Montreal located in the city's west-end. It is one of five districts of the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce...
. In his maiden speech to Parliament in November he accused the very conservative 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...
government led by Louis St. Laurent
Louis St. Laurent
Louis Stephen St. Laurent, PC, CC, QC , was the 12th Prime Minister of Canada from 15 November 1948, to 21 June 1957....
of being socialists. His criticisms were based on the government being corporatistic and taking an interest in private business activities.
Following the 1957 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...
, he was appointed Postmaster General of Canada
Postmaster General of Canada
The Postmaster General of Canada was the Canadian cabinet minister responsible for the Post Office Department . In 1851, management of the post office was transferred from Britain to the provincial governments of the Province of Canada, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward...
by 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 that office he annoyed many of his colleagues by not permitting the post office to be used a reward for party supporters. He also drew ire by attempting to close many small and inefficient post offices.
Despite his staunch fiscal conservatism and anti-communism
Anti-communism
Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...
, he was a supporter of the Quebec Liberal Party over the Union Nationale. Hamilton disliked the corruption of the Union Nationale and their infusion of strict Catholicism into Quebec politics. Hamilton was an Anglican.
He resigned as Postmaster General on July 12, 1962 after he was defeated in the 1962 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...
by Edmund Tobin Asselin
Edmund Tobin Asselin
Edmund Tobin Asselin was a Canadian politician, administrator and businessman. He was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 1962 election as a Member of the Liberal Party representing the riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce. He was re-elected in 1963.- External links :*...
. Hamilton could not speak French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, and it was a more important issue in 1962 than it had been previously.
After his defeat Hamilton left Montreal for Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
where he ran a business.
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...
.