Donald Gordon (Canadian businessman)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Donald Gordon, C.M.G., C.C. (December 11, 1901 – May 2, 1969) was a Canadian businessman and the former President of the Canadian National Railways from 1950 to 1966.

Born in Oldmeldrum, Scotland, he came to Canada at an early age. At the age of 15 he joined the Bank of Nova Scotia in Toronto, becoming assistant chief accountant and assistant manager of the Toronto branch. In 1935, he was appointed Secretary of the Bank of Canada and later became deputy governor. From 1941 to 1947, he was Chairman of the War-Time Prices and Trade Board. From 1950 to 1966, he was the head of the CNR.

He was involved in the bitter controversy over naming the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, after its founding in Montreal. Quebec nationalists wanted it called Château Maisonneuve in honour of Montreal's founder, Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve. Gordon, stubbornly insisted it be named for the queen, who had unexpectedly come to the throne in 1952 while the hotel was still on the drawing boards.

In 1944, he was made a Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George. In 1968, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada.

Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario has honoured Donald Gordon, naming a university residence Donald Gordon House, and its conference centre Donald Gordon Centre. He is a member of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.