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Colin W. G. Gibson

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Colin W. G. Gibson
Minister of Mines and Resources
In office
1 April 1949 – 17 January 1950
Prime MinisterLouis St. Laurent
Preceded byJames Angus MacKinnon
Succeeded byOffice Abolished
Secretary of State for Canada
In office
12 December 1946 – 31 March 1949
Prime MinisterW. L. Mackenzie King
Louis St. Laurent
Preceded byPaul Martin Sr.
Succeeded byFrederick Gordon Bradley
Minister of National Defence for Air
In office
8 March 1945 – 11 December 1946
Prime MinisterW. L. Mackenzie King
Preceded byAngus Lewis Macdonald
Succeeded byOffice Abolished
Minister of National Revenue
In office
8 July 1940 – 7 March 1945
Prime MinisterW. L. Mackenzie King
Preceded byJames Lorimer Ilsley
Succeeded byJames Angus MacKinnon (acting)
Member of Parliament
for Hamilton West
In office
26 March 1940 – 17 January 1950
Preceded byJohn Allmond Marsh
Succeeded byEllen Fairclough
Personal details
Born
Colin William George Gibson

(1891-02-16)16 February 1891
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Died3 July 1974(1974-07-03) (aged 83)
Spouse
Florence Kerr
(m. 1916)
Children4, including Colin
RelativesJohn Morison Gibson (father)
Occupation
  • Land surveyor
  • Lawyer
Military service
AllegianceCanada
Branch/serviceRoyal Fusiliers 1914-1919
Royal Hamilton Light Infantry 1929-1934
Years of service1911–1919
RankLieutenant-Colonel 1929-1934
Commandant 1935-1938

Colin William George Gibson PC MC VD QC (16 February 1891 – 3 July 1974) was a Canadian politician, land surveyor and lawyer.

Career

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He graduated from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario in 1911 (cadet # 805), where Kenneth Stuart, a future Commander of the Canadian Army, was a fellow cadet. He served with the Royal Fusiliers of the British Army in 1914 and graduated from the University of Toronto in 1915 where he was a Member of Alpha Delta Phi.[1] He was lieutenant-colonel of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry from 1929 to 1934. He practiced law from 1919. He was a founding member of the Royal Military College of Canada ex-cadet club in Hamilton, Ontario in 1930. He became Commandant of Hamilton Garrison from 1935 to 1939.

As Member of Parliament for Hamilton West, he was reelected three times from 1940.03.26 to 1950. He was first elected as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Hamilton West in 1940, with 55.9% of the vote in a two candidate race. Following his election, he was appointed as Minister of National Revenue (1940.07.08 - 1945.03.07). Near the end of his first term, he was also appointed as the acting and later permanent Minister of National Defence for Air (1945.03.08 - 1946.12.11).[2] He served as Secretary of State (1948.11.15 - 1949.03.31) and (1946.12.12 - 1948.11.14). He was Minister for Mines and Resources (1949.04.01 - 1950.01.17).

Following his re-election with 40.2% of the vote (in a three-way, four-party race), he continued as Minister of National Defence for Air (1945.01.11 - 1945.03.07). He was made the Secretary of State for Canada (1948.11.15 - 1949.03.31) and (1946.12.12 - 1948.11.14). Just before the end of his second term, he was moved to the post of Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources (Canada) (1949.04.01 - 1950.01.17).[2]

He continued in this post after he was re-elected in 1949 (with 43.5% of the vote). He resigned from both cabinet and parliament upon his appointment as Puisne judge of the Supreme Court of Ontario. He died in 1974.

Family

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Gibson was the son of Major General Sir John Morison Gibson, former Attorney General of Ontario. His son, Colin D. Gibson, held the riding of Hamilton—Wentworth from 1968 to 1972.

Legacy

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The Gibson Medal at the Royal Military College of Canada is awarded to the top graduating student in the Arts Division.

References

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  1. ^ Catalogue of the Alpha Delta Phi: 1832-1966. New York, NY: The Executive Council of The Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity. 1966. p. 202.
  2. ^ a b Colin W. G. Gibson – Parliament of Canada biography

Books

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  • 4237 Dr. Adrian Preston & Peter Dennis (Edited) "Swords and Covenants" Rowman And Littlefield, London. Croom Helm. 1976.
  • H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "To Serve Canada: A History of the Royal Military College of Canada" 1997 Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1969.
  • H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "Canada's RMC - A History of Royal Military College" Second Edition 1982
  • H16511 Dr. Richard Preston "R.M.C. and Kingston: The effect of imperial and military influences on a Canadian community" 1968
  • H1877 R. Guy C. Smith (editor) "As You Were! Ex-Cadets Remember". In 2 Volumes. Volume I: 1876–1918. Volume II: 1919–1984. Royal Military College. [Kingston]. The R.M.C. Club of Canada. 1984
Parliament of Canada
Preceded by Member for Hamilton West
1940-1950
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of National Defence for Air
1945-1946
Succeeded by
None - position abolished