James B. Harkin
| James Bernard Harkin | |
|---|---|
| 1st Commissioner of the Dominion Parks Branch | |
|
In office 1911–1936 |
|
| Succeeded by | Frank H. H. Williamson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
30 January 1875 Vankleek Hill, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | 27 January 1955 (aged 79) Ottawa, Ontario |
| Resting place | Beechwood Cemetery |
| Parents | Dr. William Harkin and Elizabeth McDonnell |
| Known for | First Commissioner of Dominion Parks Branch (now Parks Canada) |
James B. Harkin (30 January 1875 – 27 January 1955), also known as the Father of National Parks, was a Canadian-born journalist turned bureaucrat with a passion for conservation but also widely renowned for his commodification of the Canadian landscape. Harkin began his career as a journalist under the umbrella of the Ottawa Daily and Montreal Herald, two conservative newspapers at the time, but soon through his persistence and prowess gained entry into civil service during his mid-twenties. Under the tutelage of some influential figures working for the Liberal Party of Canada, most notably Clifford Sifton and Frank Oliver, Harkin was able to acquire an appointment to be the first commissioner of the Dominion Parks Branch in 1911. During his career, Harkin oversaw the establishment of national parks that include Elk Island, Mount Revelstoke, Point Pelee, Kootenay, Wood Buffalo, Prince Albert, Riding Mountain, Georgian Bay Islands and Cape Breton Highlands.
On a fundamental level, Harkin's philosophy had two dominant components: the economic, which saw park lands in commercial terms, and the humanitarian which saw parks as being integral to the well-being of the human spirit on a physical, mental and moral level. In successfully bringing these two principles together in a symbiotic way, Harkin was able to facilitate the incredible growth of Canadian tourism and, at the same time, justify his conservationist goals.
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