William Thomas White
|
The Right Honourable Sir William Thomas White PC (UK), PC (Can), GCMG |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Member of the Canadian Parliament for Leeds |
|
|
In office 1911–1921 |
|
| Preceded by | George Taylor |
| Succeeded by | Hugh Alexander Stewart |
| Minister of Finance and Receiver General | |
|
In office 10 October 1911 – 1 August 1919 |
|
| Prime Minister | Robert Borden |
| Preceded by | William Stevens Fielding |
| Succeeded by | Henry Lumley Drayton |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
November 13, 1866 Bronte, Canada West |
| Died | February 11, 1955 (aged 88) |
| Political party | Conservative |
Sir William Thomas White, GCMG, PC (UK), PC (Can) (November 13, 1866 – February 11, 1955), was a Canadian politician and Cabinet minister.
White worked as a reporter for the Toronto Evening Telegram in 1890, and subsequently worked for Toronto's Assessment Department. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto in 1895, and a law degree from Osgoode Law School in 1899. White did not practice law after his graduation, but instead worked as a Managing Director for the National Trust Company, Ltd., becoming its Vice-President in 1911. National Trust was incorporated in 1898 by Senator George Albertus Cox and Edward Rogers Wood. National Trust Company, Ltd. became part of Bank of Nova Scotia as Scotia Trust in 1997.
White was initially a Liberal party member, but his views diverged from the party's policies on some key matters. He was a supporter of British imperialism, and joined Clifford Sifton and other Liberals in signing an anti - reciprocity manifesto in 1911.
Although he had few allies in the Conservative Party, White was respected by party leader Robert Borden, who recognized that White's presence would bring some disaffected Liberals to the party. After winning the general election of 1911, Borden appointed White as his Minister of Finance. White did not hold a seat in the Canadian House of Commons at the time, and in fact had never campaigned for public office before. Nevertheless, he was elected by acclamation in a by-election in the eastern Ontario riding of Leeds, after another Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) was convinced to resign.
...
Wikipedia