- Brooke Claxton
Brooke Claxton, PC, DCM, KC, BCL, LL.D (
1898-08-23 –1960-06-13 ) was a Canadian veteran ofWorld War I , federalMinister of National Health and Welfare and Minister of National Defence.Early life
He was born in
Montreal and received his early education atLower Canada College . He was a gifted student and enteredMcGill University in September 1915 after completing grade 11. After a year at university he left McGill in 1916 and enlisted with the Victoria Rifles of Canada.Professional career and achievements
He served overseas with the Royal Canadian Artillery and saw action, which experience marked him profoundly. He was promoted to the rank of Battery Sergeant-Major in the field and was awarded the
Distinguished Conduct Medal .Returning to
Canada after the War, Brooke Claxton completed his course at McGill, graduating with honours in Law. He practised his profession in Montreal. In 1939 he was created a King's Counsel. He had an academic post at McGill where he was associate professor of commercial law until 1944.Brooke Claxton was active in community service. He served as President of the Canadian Club of Montreal, Chairman of the Montreal branch of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs, Chairman of the Board of Governors of
Lower Canada College from 1925 until 1934, and was a graduate fellow of the Corporation of McGill University. The burgeoning nationalism after World War I led Brooke Claxton to become involved in associations such as the Canadian League and theLeague of Nations Society. He was also anintervenor on behalf of the federal government in the constitutional issue concerning jurisdiction overradio broadcasting. He was active in laying the foundations for the establishment of theCanadian Broadcasting Corporation .Political career
His political career began in the general election of 1940 when he was first elected to the House of Commons as Liberal Member for the constituency of St. Lawrence-St. George, Montreal. He was re-elected in 1945 and again in 1949. He was appointed in 1943 as Parliamentary Assistant to the Prime Minister. He served in the federal Liberal cabinets of Mackenzie King and Louis St. Laurent. In 1944 he was named the first Minister of the newly created Department of National Health and Welfare (1944-46). He was responsible for the organization of the Department and implementation of the administration system for the universal Family Allowances social welfare scheme. In 1946 Brooke Claxton became Minister of National Defence in which portfolio he served until 1954.
In 1947 he headed the Canadian delegation to the British Commonwealth Conference on
Japan held inAustralia . As vice-chairman of the Cabinet Committee onNewfoundland , in 1949 he signed the terms of union on behalf of Canada. He represented Canada at the meetings of the Defence Committee under theNorth Atlantic Treaty inWashington, D.C. ,Paris andThe Hague . As Minister of National Defence he guided post-war demobilization, helped shape CanadianCold War foreign policy, and presided over Canada’s participation in theKorean War .In 1949 he appointed Rear-Admiral
Rollo Mainguy to head a commission of inquiry into the so-called "mutinees" on several navy ships that year. The Mainguy Report found no sign ofCommunist subversion, and noted that the sailors involved had some justified grieveances (seeRoyal Canadian Navy#"Mutinees" in 1949 ).Later life
In 1954 he retired from politics, but continued to play an important role in the creation of the
Canada Council . He was just sixty-one when he died. At his death in 1960, The Montreal Gazette wrote that the Honourable Brooke Claxton “faced death … with unbreakable courage.” He astounded associates by working hard right to the end and “never relaxing his grip.”He was honoured by the
University of Saskatchewan with the degree ofDoctor of Laws at its Golden Jubilee Convocation in 1959.The Brooke Claxton Building in
Ottawa , where the Department of Health is based, was named in his honour.ee also
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List of Canadian Ministers of National Defence Further reading
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External links
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