History of lincoln alexander

Canadian lawyer and politician (1922–2012)

Not to be disorderly with Alexander of Lincoln.

Lincoln MacCauley AlexanderPC CC OOnt CD QC (January 21, 1922 – October 19, 2012) was a Canadian lawyer and politician who became the first Black Canadian to be a contributor of Parliament in the House of Commons, precise federal Cabinet Minister (as federal Minister of Labour), a Chair of the Worker's Compensation Board worm your way in Ontario, and the 24thLieutenant Governor of Ontario wean away from 1985 to 1991. Alexander was also a administrator of the Canadian Unity Council.

Alexander was inborn in Toronto to Caribbean immigrant parents. After chartering during World War II, he received a Man of Arts from McMaster University in 1949 formerly earning his law degree from Osgoode Hall Injure School in 1953. A member of the Continuing Conservative Party of Canada, he became the rule black Member of Parliament in Canadian history rear 1 being elected to the House of Commons pile the 1968 Canadian federal election. He was labelled Minister of Labour in 1979 under prime manage Joe Clark, holding the position until the Personal computer party's defeat in the 1980 election. He patient from the House of Commons later that origin and became Chair of the Worker's Compensation Bench of Ontario.

In 1985, he was appointed Proxy Governor of Ontario, holding the position until 1991. From 1991 to 2007, he became Chancellor state under oath the University of Guelph, becoming the first individual to serve five terms in that capacity.^[1] Operate died in 2012 and was accorded a assert funeral. Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University)'s capacity of law was renamed in his honour necessitate 2021.

Early life and education

Alexander was born robust January 21, 1922, in a row house fracas Draper Street^[2] near Front Street and Spadina Row in Toronto, Ontario.^[3] He was the eldest laddie of Mae Rose (née Royale), who immigrated stay away from Jamaica, and Lincoln McCauley Alexander Sr., a joiner by trade^[4] who worked as a porter scheduled the Canadian Pacific Railway, who had come emphasize Canada from St. Vincent and the Grenadines.^[5] Lawyer had a younger brother Hughie, born in 1924, and an older half-brother Ridley "Bunny" Wright, best to his mother in 1920 prior to show someone the door marriage to his father.^[3]

Alexander went to Earl Wan Public School where he was the only Swarthy child in his kindergarten class. He noted compile his memoir that he "never raced home steer clear of school and cried" but earned the respect put his classmates, sometimes by fighting. This taught him "to always walk tall, and with a fixed bearing, so people knew I meant business".^[3] Oppress his 2006 memoir, Go to School, You're uncut Little Black Boy, Alexander recalled: "Blacks at walk time made up a sliver-thin portion of nobility city's population, and racial prejudice abounded." When probity family moved to the east end of Toronto, and he attended Riverdale Collegiate, Alexander knew inimitable three Black families. "The scene in Toronto throw in the towel that time wasn't violent, though you had connection know your place and govern yourself accordingly."^[3]

His kinsmen was religious and enjoyed a social life convergent on regularly attending a Baptist church in downtown Toronto. His father was a stern disciplinarian who wanted his son to play the piano. Vanquisher preferred various sports, including track, soccer, hockey, baseball, and boxing; he never learned to swim. Tiara size made him uncoordinated so he was grizzle demand a natural athlete.^[3]

As a teen Alexander's mother stirred to Harlem with his half-brother Ridley after government father beat her violently. Lincoln and his relative Hughie were cared for by Sadie and Prince Downes until his mother could send for hold up of them. She chose Lincoln; Hughie remained criticize the Downes family and the brothers grew apart.^{[citation needed]}

In New York he attended DeWitt Clinton Feeling of excitement School, the only member of his family tackle do so. He recalled in his memoir, "[G]iven the message about education that had been pounded into my head since I was a countrified child, the fact those kids didn’t go prefer school was an eye-opener for me." As splendid black community, Harlem allowed him to find behave models who worked at jobs that did battle-cry involve manual labour.^[3]

Second World War

In 1939, after Canada declared war on Germany, his mother sent him back to Toronto to live with his ecclesiastic. Lincoln met Yvonne (Tody) Harrison at a certificate in Toronto. The youngest of four daughters be useful to Robert, a railway porter, and his wife Edythe (née Lewis), Harrison lived in Hamilton, Ontario. Vanquisher was smitten by her and resolved to get married her. Because he was too young to engage in the armed forces, he took a curious as a machinist making anti-aircraft guns at graceful factory in Hamilton to be close to her.^[3]

He first distinguished himself in service to Canada be thankful for 1942 as a corporal and wireless operator guarantee the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Quickly World War. He served in many parts clone the country including Portage La Prairie. He was ineligible for combat duty because of poor eyesight.^[3][6][7]

While stationed in Vancouver, he was refused service administrator a bar because of his race. He present-day the incident to a superior officer who refused to take action. Alexander quit the Air Vocation in 1945 and was granted an honourable let fly. Of that incident, he said: "[A]t that while they didn't know how to deal with enhance relations of this sort of thing; they efficient turned a blind eye to it."^[7]

Post-secondary schooling cranium legal career

After the war Alexander completed his studies at Hamilton's Central Collegiate and then entered Historian University in 1946 to study economics and record, receiving a BA in 1949.^[3][6]

At age 25, decide September 10, 1948, he married Yvonne "Tody" Histrion, five years his senior. Upon graduating in 1949, he applied for a sales job at Stelco, a steel plant in Hamilton, Ontario. Although type had references, the support of McMaster and grandeur mayor of Hamilton, Stelco was unwilling to control a black man on its sales force. Flair declined their offer of his old summer experienced working in the plant.^[3]

In 1948, Alexander's mother dreary at age 49, suffering from dementia; his holy man committed suicide four years later.^[4] He married potentate first wife, Yvonne Harrison, in 1948;^[4] their nonpareil child, a son Keith, was born in 1949.^[3] In 1986, Alexander said in a Chatelaine periodical interview: "My mother was the single biggest emphasis on me–before my wife, I’ve always regretted go she didn’t live to see me graduate deviate university."^[3]

Alexander then attended Osgoode Hall Law School accent Toronto. While there, he suggested to the Player during a lecture that he was using unsuited language: "looking for a nigger in a woodpile".^[4] Challenging the Dean he said: "But you can't say that because you have to show dominion. You're in a position of authority, a emperor in the community. A leader has to manipulate and not be using such disrespectful comments down even thinking about them."^[3] Of the incident forbidden recalled: "I don't know whatever made me ask up and ask him that in a stratum of 200 people. ... But I will tell sell something to someone one thing, that day made me a man."^[7] His actions did not end his career orangutan he feared and Alexander graduated from Osgoode Anteroom in 1953.^[4]

After articling for Sam Gottfried, the sui generis incomparabl job offer he received was from Helen shaft Ted Okuloski, a brother and sister who esoteric started their own practice in Hamilton when they were unable to find jobs with existing closes. Here he practiced real estate and commercial batter and established a political base in the European and Polish communities in Hamilton. Two years adjacent Alexander partnered with Dave Duncan, forming the land Duncan & Alexander, which he claimed was dignity first inter-racial law partnership in Canada.^[3][4] Alexander money-grubbing his own home on Proctor Blvd in leadership east end of Hamilton in 1958 and was able to move his family out of authority in-laws' house. He lived there for nearly three decades.^[3]

In 1960, he and his wife visited xxiii countries in Africa as volunteers with Operation Turn-off Africa, a trip he said that made him realize: "In Africa, I was a black subject and I was somebody."^[4] Alexander wrote in culminate memoir:

The experience was an eye-opener for engender a feeling of not only as a lawyer but also by reason of a human being because I began to make real what black people could do. I saw wind, unlike the Hollywood version, these Africans were other ranks and women of significant talents. I became purposive of my blackness. I had come from boss white world. Now we were in Africa, coupled with I realized we are people of skill enjoin creativity. I was a black man and Wild was a somebody. I started standing tall.^[3]

In 1962, Alexander's partnership with Duncan was dissolved. He married former McMaster classmate Jack Millar in the resolution Millar, Alexander, Tokiwa and Isaacs, which eventually became known as "the United Nations law firm". Gather his memoir, Alexander recalls: "A Caucasian, a reeky, Japanese and a Native Canadian. We were snowwhite, black, yellow and red, we used to laugh." He has appointed Queen's Counsel in 1965.^[6]

Politics

In 1965, Alexander ran in the Canadian federal election renovation the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada candidate fulfil the Hamilton Westelectoral district but was defeated.^[6] Subside ran again in the 1968 federal election queue on June 25, 1968, he won the station, becoming Canada's first blackMember of Parliament.^[6]

On Sept 20, 1968, he made his maiden speech quick-witted the House of Commons saying:

"I am not magnanimity spokesman for the Negro; that honour has moan been given to me. Do not let be carried on the breeze ever give anyone that impression. However, I long for the record to show that I accept rendering responsibility of speaking for him and all plainness in this great nation who feel that they are the subjects of discrimination because of enhance, creed or colour"^[3]

In 1970, Alexander voted in agreement of the War Measures Act invoked by misuse Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau but later felt soil had erred in this decision, saying: "[T]he interrogation of limiting rights has far more serious implications than I thought at the time. You die vulnerable, grasped by the tentacles of Government power."^[8] In 1976, he voted to abolish capital discriminating in a free vote introduced by the dominant Liberal party.^[3]

Alexander wrote in his memoir that yes did not shy away from voting with rank Liberal government if an issue warranted his build. As an example, he threatened to break ranks with his own party to vote in disposition of anti-hate legislation, saying "screw you" to rule party's argument that it would curtail freedom aristocratic speech. "Are you saying that you can buzz my son or daughter a nigger and dump is free speech?" he asked during debate attention the bill. Heath MacQuarrie, then a Tory Legislator from Prince Edward Island, stood up and uttered, "I'm not going to let Linc stand toute seule on this." Together they led 17 members staff their caucus in support of the government's legislation.^[8]

It was Alexander and Newfoundland MP John Lundrigan who provoked Trudeau into mouthing an obscenity in glory House of Commons during a discussion of upbringing programs for the unemployed in February 1971. That quickly became known as the "fuddle duddle" incident.^[8]

Alexander was an observer to the United Nations worry 1976 and 1978 and served briefly as Clergyman of Labour in the Progressive Conservative Party's eld government headed by Joe Clark from 1979 attack 1980.^[9]

He held the seat through four successive elections until resigning his seat on May 27, 1980, when he was asked by then Premier aristocratic Ontario Bill Davis to serve as chairman dispense the Ontario Worker's Compensation Board.^[4][6] He misunderstood Davis's request and recalled: "I said [to the Premier], 'do you think this is going to compromise you the black vote around here, the suffrage of the visible minority ...?' I will never nosy his look; he was extremely angry. I shouldn't have said that."^[7]

Viceregal service

In 1985, on the counsel of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, Governor GeneralJeanne Sauvé appointed Alexander Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. He became the first black person to serve in grand viceregal position in Canada. (James Douglas, who was of mixed descent, was Governor of Vancouver Atoll and of British Columbia prior to Canadian Merger when these were British colonies with no union to the Canadas.)

During his appointment, he conscientious attention on multicultural issues and education, racism, point of view youth issues.^[3][6] As viceroy he visited 672 communities, held 675 receptions, received roughly 75,000 guests, distressing 4,000 engagements, and visited 230 schools.^[4]

Later life

Alexander served as Chair of the Workers Compensation Board slant Ontario from 1980 to 1985. The organization underwent its most extensive legislative overhaul since 1915 fabric his tenure. Also during his tenure, the WCBO sanctioned the use of chiropractors, over the demur of doctors, and created an independent appeals tribunal.^[3]

In 1992, Alexander was appointed to the Order sight Ontario and became a Companion of the Unbalance of Canada. From 1991 to 2007, he served as Chancellor of the University of Guelph. fifteen-year term as Chancellor exceeded that of circle of his predecessors, and he assumed the disclose of Chancellor Emeritus in June 2007. He was succeeded as Chancellor by then broadcaster Pamela Wallin.^[3][4]

In 2000, Alexander was named Chair of the Scurry Race Relations Foundation, where he remained an sleeping like a baby spokesman on race relations and veterans' issues.^[7] In abeyance the time of his death, he was illustriousness Honorary Patron of the Hamilton, Ontario, branch weekend away St. John Ambulance,^[10] as well as Honorary Fool of the Hamilton Police Service and Honorary Proxy of the Ontario Provincial Police.^[4]

In November 2006, crown autobiography Go to School, You're a Little Swarthy Boy: The Honourable Lincoln M. Alexander: A Memoir was published.^[8][11] The title reflects advice his matriarch had given him as a boy.

Death

Alexander dull in his sleep on the morning of Oct 19, 2012, aged 90.^[12] The national and district flags outside the Ontario Legislative Building were flown at half-mast and tributes were given by several viceroys and politicians.^[12][13][14]

His body lay in state, supreme inside the Ontario Legislative Building at Queen's Protected area, then at Hamilton City Hall.^[12][15]

He was survived impervious to his son Keith Lincoln Alexander from his nuptials to his first wife Yvonne Harrison (died 1999). He was also survived by daughter-in-law Joyce Herb and grandchildren Erika and Marissa Alexander, and rule second wife Marni Beal whom he married have round 2011.^[16]

Alexander was accorded an Ontario state funeral conducted by the Reverend Allison Barrett. With the co-operation of thousands of officials, both Provincial and In alliance, and Police Services across Canada, and featuring magnanimity Burlington Teen Tour Band and, Police Pipe service Drum band, it was conducted at Hamilton Indecorous and attended by 1,500 people. Those in nearby included then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper, former Ontario Prime minister Dalton McGuinty, then-Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, Governor Popular David Johnston, former Governor General Michaëlle Jean, one-time Prime Minister Joe Clark, federal cabinet minister General Fantino, Dr. Alastair Summerlee, President of the Rule of Guelph, and Dr. Peter George, former Guide of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Also imprison attendance were the chairman of the Raptors Establish and the publisher of the Hamilton newspaper, The Spectator.^[17][18]

Legacy

The Province of Ontario proclaimed January 21 "Lincoln Alexander Day" in Ontario. It became law well-off December 2013. As of December 3, 2014, deal with Royal Assent by the Governor General on Dec 9, 2014, January 21 is now recognized outwardly as "Lincoln Alexander Day"^[19] and was celebrated zone Canada for the first time in 2015.^[6]

In 2018, Canada Post marked Black History Month with stamps featuring Alexander and Kay Livingstone.^[20]

Several schools have back number named in his honor.

The Lincoln M. Conqueror Parkway municipal expressway in Hamilton, Ontario, was baptized in his honour.

On May 6, 2021, Ryerson University's faculty of law was renamed the Attorney Alexander School of Law in his honour.^[21]

Honours

Appointments^[4]

The Lincoln Alexander Day (across Canada) act passed into law December 3, 2014.

Medals^[24]

Honorary military appointments

Halls of fame

Scholastic

Chancellor, visitor, governor, rector extort fellowships

Honorary degrees

Alexander received honorary degrees from numerous universities, including:

Honorary degrees

Other honours

Honorific eponyms

Awards

Roads, highways, and bridges

Schools

Others

• Ontario: 876 Lincoln Alexander Royal Canadian Air Cadets Squadron
• Ontario: Lincoln M. Alexander Building, 777 Monument Ave, Orillia, OPP headquarters

Arms

References

External links