Harold Arthur Clement Machin
Encyclopedia
Harold Arthur Clement Machin (May 9, 1875 – 1931) was an Ontario
lawyer and political figure. He represented Kenora
in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
as a Conservative
member from 1908 to 1919.
He was born in Rochester, New York
, the son of Reverend Canon C.J. Machin who was born in England
and grew up in St. John's
, Newfoundland
and Port Arthur
, Ontario
. Machin was educated in England and then studied law at Osgoode Hall
. After being called to the bar, he set up practice in Rat Portage in 1898. He served in a Canadian contingent in South Africa
during the Second Boer War
and then served in the South African constabulary before returning to Canada in 1904. He married Ida F. Knight in 1902. For a time after his return to Canada, Machin prospected for minerals in northern Quebec
. He served overseas with a Canadian labour battalion and with the British Army
during World War I
. In 1918, he became director of the Military Services branch of the Canadian Department of Justice
.
He was a fierce opponent of Conservative premier William Howard Hearst's Ontario Temperance Act
and became a prominent member of the Citizen's Liberty League formed in 1919 to oppose prohibition
in Ontario. After quitting the Conservative Party, he ran as an independent in the 1919 Ontario election, but was defeated by labour candidate Peter Heenan
.
The township of Machin
in Kenora District
was named in his honour.
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
lawyer and political figure. He represented Kenora
Kenora (electoral district)
Kenora is a federal and former provincial electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004, and was represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from the early twentieth century....
in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
as a Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
member from 1908 to 1919.
He was born in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, the son of Reverend Canon C.J. Machin who was born in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and grew up in St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
and Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Ontario
Port Arthur was a city in Northern Ontario which amalgamated with Fort William and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Port Arthur was the district seat of Thunder Bay District.- History :...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Machin was educated in England and then studied law at Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall is a landmark building in downtown Toronto constructed between 1829 and 1832 in the late Georgian Palladian and Neoclassical styles. It houses the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Divisional Court of the Superior Court of Justice, and the Law Society of Upper Canada...
. After being called to the bar, he set up practice in Rat Portage in 1898. He served in a Canadian contingent in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
during the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
and then served in the South African constabulary before returning to Canada in 1904. He married Ida F. Knight in 1902. For a time after his return to Canada, Machin prospected for minerals in northern Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. He served overseas with a Canadian labour battalion and with the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In 1918, he became director of the Military Services branch of the Canadian Department of Justice
Department of Justice (Canada)
The purpose of the Department of Justice is to ensure that the Canadian justice system is fair, accessible and efficient. The Department also represents the Canadian government in legal matters...
.
He was a fierce opponent of Conservative premier William Howard Hearst's Ontario Temperance Act
Ontario Temperance Act
Ontario Temperance Act was a law passed in Ontario in 1916 to prohibit the sale of alcohol, a period known as Prohibition. This meant the province remained dry in legal terms, but smugglers continued to import alcohol into the province. The cause was the demand of religious elements led by women...
and became a prominent member of the Citizen's Liberty League formed in 1919 to oppose prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
in Ontario. After quitting the Conservative Party, he ran as an independent in the 1919 Ontario election, but was defeated by labour candidate Peter Heenan
Peter Heenan
Peter Heenan, PC was a Canadian politician.Born in Tullaree, County Monaghan, Ireland, he was a locomotive engineer before being elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as the Labour candidate for the riding of Kenora in the 1919 election...
.
The township of Machin
Machin, Ontario
Machin is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in the Kenora District west of Dryden.The main communities in Machin township are Eagle River, Minnitaki, and Vermilion Bay...
in Kenora District
Kenora District, Ontario
Kenora District is a district and census division in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. It was created in 1907 from parts of Rainy River District. It is, geographically, the largest division in that province; at 407,192.66 km2 it comprises almost 38 percent of the province's land area...
was named in his honour.