John Idington
Encyclopedia
John Idington, QC
, LL.B
(October 14, 1840 – February 7, 1928) was a Canadian
justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
.
Born in Puslinch
, Upper Canada
(now Ontario
), the son of Peter Idington and Catherine Stewart, he received his LL.B
degree from the University of Toronto
and was called to the Ontario Bar both in 1864. He practiced law in Stratford
, Canada West (now Ontario) for forty years.
He was created a provincial QC
in 1876 and a dominion QC
in 1885.
In 1904, he was appointed to the High Court of Justice of Ontario and he was appointed by Wilfrid Laurier
to the Supreme Court on February 10, 1905.
Notable decisions include his dissent in Quong Wing v. R.
(49 S.C.R. 44), in which he disagreed with the effects of racist legislation, on the basis that the use of the term "Chinaman" could not have been meant to refer to naturalized Canadians of Chinese origin.
He retired on March 31, 1927 after legislation was passed requiring a mandatory retirement age of 75.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
, LL.B
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
(October 14, 1840 – February 7, 1928) was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
Supreme Court of Canada
The Supreme Court of Canada is the highest court of Canada and is the final court of appeals in the Canadian justice system. The court grants permission to between 40 and 75 litigants each year to appeal decisions rendered by provincial, territorial and federal appellate courts, and its decisions...
.
Born in Puslinch
Puslinch, Ontario
Puslinch is a township in south-central Ontario, Canada, in the County of Wellington south of Guelph. The area is rich in natural gas resources. The main source of production is agricultural, bottling and mining. Mining has been dominant throughout the county. About half of the township is...
, Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
(now 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....
), the son of Peter Idington and Catherine Stewart, he received his LL.B
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
degree from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
and was called to the Ontario Bar both in 1864. He practiced law in Stratford
Stratford, Ontario
Stratford is a city on the Avon River in Perth County in southwestern Ontario, Canada with a population of 32,000.When the area was first settled by Europeans in 1832, the townsite and the river were named after Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It is the seat of Perth County. Stratford was...
, Canada West (now Ontario) for forty years.
He was created a provincial QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1876 and a dominion QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1885.
In 1904, he was appointed to the High Court of Justice of Ontario and he was appointed by Wilfrid Laurier
Wilfrid Laurier
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911....
to the Supreme Court on February 10, 1905.
Notable decisions include his dissent in Quong Wing v. R.
Quong Wing v. R.
Quong Wing v. The King is a famous Supreme Court of Canada decision where the Court upheld a provincial law that discriminated against the Chinese....
(49 S.C.R. 44), in which he disagreed with the effects of racist legislation, on the basis that the use of the term "Chinaman" could not have been meant to refer to naturalized Canadians of Chinese origin.
He retired on March 31, 1927 after legislation was passed requiring a mandatory retirement age of 75.