John Lewis (Canadian senator)
Encyclopedia
John Lewis was a Canadian author and journalist who was, variously, editor of the Toronto Daily Star and the Toronto Globe and served in the Canadian Senate
for the last ten years of his life.
Lewis' father, John, was a Welshman
who immigrated to Canada and worked as a teacher and school principal. Lewis himself was born on Bay Street
in Toronto, Ontario, a few yards from the future site of Toronto's Old City Hall
. After attending Dufferin Public School, where his father was the first principal, and Toronto High School (now Jarvis Collegiate
), he worked in a law office for a few years before getting a job with the Toronto World in 1881 and then worked for the Mail and Empire and the Winnipeg Tribune
before returning to Toronto in 1883 and worked for the Globe for 19 years. During this time he worked in the press gallery
in Ottawa for two years before taking on editorial duties at the paper. He also wrote a biography of Globe founder George Brown
. From 1902 to 1905 he worked as an editor at The News and the Mail and Empire. He then worked for the Daily Star as editor from 1905 until 1919.
Lewis covered stories as far ranging as the Northwest Rebellion, the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria and numerous election campaigns.
From 1920 to 1921, Lewis worked for the National Liberal Committee
in the lead up to the 1921 federal election
, editing the party's political literature and writing a biography of party leader William Lyon Mackenzie King
. After the campaign, he returned to the Globe, this time as the newspaper's editor.
In 1925, Mackenzie King, now Prime Minister, appointed Lewis to the Senate where he sat as a Liberal representative until his death.
His books include The Life of George Brown and the political history Canada and its Provinces.
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
for the last ten years of his life.
Lewis' father, John, was a Welshman
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
who immigrated to Canada and worked as a teacher and school principal. Lewis himself was born on Bay Street
Bay Street
Bay Street, originally known as Bear Street, is a major thoroughfare in Downtown Toronto. It is the centre of Toronto's Financial District and is often used by metonymy to refer to Canada's financial industry since succeeding Montreal's St. James Street in that role in the 1970s...
in Toronto, Ontario, a few yards from the future site of Toronto's Old City Hall
Old City Hall (Toronto)
Toronto's Old City Hall was home to its city council from 1899 to 1966 and remains one of the city's most prominent structures. The building is located at the corner of Queen and Bay Streets, across Bay Street from Nathan Phillips Square and the new City Hall in the centre of downtown Toronto...
. After attending Dufferin Public School, where his father was the first principal, and Toronto High School (now Jarvis Collegiate
Jarvis Collegiate Institute
Jarvis Collegiate Institute is a high school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Jarvis is located on Jarvis Street. Founded in 1807 it is the second oldest high school in Ontario after the Kingston Collegiate and Vocational Institute, and the oldest high school in Toronto.-History:Jarvis Collegiate was...
), he worked in a law office for a few years before getting a job with the Toronto World in 1881 and then worked for the Mail and Empire and the Winnipeg Tribune
Winnipeg Tribune
The Winnipeg Tribune was a metropolitan daily newspaper serving Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada from January 28, 1890 to August 27, 1980. The paper was founded by R.L. Richardson and D.L. McIntyre who acquired the press and premises of the old Winnipeg Sun newspaper. It was often viewed as a liberal...
before returning to Toronto in 1883 and worked for the Globe for 19 years. During this time he worked in the press gallery
Press gallery
The press gallery is the part of a parliament, or other legislative body, where political journalists are allowed to sit or gather to observe and then report speeches and events...
in Ottawa for two years before taking on editorial duties at the paper. He also wrote a biography of Globe founder George Brown
George Brown (Canadian politician)
George Brown was a Scottish-born Canadian journalist, politician and one of the Fathers of Confederation...
. From 1902 to 1905 he worked as an editor at The News and the Mail and Empire. He then worked for the Daily Star as editor from 1905 until 1919.
Lewis covered stories as far ranging as the Northwest Rebellion, the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria and numerous election campaigns.
From 1920 to 1921, Lewis worked for the National Liberal Committee
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
in the lead up to the 1921 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1921
The Canadian federal election of 1921 was held on December 6, 1921 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 14th Parliament of Canada. The Union government that had governed Canada through the First World War was defeated, and replaced by a Liberal government under the young leader...
, editing the party's political literature and writing a biography of party leader William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King
William Lyon Mackenzie King, PC, OM, CMG was the dominant Canadian political leader from the 1920s through the 1940s. He served as the tenth Prime Minister of Canada from December 29, 1921 to June 28, 1926; from September 25, 1926 to August 7, 1930; and from October 23, 1935 to November 15, 1948...
. After the campaign, he returned to the Globe, this time as the newspaper's editor.
In 1925, Mackenzie King, now Prime Minister, appointed Lewis to the Senate where he sat as a Liberal representative until his death.
His books include The Life of George Brown and the political history Canada and its Provinces.