Norman McLeod Rogers
Encyclopedia
Norman McLeod Rogers, PC
(July 25, 1894 – June 10, 1940) was a Canadian lawyer
and statesman. He served as the member of parliament
for Kingston
, Ontario
, Canada
and as a cabinet minister in the government of Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King
. He was also an early biographer of King.
Rogers was born in Amherst
, Nova Scotia
and served in the military during World War I
. He was educated at Acadia University
and in 1919 he was elected a Rhodes Scholar. He went to University College, Oxford
(University of Oxford
), where he was awarded a BA Honours
(MA
) degree in Modern History, the B.Litt., and the BCL
.
Rogers was private secretary to King from 1927 to 1929, then worked as a professor
at Queen's University
in Kingston. He was elected to the Parliament
in 1935, and served under King as Minister of Labour
until 1939, and then Minister of National Defence
from 1939 until his death in 1940.
Rogers died in a plane crash on June 10, 1940 near Newtonville
, Ontario
, while en route from Ottawa
to Toronto
for a speaking engagement. On the day National Defence Minister Rogers died, Canada declared war on Italy
.
Prime Minister King took the death of Rogers extremely hard. Rogers was a key Cabinet minister, and close advisor, and Canada was in the midst of World War II
. The two men were friendly on a personal basis, and King may have been grooming Rogers to become his successor as prime minister.
Kingston/Norman Rogers Airport
is named in his honour, as is a street in Kingston. A Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker was named after him, it has since been sold to Chile and renamed
Chilean icebreaker Contraalmirante Oscar Viel Toro
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(July 25, 1894 – June 10, 1940) was a Canadian lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and statesman. He served as the member of parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
, 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....
, Canada
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...
and as a cabinet minister in the government of Prime Minister 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...
. He was also an early biographer of King.
Rogers was born in Amherst
Amherst, Nova Scotia
Amherst is a Canadian town in northwestern Cumberland County, Nova Scotia.Located at the northeast end of the Cumberland Basin, an arm of the Bay of Fundy, Amherst is strategically situated on the eastern boundary of the Tantramar Marshes 3 kilometres east of the interprovincial border with New...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
and served in the military 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...
. He was educated at Acadia University
Acadia University
Acadia University is a predominantly undergraduate university located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada with some graduate programs at the master's level and one at the doctoral level...
and in 1919 he was elected a Rhodes Scholar. He went to University College, Oxford
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
(University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
), where he was awarded a BA Honours
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(MA
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
) degree in Modern History, the B.Litt., and the BCL
Bachelor of Civil Law
Bachelor of Civil Law is the name of various degrees in law conferred by English-language universities. Historically, it originated as a postgraduate degree in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, but many universities now offer the BCL as an undergraduate degree...
.
Rogers was private secretary to King from 1927 to 1929, then worked as a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at Queen's University
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
in Kingston. He was elected to the Parliament
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in 1935, and served under King as Minister of Labour
Minister of Labour (Canada)
The Minister of Labour is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for setting national labour standards and federal labour dispute mechanisms...
until 1939, and then Minister of National Defence
Minister of National Defence (Canada)
The Minister of National Defence is a Minister of the Crown; the Canadian politician within the Cabinet of Canada responsible for the Department of National Defence which oversees the Canadian Forces....
from 1939 until his death in 1940.
Rogers died in a plane crash on June 10, 1940 near Newtonville
Newtonville, Ontario
Newtonville is a community located in the Municipality of Clarington, Ontario, Canada. It is located about 30 km E of Oshawa and about 10 km west of Port Hope on the former Highway 2....
, 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....
, while en route from Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
for a speaking engagement. On the day National Defence Minister Rogers died, Canada declared war on Italy
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
.
Prime Minister King took the death of Rogers extremely hard. Rogers was a key Cabinet minister, and close advisor, and Canada was in the midst of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The two men were friendly on a personal basis, and King may have been grooming Rogers to become his successor as prime minister.
Kingston/Norman Rogers Airport
Kingston/Norman Rogers Airport
Kingston Airport or Kingston/Norman Rogers Airport, , is an airport located west of the core of Kingston, Ontario, Canada.The airport is named after former MP Norman McLeod Rogers , Minister of Labour and then National Defence in Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's cabinet...
is named in his honour, as is a street in Kingston. A Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker was named after him, it has since been sold to Chile and renamed
Chilean icebreaker Contraalmirante Oscar Viel Toro
Chilean icebreaker Contraalmirante Oscar Viel Toro
The Contraalmirante Oscar Viel Toro is an icebreaker in service with the Chilean Navy since 1995 when it was acquired from Canada. The vessel was known as the CCGS Norman McLeod Rogers, when it was in service with the Canadian Coast Guard and named for former MP and cabinet minister Norman McLeod...