William Alexander Baird
Encyclopedia
William Alexander Baird commonly referred to as W.A. Baird, was an Ontario
lawyer
and politician
. He represented High Park
in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
as a Conservative
from 1926 until his death in 1940.
He was born in Carlisle, Ontario in Middlesex County
to Protestant parents of Irish ancestry. As a young man he went to Toronto
to study law, graduating from Osgoode Hall
in 1890. He received his B.C.L.
from Trinity College
in 1901 and located to Toronto Junction
where he worked mostly in property law. Baird married Annie M. Gilbert in 1896, but did not have any children.
Baird soon became involved in local politics, and successfully ran for mayor
of Toronto Junction
in 1907, a position in which he was re-elected the following year. He was instrumental in getting the town incorporated as the City of West Toronto in 1908, and was still mayor when the town was annexed by the City of Toronto in 1909, making him the only mayor the City of West Toronto ever had.
Baird remained involved in politics, joining the Toronto City Council
as an alderman, a position he held until 1912. Drawing on his experience in property law and his interest in recreation, Baird was instrumental in establishing parkspace in the city, particularly in the Junction area. He helped establish a park at Keele
and Humberside streets directly across from his house, a park which was later named in his honour. He was also an inaugural member of the lawn bowling club which remains active on the site. In addition, his efforts also helped establish Beresford Park, a parkette on Gilmour Avenue just north of Annette Street, as well as some tracts in the Davenport area.
Following his departure from city council, Baird remained involved in the West York Conservative Association, and was the main in-party opposition to the incumbent MPP
Forbes Godfrey
, as the two disagreed on the issue of local option
which enabled the ward to impose a ban on alcohol sales. In 1926, Baird was duly put up for the nomination by the Conservatives, and handily won an election as the chief opposition came not from the Liberals
, but from the Prohibition Party, who advocated province-wide prohibition
. Although a quiet MPP, Baird was re-elected three times before he died in 1940. He seat was subsequently filled in the 1943 election by future-premier George Drew.
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
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 politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He represented High Park
High Park (electoral district)
High Park was a federal electoral district in the west end of the city of Toronto, in the province of Ontario, Canada...
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
Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. Initially known as the "Liberal-Conservative Party", it dropped "Liberal" from its name in 1873, although many of its candidates continued to use this name.As a result of World War I and the...
from 1926 until his death in 1940.
He was born in Carlisle, Ontario in Middlesex County
Middlesex County, Ontario
Middlesex County is a primarily rural county in Southwestern Ontario. Landlocked, the county is bordered by Huron and Perth counties on the north, Oxford County on the east, Elgin County on the south, and Chatham-Kent and Lambton County on the west.The seat is the city of London, although the city...
to Protestant parents of Irish ancestry. As a young man he went 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...
to study law, graduating from 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...
in 1890. He received his B.C.L.
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...
from Trinity College
University of Trinity College
The University of Trinity College, informally referred to as Trin, is a college of the University of Toronto, founded in 1851 by Bishop John Strachan. Trinity was intended by Strachan as a college of strong Anglican alignment, after the University of Toronto severed its ties with the Church of...
in 1901 and located to Toronto Junction
The Junction
The Junction is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that is near the junction of four railway lines in the area known as the West Toronto Diamond. The neighbourhood was previously an independent city called West Toronto, that was also its own federal electoral district until amalgamating...
where he worked mostly in property law. Baird married Annie M. Gilbert in 1896, but did not have any children.
Baird soon became involved in local politics, and successfully ran for mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Toronto Junction
The Junction
The Junction is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that is near the junction of four railway lines in the area known as the West Toronto Diamond. The neighbourhood was previously an independent city called West Toronto, that was also its own federal electoral district until amalgamating...
in 1907, a position in which he was re-elected the following year. He was instrumental in getting the town incorporated as the City of West Toronto in 1908, and was still mayor when the town was annexed by the City of Toronto in 1909, making him the only mayor the City of West Toronto ever had.
Baird remained involved in politics, joining the Toronto City Council
Toronto City Council
The Toronto City Council is the governing body of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors....
as an alderman, a position he held until 1912. Drawing on his experience in property law and his interest in recreation, Baird was instrumental in establishing parkspace in the city, particularly in the Junction area. He helped establish a park at Keele
Keele Street
Keele Street is a north-south road in Toronto and York Region in Ontario, Canada. It stretches 47km, running from Bloor Street in Toronto to the Holland Marsh. South of Bloor Street, the roadway is today known as Parkside Drive, but was originally part of Keele Street...
and Humberside streets directly across from his house, a park which was later named in his honour. He was also an inaugural member of the lawn bowling club which remains active on the site. In addition, his efforts also helped establish Beresford Park, a parkette on Gilmour Avenue just north of Annette Street, as well as some tracts in the Davenport area.
Following his departure from city council, Baird remained involved in the West York Conservative Association, and was the main in-party opposition to the incumbent MPP
MPP
MPP or M.P.P. may refer to:* 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine, a toxic metabolite of MPTP causing symptoms of Parkinson's disease* Macro Pre-Processor, a make-like tool forming part of the package utility distributed with OpenAFS...
Forbes Godfrey
Forbes Elliott Godfrey
Forbes Elliott Godfrey was an Ontario physician and political figure. He represented York West in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Conservative member from 1907 to 1932....
, as the two disagreed on the issue of local option
Local Option
Local Option is a term used to describe the freedom whereby local political jurisdictions, typically counties or municipalities, can decide by popular vote certain controversial issues within their borders. In practice, it usually relates to the issue of alcoholic beverage sales...
which enabled the ward to impose a ban on alcohol sales. In 1926, Baird was duly put up for the nomination by the Conservatives, and handily won an election as the chief opposition came not from the Liberals
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...
, but from the Prohibition Party, who advocated province-wide 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...
. Although a quiet MPP, Baird was re-elected three times before he died in 1940. He seat was subsequently filled in the 1943 election by future-premier George Drew.