Edward Milton Culliton, (April 9, 1906 – March 14, 1991) was a member of Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan and Chief Justice of Saskatchewan. Born in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, he grew up in Elbow, Saskatchewan, and earned an arts degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1926 and a law degree in 1928. In 1935, he was elected as a Liberal Member of the Saskatchewan Legislature representing the constituency of

Gravelbourg Gravelbourg () is a small multicultural town in south-central Saskatchewan, Canada. It is located just west of the Wood River at the junction of provincial Highway 43 and Highway 58, approximately 125 kilometres from Moose Jaw, Swift Curre ...

and was re-elected in

1938 Events January * January 1 ** The Constitution of Estonia#Third Constitution (de facto 1938–1940, de jure 1938–1992), new constitution of Estonia enters into force, which many consider to be the ending of the Era of Silence and the a ...

. He served as Provincial Secretary from 1938 to 1941. In 1941, Culliton resigned to serve with the Canadian Army. He retained his seat in the legislature as a Minister without portfolio. During his absence, the Liberal administration was defeated by the C.C.F. in 1944. Returning from the war, he returned to his law practice. He ran for the leadership of the Liberal party in 1946, losing to Walter A. Tucker. He was elected again in 1948 as an MLA. From 1951 to 1962 he was a Justice of the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal and from 1962 until 1981 was Chief Justice of Saskatchewan. From 1965 to 1968, he was Chancellor of the University of Saskatchewan. Culliton is regarded as one of the great "what-might have-beens" of Saskatchewan politics. After the election of the

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(North America's first socialist government) in the 1944 provincial election, Liberal leader William John Patterson resigned. Walter Adam Tucker won the leadership over the urbane Culliton, a moderate who could have well appealed better to voters during subsequent elections. Culliton left politics and chaired the committee overseeing the province's 50th anniversary celebration in 1955. As a judge, he articulated the four factors to be considered in sentencing: deterrence, rehabilitation, punishment and protection of the public. In 1981, he was made a Companion of the Order of Canada. In 1988, he was awarded the Saskatchewan Order of Merit. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Gregory the Great by Pope Paul VI in 1973. In 1974, he was inducted as a builder into the

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. In 1939, he married Katharine Hector.

References

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Culliton, E.M. 1906 births 1991 deaths People from East Grand Forks, Minnesota American emigrants to Canada Chancellors of the University of Saskatchewan Companions of the Order of Canada Members of the Saskatchewan Order of Merit Judges in Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Liberal Party MLAs Members of the Executive Council of Saskatchewan Canadian Roman Catholics University of Saskatchewan College of Law alumni