James Alexander Charles Auld (July 22, 1921 – June 30, 1982) was an
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
political figure. He represented
Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...
in the
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario (OLA, french: Assemblée législative de l'Ontario) is the legislative chamber of the Canadian province of Ontario. Its elected members are known as Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs). Bills passed by ...
from 1954 to 1981 as a
Progressive Conservative member.
Background
He was born in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, the son of James Carswell Auld, and educated in Toronto and at the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
. In 1946, he married Nancy Eleanor Gilmour. Auld served as captain in the
Queen's Own Rifles
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada is a Primary Reserve regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces, based in Toronto. The regiment is part of 4th Canadian Division's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. It is the only reserve regiment in Canada to currently have a ...
. He participated in the D-Day landings at Normandy in 1944. He worked as a wholesaler in Brockville.
Politics
He was a member of the town council for
Brockville
Brockville, formerly Elizabethtown, is a city in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in the Thousand Islands region. Although it is the seat of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, it is politically Independent city, independent of the county. It i ...
.
In 1954 he was elected in a by-election in the provincial riding of
Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...
to replace
Charles MacOdrum who had died earlier in the year. He beat
Liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
candidate Mary Sheldon by over 5,000 votes. He was re-elected in every election up until his retirement in 1981, serving a total of 27 years.
He served in the provincial cabinet as Minister of Transport from 1962 to 1963, Minister of Travel and Publicity from 1963 to 1964,
Minister of Tourism and Information from 1964 to 1971, Minister of Public Works from 1971 to 1972,
Minister of the Environment
An environment minister (sometimes minister of the environment or secretary of the environment) is a cabinet position charged with protecting the natural environment and promoting wildlife conservation. The areas associated with the duties of an ...
from 1972 to 1974,
Minister of Colleges and Universities from 1974 to 1975, Minister of Government Services in 1977, Minister of Energy from 1978 to 1979 and Minister of Natural Resources from 1978 to 1981. Auld was also Chair of the
Management Board of Cabinet and commissioner on the Board of Internal Economy.
Cabinet positions
Later life
After his retirement from politics, he was appointed as chairman of the
St. Lawrence Parks Commission in May 1981. On June 1, 1982, he was appointed as chairman of the Electoral Expenses Commission.
On June 30 he was found unconscious at his desk and died later in hospital after suffering a heart attack. He was 60 years old.
References
Notes
Citations
Further reading
* ''Canadian Parliamentary Guide, 1977'', PG Normandin
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Auld, James
1921 births
1982 deaths
People from Brockville
Members of the Executive Council of Ontario
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario MPPs
University of Toronto alumni
Canadian Army personnel of World War II
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada officers
Canadian military personnel from Ontario