John Alexander MacAulay, (May 29, 1892 – November 6, 1978) was a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
lawyer, businessman, and community volunteer from
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...
Canadian Bar Association
The Canadian Bar Association (CBA), or Association du barreau canadien (ABC) in French, represents over 37,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers and law students from across Canada.
History
The Association's first Annual Meeting was he ...
, and served a one-year term as the national president of the CBA. He was also Honorary Colonel of the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada.
Early life
MacAulay was born in
Morden, Manitoba
Morden is a city located in the Pembina Valley region of southern Manitoba, Canada near the United States border. It is about west of the neighbouring city of Winkler, Manitoba, Winkler; together Morden and Winkler are often referred to as Manito ...
, one of the seven children of Finlay MacAulay (1842-1918) and Margaret MacDonald (1860-1930). He obtained his LL.B. from the
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a Canadian public research university in the province of Manitoba.Canadian Medical Corps.
Legal practice and business activities
Upon being called to the bar, MacAulay joined the Winnipeg law firm of Aikins, MacAulay & Thorvaldson. He eventually became partner in the firm, specializing in tax law. In 1931, his status in the profession was recognized by his appointment as King's Counsel by the Manitoba government.
MacAulay was also a businessman. He was a vice-president and director of the Bank of Montreal, and is credited with bringing the Safeway grocery chain to Canada. He was a vice-president of Safeway until his death.
President of the Canadian Bar Association
MacAulay was active in the
Canadian Bar Association
The Canadian Bar Association (CBA), or Association du barreau canadien (ABC) in French, represents over 37,000 lawyers, judges, notaries, law teachers and law students from across Canada.
History
The Association's first Annual Meeting was he ...
. In 1953-54, he served as national president of the CBA. He was the third lawyer from Aikins MacAulay & Thovaldson to serve as national president, the previous two being Sir James Aikins (1914-1927) and Gordon Harold Aikins (1942-1943). A fourth lawyer from Aikins MacAulay & Thorvaldson,
A. Lorne Campbell
Andrew Lorne Campbell (known as A. Lorne Campbell), Order of Canada, O.C., Canadian Forces' Decoration, C.D., Bachelor of Laws#Canada, LL.B., Doctor of Law#Canada, LL.D., Doctor of Canon Law, D.C.L., Queen's Counsel, Q.C. (September 18, 1920 †...
, would also be president (1970-1971).
Red Cross work
MacAulay was a long-time volunteer with the Red Cross. During the Second World War, he was president of the Manitoba Red Cross, and from 1950 to 1951 he was president of the Canadian Red Cross Association.
In 1952, he chaired the 18th International Conference of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Toronto, when tensions over the Korean War threatened to shatter the international association. His diplomatic handling of the situation, and response to the positions of opposing factions within the association, helped to preserve the unity of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
From 1959 to 1965, he was chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. During his tenure, the number of national societies rose from 88 to 106. He was chairman when the International Red Cross Committee and the League of Red Cross Societies received the
Nobel Peace Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Swedish industrialist, inventor and armaments (military weapons and equipment) manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Chemistry, Physics, Physiolog ...
in 1963.
Personal interests
MacAulay was a member of Westminster United Church in Winnipeg. During the 1930s and 1940s, he taught one of the largest adult Bible classes in Canada.
An avid art collector, he was active with the Winnipeg Art Gallery (1950-1953) and the National Art Gallery of Canada (1955-1957). Part of his collection is now housed in the
Winnipeg Art Gallery
The Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) is an art museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Its permanent collection includes over 24,000 works from Canadian, Indigenous Canadian, and international artists. The museum also holds the world's largest collect ...
.
Honours
* 1931 - appointed King's Counsel by the Manitoba government
* 1953 - awarded an honorary doctorate by the
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba (U of M, UManitoba, or UM) is a Canadian public research university in the province of Manitoba.
* 1967 - appointed a Companion of the
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
To coincide with the cen ...
, the highest Canadian civilian honour, for his services to the Red Cross at home and abroad.
* 1970 - awarded the Centennial Medal of Honour by the Manitoba Historical Society
* 1970 - awarded an honorary doctorate by the
University of Winnipeg
The University of Winnipeg (UWinnipeg, UW) is a public research university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, that offers undergraduate faculties of art, business and economics, education, science and kinesiology and applied health as well as gra ...
* 1971 - appointed an Honorary Patron of the Canadian Foundation of the International College of Surgeons
* 1973 - awarded the
Henry Dunant Medal
The Henry Dunant Medal is the highest award of the Red Cross Movement. It is named after Henry Dunant, the founder of the Red Cross Movement. The medal is presented every two years by the Standing Commission of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. This ...
, the highest honor the Red Cross can award, at the 22nd International Conference in Tehran. He was the first Canadian to receive this medal.
* Honorary life member of the St. Andrew's Society of Winnipeg.