Douglas Abbott

Douglas Charles Abbott (May 29, 1899 – March 15, 1987) was a Canadian Member of Parliament, federal Cabinet Minister, and justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. Abbott's appointment directly from the Cabinet of Canada as Finance Minister to the Supreme Court was one of the most controversial in the Supreme Court's history.

Early life Abbott was born in Lennoxville, Quebec (now Sherbrooke, Quebec). He attended Bishop's University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts. He then attended McGill Law School, but interrupted his studies to sign up for service overseas, in 1916. Returning from the Great War, he completed his legal studies, earning his Bachelor of Civil Law. He then went to France to attend the Université de Dijon. Returning to Canada, he was called to the Barreau du Québec in 1921 and practised law in Montreal with the firm of Fleet, Phelan, Fleet & Le Mesurier. He welcomed his son, Athony Abott, into the world, on November 26, 1930.

Political career A member of the Liberal Party of Canada, Abbott successfully stood for election to the House of Commons in 1940. He remained a member of the House for fourteen years, and unlike most contemporaries did not return to military service during the Second World War. He held office as Minister of National Defence (1945–1946) and then Minister of Finance (1946–1954).

As a member of Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent's cabinet, Abbott suggested that one of Quebec's three seats on the Supreme Court of Canada to be reserved for an anglophone to provide representation to the minority in Quebec. St. Laurent rejected that view, as he understood the appointment convention as requiring at least three French-speaking members of the Court and considered Abbott's proposal a drastic change.

Supreme Court justice

He was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada on July 1, 1954

Parliamentary seats

House of Commons 16 May 1940 – 16 April 1945: St. Antoine—Westmount, Quebec 6 September 1945 – 30 April 1949: St. Antoine—Westmount, Quebec 15 September 1949 – 13 June 1953: St. Antoine—Westmount, Quebec 12 November 1953 – 30 June 1954: Saint-Antoine—Westmount, Quebec

Parliamentary functions

Ministry 18 April 1945 – 11 December 1946: Minister of National Defence for Naval Services