William Carlos Ives

William Carlos Ives (October 30, 1873 – July 10, 1950) was a Canadian provincial politician and provincial Supreme Court Justice.

Early life William Carlos Ives was born in Compton, Quebec on October 30, 1873. His family moved to the Alberta District in the North-West Territories shortly after he was born, to ranch near Pincher Creek in 1881. He soon became interested in provincial politics and joined the Conservatives.

Ives ran twice as a candidate for the Alberta provincial Conservative party. He ran for the first time in the Lethbridge electoral district in the 1905 Alberta general election. He was defeated by former Northwest Territories MLA Leverett DeVeber in a hotly contested race.

Ives ran for a second time in the Lethbridge City electoral district. He again finished second, this time in a three way race ahead of incumbent Labor MLA Donald McNabb but was defeated by Liberal candidate William Ashbury Buchanan. Ives was unable to expand his popular vote garnering the exact total as his run for office in 1905.

Judicial career Ives left his practice in Lethbridge moving to Calgary in 1914 after he was appointed to be a judge for the Supreme Court of Alberta. He retired from his judicial career in 1944.

Ives was known on the bench for his placid demeanor, and his colleagues referred to his poker face. He would rarely interrupt counsel during trial, except the occasional injection of dry humour.

Ives also adjudicated the infamous Powlett and Powlett v. The University of Alberta which a University of Alberta student suffered a breakdown after a brutal hazing ritual. The case was brought forward by Calgary lawyer and the victim's father Horatio Powlett and he sought $200,000 in damages. The case was complicated as during the proceeding Ives's own son committed suicide. He found for the Powlett family and awarded them $40,000.

Ives also heard R. v. Solloway and R. v. Mills which the stock broker defendants from Ontario which shorted stocks they were selling to people across Canada. Ives found both defendants guilty on charges of conspiracy, and sentenced them to four months hard labour and fined $275,000.