George James McIlraith PC QC (29 July 1908 – 19 August 1992) was a lawyer and Canadian Parliamentarian.[1]

George McIlraith
Solicitor General of Canada
In office
6 July 1968 – 21 December 1970
Prime MinisterPierre Trudeau
Preceded byJohn Turner
Succeeded byJean-Pierre Goyer
Minister of Public Works
In office
7 July 1965 – 5 July 1968
Prime MinisterLester B. Pearson
Pierre Trudeau
Preceded byLucien Cardin
Succeeded byArthur Laing
Minister of Justice
Attorney General of Canada
Acting
30 June 1965 – 6 July 1965
Prime MinisterLester B. Pearson
Preceded byGuy Favreau
Succeeded byLucien Cardin
President of the Privy Council
In office
3 February 1964 – 6 July 1965
Prime MinisterLester B. Pearson
Preceded byMaurice Lamontagne
Succeeded byGuy Favreau
Minister of National Revenue
Acting
19 March 1964 – 28 June 1964
Prime MinisterLester B. Pearson
Preceded byJack Garland
Succeeded byEdgar Benson
Minister of Transport
In office
22 April 1963 – 2 February 1964
Prime MinisterLester B. Pearson
Preceded byLéon Balcer
Succeeded byJack Pickersgill
Senator for Ottawa Valley, Ontario
In office
27 April 1972 – 29 July 1981
Appointed byPierre Trudeau
Member of Parliament
for Ottawa Centre
In office
25 June 1968 – 26 April 1972
Preceded byRiding created
Succeeded byHugh Poulin
Member of Parliament
for Ottawa West
In office
26 March 1940 – 24 June 1968
Preceded byT. Franklin Ahearn
Succeeded byCyril Lloyd Francis
Personal details
Born
George James McIlraith

(1908-07-29)29 July 1908
Lanark, Ontario, Canada
Died19 August 1992(1992-08-19) (aged 84)
Political partyLiberal
Relations
Margaret Akin Summers
(m. 1935; died 1989)
Children4
Profession
  • Barrister
  • Lawyer

The son of James McIlraith and Kate McLeod, he was educated at Osgoode Hall and practised law in Ottawa. In 1935, he married Margaret Summers.[2]

McIlraith was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1940 federal election as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Ottawa West. He was subsequently re-elected on nine successive occasions.[1]

McIlraith joined the Cabinet of Lester Pearson when the Liberals formed government following the 1963 federal election as Minister of Transport. From 1964 until 1967, he was Government House Leader in charge of the Pearson minority government's parliamentary strategy for much of its tenure, including during the Great Flag Debate and parliamentary debates on the introduction of Medicare.[1]

He also served as Pearson's Minister of Public Works from 1965 on, and was also Pierre Trudeau's first public works minister. He served as Solicitor-General of Canada from 1968 until 1970 under Trudeau, who appointed him to the Senate of Canada in 1972.[1]

The George McIlraith Bridge over the Rideau River is named for him.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d George McIlraith – Parliament of Canada biography
  2. ^ Johnson, J.K. (1968). The Canadian Directory of Parliament 1867–1967. Public Archives of Canada.
Political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
1964–1967
Succeeded by