Charlotte Whitton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charlotte Elizabeth Whitton
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Charlotte Whitton, Frances Perkins, US Secretary of Labour, and Betzy Kjelsberg, Norwegian women's rights activist, 1939 or 1940
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| 46th Mayor of Ottawa | |
| In office 1951–1956 |
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| Preceded by | Grenville Goodwin |
| Succeeded by | George H. Nelms |
| In office 1961–1964 |
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| Preceded by | George H. Nelms |
| Succeeded by | Donald Bartlett Reid |
| Ottawa Controller | |
| In office January 1, 1951 – October 1, 1951 |
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| Preceded by | C. E. Pickering |
| Succeeded by | John Powers |
| Ottawa Alderwoman | |
| In office 1967–1972 |
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| Preceded by | Claude Bennett |
| Succeeded by | Gary Guzzo |
| Constituency | Capital Ward |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 8, 1896 Renfrew, Ontario |
| Died | January 25, 1975 (aged 78) |
| Resting place | Thompson Hill Cemetery, Horton, Ontario |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative |
| Domestic partner | Margaret Grier (1915–1947) |
Charlotte Elizabeth Whitton (March 8, 1896 – January 25, 1975) was a Canadian leader and politician. She made history as the first woman to become mayor of a major city in Canada. She served as the Mayor of Ottawa from 1951 to 1956 and again from 1960 to 1964. Whitton was also a pioneer in social policy, a journalist, and a writer.
Contents
Charlotte Whitton: A Trailblazing Mayor
Early Life and School Days
Charlotte Elizabeth Hazeltyne Whitton was born on March 8, 1896. Her hometown was Renfrew, Ontario, a small town in the Ottawa Valley.
She went to Queen's University. There, she was a star player on the women's hockey team. People knew her as the fastest skater in the league. At Queen's, she also became the first female editor of the Queen's Journal newspaper in 1917. Charlotte was a top student and won several scholarships. She earned her Master of Arts degree in 1917.
Becoming a Leader
After university, Charlotte Whitton worked as a civil servant. She was the private secretary for Thomas Low, a Member of Parliament.
Later, she became the founding director of the Canadian Council on Child Welfare in 1922. This organization later became the Canadian Council on Social Development. She worked there until 1941. Her work helped create many new laws to support children and immigrants in Canada.
In 1934, she received a special honour. She was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This award recognized her important work. She also served on the League of Nations Social Questions Committee. This group worked on social issues around the world. In 1941, Queen's University gave her an honorary Doctorate of Laws. She also published two books in 1943.
Mayor of Ottawa
Charlotte Whitton started her political career in Ottawa. In 1950, she was elected to Ottawa's Board of Control. She received the most votes across the city.
In August 1951, the mayor, Grenville Goodwin, sadly passed away. Charlotte Whitton was immediately appointed acting mayor. On September 30, 1951, the city council confirmed her as mayor. She served for the rest of the term.
Many people think Charlotte Whitton was the first woman mayor in Canada. However, Barbara Hanley was actually the first, becoming mayor of Webbwood in 1936. But Charlotte Whitton was the first woman to be mayor of a large Canadian city.
She was elected mayor of Ottawa in her own right in 1953. She served until 1956. She made the mayor's job a full-time role. She ran for mayor again in 1960 and won. She served until 1964, when she was defeated in her re-election bid.
A Strong Voice for Canada
Charlotte Whitton was known for her strong opinions. She was a big supporter of Canada's traditions. As Ottawa mayor, she spoke out against Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson's idea for a new national flag in 1964. She wanted to keep the traditional Canadian Red Ensign. Whitton famously called Pearson's design a "white badge of surrender." She believed the Red Ensign, with its symbols of England, Scotland, Ireland, and France, better showed Canada's history.
She was also known for her sharp wit. She once said, "Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult."
In 1955, while mayor, she appeared on the American TV game show What's My Line.
In 1958, Whitton tried to become a Member of Parliament. She ran in the Ottawa West area for the Progressive Conservative party. Even with support from Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, she lost the election. However, her challenge was the closest anyone came to defeating the Liberal Party's George McIlraith in that area.
In 1967, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. This is one of Canada's highest honours. She also ran for city alderwoman (councillor) in 1967 and was elected. She served until 1972.
Controversies and Legacy
Charlotte Whitton had many great achievements. However, some of her actions are debated today.
She has been accused of having strong views against some immigrant groups. For example, some reports suggest she was against Jewish and Armenian immigrants. In 1938, she attended a conference about refugees. Some people believed she was opposed to Jewish refugees, especially children. However, official records show she wanted the government to start a long-term refugee program. She also expressed interest in protecting all people at risk, including "Hebrews in the Reich and in Italy."
Later, as Mayor in 1964, she turned down a large donation for the Ottawa Civic Hospital. The official reason was that the city could not afford to run the new centre. But some people believed she did not want a Jewish family's name on a hospital building.
Patricia Rooke, who co-wrote a biography of Whitton, said Whitton was a "complete anglophile." This means she strongly favoured British culture. Rooke stated that Whitton was "racist" and disliked the changing character of Canadian society.
However, others point out that Whitton was well-received by various Jewish organizations during her lifetime. She was also the first person to sign the nomination papers for Lorry Greenberg. He became the first Jewish Mayor of Ottawa in 1975.
Because of these debates, Charlotte Whitton's name was not used for a new Archives Building in Ottawa in 2011.
Honouring Her Memory
The Ontario Heritage Trust placed a special plaque for Charlotte Whitton at Ottawa City Hall. It honours her as a "controversial fighter for social reform."
Two biographies about Charlotte Whitton have been published. David Mullington's 2010 book, Charlotte: The Last Suffragette, won an award for biography.
Charlotte Whitton also has entries in the Queen's University Encyclopedia and The Canadian Encyclopedia.
Major Works
- "The Dawn Of Ampler Life", 1943.
- "A Hundred Years A-Fellin'", 1943. (A history of logging in the Ottawa Valley)
