Jack Pickersgill facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable Jack Pickersgill PC CC
Pickersgill, c. 1960s
Minister of Transport
In office 3 February 1964 – 18 September 1967
Prime Minister	Lester B. Pearson
Preceded by	George McIlraith
Succeeded by	Paul Hellyer
Secretary of State for Canada
In office 22 April 1963 – 2 February 1964
Prime Minister	Lester B. Pearson
Preceded by	Ernest Halpenny
Succeeded by	Maurice Lamontagne
In office 12 June 1953 – 30 June 1954
Prime Minister	Louis St. Laurent
Preceded by	Frederick Gordon Bradley
Succeeded by	Roch Pinard
Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
In office 16 May 1963 – 21 December 1963
Prime Minister	Lester B. Pearson
Preceded by	Gordon Churchill
Succeeded by	Guy Favreau
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
In office 1 July 1954 – 20 June 1957
Prime Minister	Louis St. Laurent
Preceded by	Walter Edward Harris
Succeeded by	Davie Fulton (Acting)
Member of Parliament for Bonavista—Twillingate
In office 10 August 1953 – 18 September 1967
Preceded by	Frederick Gordon Bradley
Succeeded by	Charles Granger
Personal details
Born	(1905-06-23)23 June 1905 Wyecombe, Ontario, Canada
Died	14 November 1997(1997-11-14) (aged 92) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Political party	Liberal
Spouses	Beatrice Young ​ ​ (m. 1936; died 1938)​ Mary Margaret Beattie ​ (m. 1939)​
Children	4
Education	University of Manitoba New College, Oxford
Occupation	Lecturer Civil Servant

John Whitney Pickersgill (June 23, 1905 – November 14, 1997) was an important Canadian civil servant and politician. He was born in Ontario but grew up in Manitoba.

In the early 1950s, he was the Clerk of the Privy Council. This is a very senior government job. He was first elected to Canada's parliament in 1953. He represented a part of Newfoundland and served in Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent's team of ministers, called the cabinet.

Later, in the mid-1960s, he was a cabinet minister again. This time, he worked for Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. Pickersgill left parliament in 1967. He became the president of the Canadian Transport Commission. In 1970, he received the highest honour in Canada, the Order of Canada. He also wrote several books about Canadian history. He passed away in Ottawa in 1997.

Early Life and Education

John Pickersgill was born in Wyecombe, Ontario, on June 23, 1905. His parents were Frank Allan Pickersgill and Sarah Smith. When he was a young child, his family moved to Ashern, Manitoba. There, his father worked as a farmer. John was the oldest of five children. His younger siblings were Thomas, Walter, Bessie, and Frank Pickersgill. All of them were born in Manitoba.

John Pickersgill went to the University of Manitoba for his studies. He also studied at the University of Oxford in England. After finishing his education, he taught history in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

In 1936, John W. Pickersgill married Beatrice Landon Young in Toronto. Beatrice was also a graduate of the University of Manitoba. Sadly, Beatrice passed away in 1938. Her gravestone is in Old Kildonan Cemetery in Winnipeg. Later, in 1939, John Pickersgill married Mary Margaret Beattie. They had four children together.

Working for the Government

Pickersgill started his career working for the Department of External Affairs in Ottawa. This department handles Canada's relationships with other countries. Soon, he began working in the Prime Minister's Office. He was an Assistant Private Secretary to Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King.

In 1945, he became a Special Assistant to the Prime Minister. This meant he was officially in charge of the Prime Minister's Office. He continued to work for King's successor, Louis St. Laurent. In 1952, he became the Clerk of the Privy Council. This is a very important role that helps the government run smoothly. Pickersgill was a trusted advisor to both Prime Ministers. People on Parliament Hill often said, "Clear it with Jack," meaning to get his approval.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

Pickersgill became a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Liberal party. He was elected in 1953 for the area of Bonavista-Twillingate in Newfoundland. He had helped Newfoundland join Canada in the late 1940s, even though he wasn't from there.

He joined the Canadian Cabinet in 1953 as the Secretary of State for Canada. This role involves many government duties. In 1954, he became the Minister for Citizenship and Immigration. In this job, he worked on issues related to new Canadians and Indigenous peoples.

When the Liberal government lost the election in 1957, Pickersgill was still re-elected as an MP. He became a strong voice for the opposition. He often challenged the new government led by John Diefenbaker.

In 1963, Lester Pearson became Prime Minister, and Pickersgill returned to the Cabinet. He was first the Secretary of State for Canada and the Government House Leader. This meant he helped manage government business in the House of Commons. Later, he became the Minister of Transport. In 1967, he left politics. He then became the president of the Canadian Transport Commission, which oversees transportation in Canada.

Awards and Honours

John Pickersgill received many honours for his service to Canada.

• On June 12, 1953, he became a member of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. This gave him the title "The Honourable" and the letters "PC" after his name for life.
• On December 18, 1970, he was named a Companion of the Order of Canada. This is the highest honour a Canadian can receive. He officially received it on March 31, 1971. This gave him the letters "CC" after his name for life.
• He was later given the title "The Right Honourable." This title is usually for Prime Ministers, Governors-General, and Chief Justices in Canada. It showed how much his service was valued.
• In 1967, he received the Canadian Centennial Medal. This medal celebrated 100 years since Canada became a country.
• In 1977, he received the Canadian Version of the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal. This medal celebrated 25 years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign.

He also received special degrees from universities:

• The University of Manitoba gave him an Honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D) on May 25, 1967.
• The University of Winnipeg gave him an Honorary Doctorate in 1982.

Books and Writings

John Pickersgill was also a writer. He and D. F. Forster wrote four books called The Mackenzie King Record. These books were based on the diaries of former Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. Pickersgill was in charge of King's diaries after he passed away.

Pickersgill also wrote three books about his own political experiences:

• My Years with Louis St. Laurent (ISBN: 9780802022158)
• The Road Back (ISBN: 9780802025982)
• Seeing Canada Whole (ISBN: 9781550410693)

He also wrote a history book about the Liberal Party.

• The Mackenzie King record (1960) online

Archives

There is a collection of John Pickersgill's papers and records, called a fonds, at Library and Archives Canada.