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George Hees

George Harris Hees PC OC (June 17, 1910 – June 11, 1996) was a Canadian politician and businessman.

George Hees
Hees c. 1942–1948
Minister of Veterans Affairs
In office
September 17, 1984 – September 14, 1988
Prime MinisterBrian Mulroney
Preceded byBennett Campbell
Succeeded byGerald Merrithew
Minister of Trade and Commerce
In office
October 11, 1960 – February 8, 1963
Prime MinisterJohn Diefenbaker
Preceded byGordon Churchill
Succeeded byMalcolm Wallace McCutcheon
Minister of Transport
In office
June 21, 1957 – October 10, 1960
Prime MinisterJohn Diefenbaker
Preceded byGeorge Carlyle Marler
Succeeded byLéon Balcer
Parliamentary constituencies
Member of Parliament
for Northumberland
(Prince Edward—Hastings; 1968–1979)
In office
November 8, 1965 – November 21, 1988
Preceded byPauline Jewett
Succeeded byChristine Stewart
Member of Parliament
for Broadview
In office
May 15, 1950 – April 8, 1963
Preceded byThomas Church
Succeeded byDavid Hahn
Personal details
Born
George Harris Hees

(1910-06-17)June 17, 1910
Toronto, Ontario
DiedJune 11, 1996(1996-06-11) (aged 85)
Political partyProgressive Conservative Party
Profession
  • Politician
  • soldier
  • businessman
George Hees
Career information
Position(s)C
Height6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight200 lb (91 kg)
CollegeUniversity of Toronto & Royal Military College
Career history
As player
1934, 1937–38Toronto Argonauts
Career highlights and awards
HonoursGrey Cup champion - 1938

Background

Born in Toronto, Hees earned a playboy image during his youth (nicknamed Gorgeous George), but then became a stalwart member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada. He was educated at the exclusive Crescent School in Toronto, Trinity College School in Port Hope, Ontario, the Royal Military College, student #1976 (where he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Military Science in 1986), the University of Toronto, and spent a year at Cambridge University in 1933.

Athlete

He was a noted athlete, winning championships in boxing and lacrosse at Cambridge. As a professional football player he played 3 seasons with the Toronto Argonauts (11 regular season and 3 playoff games)[1] and won the Grey Cup in 1938. While serving during the Second World War, he played in the famed Tea Bowl for the Canadian Army football team against American Army team at White City Stadium in London on February 13, 1944; the Canadians won 16-6.[2]

Military service

He attended The Royal Military College of Canada from 1927 to 1931. He then attended the University of Toronto and concurrently served for four years with The Royal Grenadiers, a Militia Regiment based in Toronto. He served in the Canadian Army in North-West Europe during the Second World War. During the Battle of the Scheldt, he served as the brigade major of the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade. On 1 November 1944, he volunteered to take over command of a company of The Calgary Highlanders when all their officers were killed or wounded after crossing the Walcheren Causeway. He was later wounded by a sniper and was repatriated to Canada and discharged.

Politics

After placing second to Liberal candidate David Croll in the Toronto riding of Spadina in the 1945 federal election, he won election to the House of Commons of Canada in a 1950 by-election in the nearby riding of Broadview. He was also President of the Progressive Conservative Party from 1953 to 1956.

 

When the PCs under John Diefenbaker won government in 1957, Hees was named Minister of Transport, and oversaw the opening of the Saint Lawrence Seaway and the new Halifax International Airport.[3] In 1960, he was appointed Minister of Trade and Commerce. During this period, Hees was regarded as the second most powerful man in the Tory party. However, in 1963, he fell out with Diefenbaker, and became embroiled in the Munsinger Affair and elected to sit out the 1963 election. In that election, the Liberals replaced the Tories' minority government with one of their own, causing Diefenbaker's succession with Lester B. Pearson as prime minister.

Hees considered leaving the Conservatives for the Liberals, but did not do so. He became president of the Montreal Stock Exchange. He returned to Parliament in the 1965 election as a PC, defeating Liberal MP Pauline Jewett in the rural riding of Northumberland, and remained in the front rows of the opposition ranks for almost two decades.

He ran for the leadership of the PC Party at its 1967 leadership convention, and placed fourth in a field of eleven on the first ballot. He remained for two further ballots before withdrawing, and supporting the eventual winner, Nova Scotia Premier Robert Stanfield.

He was noted as being involved in a memorable case of battery, in which he forcefully ejected a campaign worker from his room, striking his head against the door. Hees tried to plead self-defence, which failed due to the lack of imminent harm anticipated by him (MacDonald v. Hees (1974), 46 D.L.R. (3d) (N.S.T.D.)).

He was not named to Cabinet during the Joe Clark government in 1979–80, and was quoted saying, as Clark stepped down in the 1983 leadership race, "We've got him! We've got the S.O.B."

In 1981, Hees was the Chairman of the Canada-US Permanent Joint Board on Defence. In this role, he was the first Canadian to bring to the attention of then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau the US request to test nuclear-capable cruise missiles over Canadian territory.[4]

When Brian Mulroney led the party to a majority government in 1984, Hees was named Minister of Veterans Affairs. Hees retired from politics at the 1988 Canadian federal election. In 1989 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

There is a veterans wing at Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre bearing his name, and near the relocated Crescent School he attended as a child.

Election results (partial)

1958 Canadian federal election: Broadview
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative George Hees 15,364
Liberal George A. Taylor 4,738
Co-operative Commonwealth John Alan Lee 3,356
Socialist Ross Dowson 447

In popular culture

Hees was portrayed by Christopher Plummer in the 1997 TV miniseries The Arrow.

References

  1. ^ 2008 Toronto Argonaut Media Guide
  2. ^ The coffee & tea bowls: football classics: Canada vs. the United States in wartime London as Spitfires fly cover.
  3. ^ "Halifax Opens New Airport". The New York Times. 11 September 1960. p. 42.
  4. ^ John Murray Clearwater, Just Dummies: Cruise Missile Testing in Canada (Alberta: University of Calgary Press, 2006), pp. 4–5.

External links

  • Order of Canada citation
  • George Hees – Parliament of Canada biography

george, hees, george, harris, hees, june, 1910, june, 1996, canadian, politician, businessman, honourablepc, ochees, 1942, 1948minister, veterans, affairsin, office, september, 1984, september, 1988prime, ministerbrian, mulroneypreceded, bybennett, campbellsuc. George Harris Hees PC OC June 17 1910 June 11 1996 was a Canadian politician and businessman The HonourableGeorge HeesPC OCHees c 1942 1948Minister of Veterans AffairsIn office September 17 1984 September 14 1988Prime MinisterBrian MulroneyPreceded byBennett CampbellSucceeded byGerald MerrithewMinister of Trade and CommerceIn office October 11 1960 February 8 1963Prime MinisterJohn DiefenbakerPreceded byGordon ChurchillSucceeded byMalcolm Wallace McCutcheonMinister of TransportIn office June 21 1957 October 10 1960Prime MinisterJohn DiefenbakerPreceded byGeorge Carlyle MarlerSucceeded byLeon BalcerParliamentary constituenciesMember of Parliamentfor Northumberland Prince Edward Hastings 1968 1979 In office November 8 1965 November 21 1988Preceded byPauline JewettSucceeded byChristine StewartMember of Parliamentfor BroadviewIn office May 15 1950 April 8 1963Preceded byThomas ChurchSucceeded byDavid HahnPersonal detailsBornGeorge Harris Hees 1910 06 17 June 17 1910Toronto OntarioDiedJune 11 1996 1996 06 11 aged 85 Political partyProgressive Conservative PartyProfessionPoliticiansoldierbusinessmanGeorge HeesCareer informationPosition s CHeight6 ft 3 in 191 cm Weight200 lb 91 kg CollegeUniversity of Toronto amp Royal Military CollegeCareer historyAs player1934 1937 38Toronto ArgonautsCareer highlights and awardsHonoursGrey Cup champion 1938 Contents 1 Background 2 Athlete 3 Military service 4 Politics 5 Election results partial 6 In popular culture 7 References 8 External linksBackground EditBorn in Toronto Hees earned a playboy image during his youth nicknamed Gorgeous George but then became a stalwart member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada He was educated at the exclusive Crescent School in Toronto Trinity College School in Port Hope Ontario the Royal Military College student 1976 where he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Military Science in 1986 the University of Toronto and spent a year at Cambridge University in 1933 Athlete EditHe was a noted athlete winning championships in boxing and lacrosse at Cambridge As a professional football player he played 3 seasons with the Toronto Argonauts 11 regular season and 3 playoff games 1 and won the Grey Cup in 1938 While serving during the Second World War he played in the famed Tea Bowl for the Canadian Army football team against American Army team at White City Stadium in London on February 13 1944 the Canadians won 16 6 2 Military service EditHe attended The Royal Military College of Canada from 1927 to 1931 He then attended the University of Toronto and concurrently served for four years with The Royal Grenadiers a Militia Regiment based in Toronto He served in the Canadian Army in North West Europe during the Second World War During the Battle of the Scheldt he served as the brigade major of the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade On 1 November 1944 he volunteered to take over command of a company of The Calgary Highlanders when all their officers were killed or wounded after crossing the Walcheren Causeway He was later wounded by a sniper and was repatriated to Canada and discharged Politics EditAfter placing second to Liberal candidate David Croll in the Toronto riding of Spadina in the 1945 federal election he won election to the House of Commons of Canada in a 1950 by election in the nearby riding of Broadview He was also President of the Progressive Conservative Party from 1953 to 1956 Hees visiting Inuit in Frobisher Bay Northwest Territories 1958 When the PCs under John Diefenbaker won government in 1957 Hees was named Minister of Transport and oversaw the opening of the Saint Lawrence Seaway and the new Halifax International Airport 3 In 1960 he was appointed Minister of Trade and Commerce During this period Hees was regarded as the second most powerful man in the Tory party However in 1963 he fell out with Diefenbaker and became embroiled in the Munsinger Affair and elected to sit out the 1963 election In that election the Liberals replaced the Tories minority government with one of their own causing Diefenbaker s succession with Lester B Pearson as prime minister Hees considered leaving the Conservatives for the Liberals but did not do so He became president of the Montreal Stock Exchange He returned to Parliament in the 1965 election as a PC defeating Liberal MP Pauline Jewett in the rural riding of Northumberland and remained in the front rows of the opposition ranks for almost two decades He ran for the leadership of the PC Party at its 1967 leadership convention and placed fourth in a field of eleven on the first ballot He remained for two further ballots before withdrawing and supporting the eventual winner Nova Scotia Premier Robert Stanfield He was noted as being involved in a memorable case of battery in which he forcefully ejected a campaign worker from his room striking his head against the door Hees tried to plead self defence which failed due to the lack of imminent harm anticipated by him MacDonald v Hees 1974 46 D L R 3d N S T D He was not named to Cabinet during the Joe Clark government in 1979 80 and was quoted saying as Clark stepped down in the 1983 leadership race We ve got him We ve got the S O B In 1981 Hees was the Chairman of the Canada US Permanent Joint Board on Defence In this role he was the first Canadian to bring to the attention of then Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau the US request to test nuclear capable cruise missiles over Canadian territory 4 When Brian Mulroney led the party to a majority government in 1984 Hees was named Minister of Veterans Affairs Hees retired from politics at the 1988 Canadian federal election In 1989 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada There is a veterans wing at Toronto s Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre bearing his name and near the relocated Crescent School he attended as a child Election results partial Editvte1958 Canadian federal election BroadviewParty Candidate VotesProgressive Conservative George Hees 15 364Liberal George A Taylor 4 738Co operative Commonwealth John Alan Lee 3 356Socialist Ross Dowson 447In popular culture EditHees was portrayed by Christopher Plummer in the 1997 TV miniseries The Arrow References Edit 2008 Toronto Argonaut Media Guide The coffee amp tea bowls football classics Canada vs the United States in wartime London as Spitfires fly cover Halifax Opens New Airport The New York Times 11 September 1960 p 42 John Murray Clearwater Just Dummies Cruise Missile Testing in Canada Alberta University of Calgary Press 2006 pp 4 5 External links EditOrder of Canada citation George Hees Parliament of Canada biography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George Hees amp oldid 1136121655, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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