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Douglas Harkness

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The Honourable
Douglas Harkness
OC GM ED PC
Minister of National Defence
In office
11 October 1960 – 3 February 1963
Prime MinisterJohn Diefenbaker
Preceded byGeorge Pearkes
Succeeded byVacant
Minister of Agriculture
In office
21 June 1957 – 10 October 1960
Prime MinisterJohn Diefenbaker
Preceded byJames Garfield Gardiner
Succeeded byAlvin Hamilton
Minister of Northern Affairs and National Resources
In office
21 June 1957 – 18 August 1957
Prime MinisterJohn Diefenbaker
Preceded byJean Lesage
Succeeded byAlvin Hamilton
Member of Parliament
for Calgary Centre
In office
25 June 1968 – 29 October 1972
Preceded byRiding created
Succeeded byHarvie Andre
Member of Parliament
for Calgary North
In office
10 August 1953 – 24 June 1968
Preceded byRiding created
Succeeded byEldon Woolliams
Member of Parliament
for Calgary East
In office
11 June 1945 – 9 August 1953
Preceded byGeorge Henry Ross
Succeeded byJohn Kushner
Personal details
Born
Douglas Scott Harkness

(1903-03-29)29 March 1903
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died2 May 1999(1999-05-02) (aged 96)
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Political partyProgressive Conservative
Spouse
Frances Elizabeth MacMillan
​
​
(m. 1932; died 1991)​
Children1
EducationUniversity of Alberta (BA)
Profession
Military service
AllegianceCanada
Branch/serviceCanadian Army
Years of service1940–1949
RankLieutenant Colonel
Unit4th Canadian Armoured Division
Battles/warsWorld War II
Awards

Douglas Scott Harkness OC GM ED PC (29 March 1903 – 2 May 1999) was a Canadian politician.

Early life and military service

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He was born in Toronto, Ontario, and moved to Calgary, Alberta in 1929. He graduated from the University of Alberta, then farmed and taught school in the vicinity of Red Deer.[1] He taught at Crescent Heights High School until 1939.

He fought during the Second World War from 1940 to 1945, serving in the European theater of war. He was posted to Great Britain, Sicily, Italy and Northwest Europe.[1] In 1943 was awarded the George Medal "in recognition of conspicuous gallantry in carrying out hazardous work in a very brave manner".[2] Harkness was aboard a troopship when it was torpedoed transiting from Sicily to England. Harkness was awarded the medal for his organization of the abandonment of the ship. In 1945, Harkness was the commanding officer of the 5th Anti-Tank Regiment of the 4th Armoured Division. After returning from the war, Harkness returned to farming, residing in De Winton, Alberta, south of Calgary.[1]

Member of Parliament

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In 1945, Harkness was elected to the House of Commons of Canada for the constituency of Calgary East and briefly held the Cabinet positions of Minister of Northern Affairs and Minister of National Revenue under the government of John Diefenbaker. He was sworn into the Queen's Privy Council for Canada on August 7, 1957, as Minister of Agriculture.[1]

Harkness was appointed Minister of National Defence, being sworn in on October 11, 1960.[1] He precipitated a political crisis when he resigned from cabinet in February 1963 to protest Diefenbaker's opposition to stationing American nuclear warheads in Canada. The resignation precipitated a split in the cabinet and contributed to the defeat of the government in the 1963 federal election. He continued to sit as a Member of Parliament until 1972.

Post-political career

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He lived in Calgary until his death in 1999. In 1978 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. The Douglas Harkness Community School in Calgary is named in his honour.

Parliamentary functions

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Douglas Harkness (first from left) with other members of the government in 1957 on a visit by Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Archives

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There is a Douglas Scott Harkness fonds at Library and Archives Canada.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "New Minister Won GM at Sea". The Crowsnest. Vol. 12, no. 12. Ottawa: Queen's Printer. October 1960. p. 2.
  2. ^ "No. 36427". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 17 March 1944. p. 1265.
  3. ^ "Douglas Scott Harkness fonds, Library and Archives Canada". 25 November 2016.
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