Memorable Manitobans: John Thomas Haig (1877-1962)

Lawyer, MLA (1914-1915), MLA (1921-1922), MLA (1923-1927), MLA (1927-1932), MLA (1933-1936), Senator.

Born at Colborne, Ontario on 15 December 1877, son of Joseph Haig and Elizabeth Broatch, he grew up on a farm near Brandon and was educated at the Alexander public school and the University of Manitoba (BA). He was a member of the legal firm of Campbell, Pitblado, Haig, Montague & Drummond Hay. He was made a King’s Counsel in 1927. He was also Vice-President of the Equitable Trust Company.

On 16 March 1907, he married Josephine M. Dickie (1879-1953), daughter of James H. Dickie, of Winnipeg. They had six children: James Campbell Haig, Douglas Haig, Elizabeth Clinkskill Haig (wife of Allyn Taylor), Alison Haig (wife of G. B. Williams), and Edith Haig (wife of R. S. Jones). The family lived at 73 Chestnut Street, Winnipeg. He served for eight years as a member of the Winnipeg School Board, and later Chairman of that Board. He was President of the Manitoba Curling Association and President of the Assiniboia Lawn-Bowling Club.

He was first elected for Assiniboia to the Manitoba Legislature at the July 1914 general election. A Conservative, he became leader of his party after the election of 1922. He served in the Legislature until his appointment to the Canadian Senate in 1935. He was Senate Opposition leader from 1945 to 1957 and Senate government leader and member of the Diefenbaker cabinet from September 1957 to May 1958. He retired from the Senate in February 1962 and his son, James Campbell Haig, was appointed to his Senate seat.

He died on 23 October 1962 and was buried in Kildonan Cemetery. At the time of his death, he lived at 262 Harvard Avenue, Winnipeg.

Sources:

Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

The Canadian Parliamentary Guide, 1915.

“John Haig dies”, Winnipeg Free Press, 24 October 1962, page 3.

Ramsay Cook (editor), The Dafoe-Sifton Correspondence, 1919-1927. Manitoba Record Society, 1966, page 287.

This profile was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Profile revised: 31 October 2011

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