Businessman, contractor.
Born at Winnipeg on 1 January 1921, he established the Harris Construction Company, later Pile Foundations Limited, with operations from Ontario to British Columbia. He built the substructure of the Midtown Bridge and Disraeli Freeway in Winnipeg. In 1983, he and car dealer Jim Gauthier bought controlling interest of the MS Lord Selkirk II cruise ship.
He was married twice, first on 15 November 1941 to Edith Isabel Scott (?-2016, daughter of T. C. Scott) at the St. Vital United Church. They subsequently had two sons and two daughters before divorcing. He later married Leo. He was a member of the Shriners and Royal Manitoba Yacht Club (Commodore, 1971-1973). An avid diver, swimmer, and boater, he owned the Wendebee and Billy the Kidd.
He died at Gimli on 22 August 2006.
See also:
Manitoba Business: Harris Construction Company
Northern Prairie Ships: Lord Selkirk II
“Engagements,” Winnipeg Tribune, 4 November 1941, page 9.
Marriage registration [William Clifford Harris, Edith Scott], Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 8 September 2006.
Obituary [Edith Harris], Winnipeg Free Press, 8 October 2016.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 7 November 2026
Memorable Manitobans
This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.
Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:
Custom SearchBrowse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | ZBrowse deaths occurring in:
1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026
Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.caCriteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements
Help us keep
history alive!
