Douglas Charles Abbott (1899-1987) was a Canadian politician and jurist who represented Saint-Antoine-Westmount in Parliament for fourteen years as a Liberal, earning his legal credentials from McGill Law School and the Universite de Dijon before establishing a Montreal law practice. He served as Minister of National Defence from 1945 to 1946 and as Minister of Finance from 1946 to 1954 under Prime Ministers Mackenzie King and Louis St. Laurent, then moved directly from his Cabinet post to the Supreme Court of Canada as a Puisne Justice in 1954, a controversial direct Cabinet-to-Court appointment, the first since 1911 and, as of 2026, still the last such instance. He served on the court until his retirement in 1973.
Facts
Classification
Field of Law RoleMember of Parliament, federal Cabinet Minister, and justice of the Supreme Court of Canada 1 Nationality / Jurisdiction Role
Role (category) In the Other Atlases
- Also in Geography Atlas: Canada, nationality there.
Sources
1. Douglas Abbott (Wikipedia)
WikipediaFull article, gender
He attended Bishop's University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts.
Introduction, role
Douglas Charles Abbott was a Canadian Member of Parliament, federal Cabinet Minister, and justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.
Full article, field of law
Snell and Vaughan note that Abbott's involvement was unfortunate because, before the case, he had admitted to a journalist that he had limited experience in criminal law and would avoid writing criminal judgments until he gained more experience.
View the Source 2. Douglas Charles Abbott (Wikipedia)
3. Douglas Charles Abbott (Wikipedia)
WikipediaIntroduction, nationalityQuote, Introduction, nationality
Douglas Charles Abbott was a Canadian Member of Parliament, federal Cabinet Minister, and justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.
Wikidata: Douglas Charles Abbott
Wikidata Q290808, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
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