Oscar D. Skelton

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Oscar D. Skelton
Skelton, c. 1925–35
Born
Oscar Douglas Skelton

(1878-07-13)July 13, 1878
Orangeville, Ontario
DiedJanuary 28, 1941(1941-01-28) (aged 62)
Ottawa, Ontario
Alma mater
Occupation(s)Political economist, civil servant
Spouse
Isabel Murphy
​
(m. 1904)​

Oscar Douglas Skelton (July 13, 1878 – January 28, 1941) was a

civil servant. Skelton was a loyal member of the Liberal Party, an expert on international affairs, and a nationalist who encouraged Canadians to pursue autonomy from the British Empire, and to take on what he proclaimed was "the work of the world."[1]

Early life and career

Born on July 13, 1878, in

The Booklover's Magazine and in 1904 married Isabel Murphy. He then took up the study of political economy at University of Chicago and followed the lectures of Thorstein Veblen
, whom he admired for his "stock of science and of philosophy & of first hand knowledge of business affairs."

Skelton kept in touch with Shortt at his alma mater and was offered work there in 1907. Skelton earned his doctorate in political economy from the University of Chicago in 1908. He was appointed to the John A. Macdonald Professorship of Political Science and Economics at Queen's University in 1909, which he held until 1925. He also served as the university's Dean of Arts and as chair of their board of trustees.

He was the author of two books in the Chronicles of Canada series: The Day of Sir Wilfrid Laurier: A Chronicle of Our Own Times (1916) and The Railway Builders: A Chronicle of Overland Highways (1920).

Civil service career

Skelton later became

Chanak crisis and stated that Canada should not issue "blank cheques" to Britain as in 1914 when Canada considered itself automatically at war with Germany because Britain had declared war.[4] He served for more than 15 years in this capacity.[5] Skelton was described by one historian as the most powerful civil servant in Canada of his time.[3]

Skelton served as a member of the 2nd Council of the Northwest Territories until his death on January 28, 1941, in Ottawa. His death, coming in the midst of wartime, hit King very hard; the two, who shared similar educational backgrounds, had been close. Historian John English, in his biography of Lester B. Pearson, wrote that Skelton played the major role in the building of Canada's external affairs department.[6]

Works

  • Socialism: A Critical Analysis, (1911)
  • Economic History Of Canada Since Confederation, (1913)
  • The Day Of Sir Wilfrid Laurier: A Chronicle Of Our Own Times, (1916)
  • The Railway/Railroad Builders: A Chronicle Of Overland Highways, (1916)
  • The Life And Times Of Sir Alexander Tilloch Galt, (1920)
  • The Canadian Dominion: A Chronicle Of Our Northern Neighbor, (1920)
  • Life And Letters Of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, (1921)
  • Our Generation, Its Gains And Losses, (1938)

Source:[7]

References

  1. ISBN 978-0-7735-4273-0
    .
  2. ISBN 978-0-7735-4273-0
    .
  3. ^ a b "O.D. Skelton". Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. May 5, 2007. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012.
  4. ^ Levine, Allen William Lyon Mackenzie King : a Life Guided by the Hand of Destiny Toronto: Douglas & McIntyre, 2011 page 131.
  5. ^ "About the O.D. Skelton Memorial Lecture Series". Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. April 30, 2007. Archived from the original on September 30, 2012.
  6. ^ Shadow of Heaven: The Life of Lester Pearson, volume 1, by John English.
  7. ^ "Author - Prof, Oscar Douglas Skelton". Author and Book Info.

Further reading

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Oscar Douglas Skelton.
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