William Thomas White
Canadian Parliament for Leeds | |
---|---|
In office 1911–1921 | |
Preceded by | George Taylor |
Succeeded by | Hugh Alexander Stewart |
Minister of Finance and Receiver General | |
In office 10 October 1911 – 1 August 1919 | |
Prime Minister | Robert Borden |
Preceded by | William Stevens Fielding |
Succeeded by | Henry Lumley Drayton |
Personal details | |
Born | Bronte, Canada West | November 13, 1866
Died | February 11, 1955 | (aged 88)
Political party | Conservative |
Sir William Thomas White,
Early life
This section needs additional citations for verification. (January 2023) |
White worked as a reporter for the
White did not practice law after his graduation, but instead worked as a Managing Director for the National Trust Company, Ltd., becoming its Vice-President in 1911. National Trust was incorporated in 1898 by Senator
Political career and finance minister
White was initially a Liberal party member, but his views diverged from the party's policies on some key matters. He was a supporter of British imperialism, and joined Clifford Sifton and other Liberals in signing an anti - reciprocity manifesto in 1911.
Although he had few allies in the
White was responsible for managing Canada's finances during World War I. His approach was conservative, and he was reluctant to interfere with private enterprise or even to raise taxes in the early period of the war. Although he eventually made some interventions (including fixed profit margins and regulated food supplies), he continued to reject fundamental changes in the nation's finances. One exception was the introduction in 1917 of an income tax of 4% on all income of single men over $2,000; for Canadians with annual incomes of more than $6,000, the tax rate ranged from 2 to 25 per cent. Though it was intended as a temporary war measure and despite White's recommendation that "a year or two after the war is over, the measure should be reviewed by the minister of finance of the day, with a view of judging whether it is suitable to the conditions which then prevail," income tax became a permanent feature of Canadian life.
In 1919, he approved the use of naval warships to suppress post-war labour radicalism in
In the 1920 New Year Honours, as a reward for his service as Acting Prime Minister, White was appointed to the
Later life
White did not consider himself as a "career politician". His tenure as Finance Minister was very stressful, and he seems to have welcomed the opportunity to leave political life after the war's end. There is no indication that he entertained a return to politics in later years.
In 1933, he served as a member of the Royal Commission on Banking and Currency.[2] He opposed the creation of the Bank of Canada.
Archives
There is a Sir William Thomas White fonds at Library and Archives Canada.[3]
Footnotes
- ^ "No. 31712". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1919. p. 2.
- ISBN 978-1-55220-004-9.
- ^ "Sir William Thomas White fonds, Library and Archives Canada". 20 July 2017.