Barney Danson | |
|---|---|
| Minister of National Defence | |
| In office October 12, 1976 – June 3, 1979 | |
| Prime Minister | Pierre Trudeau |
| Preceded by | James Armstrong Richardson |
| Succeeded by | Allan McKinnon |
| Member of Parliament forYork North | |
| In office June 25, 1968 – May 21, 1979 | |
| Preceded by | John Hollings Addison |
| Succeeded by | John A. Gamble |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Barnett Jerome Danson (1921-02-08)February 8, 1921 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | October 17, 2011(2011-10-17) (aged 90) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Occupation |
|
| Awards | Order of Canada |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | Canadian Army |
| Years of service | 1939-1945 |
| Rank | Lieutenant-colonel |
| Unit | The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada |
Barnett Jerome "Barney" DansonPC CC (February 8, 1921 – October 17, 2011) was aCanadian politician andCabinet minister.
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Barnett Jerome "Barney" Danson was born to aJewish family inToronto'sParkdale neighbourhood. He joinedThe Queen's Own Rifles of Canada in 1939 as theSecond World War broke out. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant and served until he was severely wounded, losing an eye, in theBattle of Normandy. His ailment created an interest in theCanadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) and its library for the blind and visually impaired, which he maintained until his death.
He returned to Canada and joined his family's insurance business before entering theplastics industry with his own company, the Danson Corporation. He also served as president of theSociety of the Plastics Industry of Canada.
In 2002, his autobiography,Not Bad for a Sergeant: The Memoirs of Barney Danson, was published.
His son, Tim Danson, is a Toronto lawyer known as avictim's rights advocate and for having represented the families ofPaul Bernardo's victims.[1]
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Danson was first elected to theHouse of Commons of Canada in the1968 general election as theLiberalMember of Parliament (MP) for the Toronto-areariding ofYork North. Danson was unsuccessful during his first attempt at politics as anOntario Liberal Partycandidate in the1967 provincial election in the riding ofYork Mills.
In 1970, he becameParliamentary Secretary toPrime MinisterPierre Trudeau, and was appointed to the Cabinet in 1974 asMinister of State for urban affairs. In 1976, he was promoted toMinister of National Defence. While Minister of National Defence, he was appointed the Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, his regiment.
He served in that position until the defeat of the Liberal government in the1979 general election, in which he lost his seat. Danson received an honorary degree (1993) from theRoyal Military College of Canada in Kingston, of which he was a former chancellor.
As a Member of thePrivy Council Danson was styled "The Honourable".
Danson is the co-founder along withJacques Hébert ofKatimavik, the national youth volunteer programme. Danson served as Canada'sConsul General inBoston from 1984 to 1986.[citation needed]
He served on corporate and not-for-profit boards of directors such as the Canadian Executive Services Organization (CESO),Canadian Council of Christians and Jews, the Atlantic Council, theEmpire Club of Canada, the Ballet Opera House Corporation,de Havilland Aircraft of Canada, Algoma Central Corporation, General steelwares, theRoyal Conservatory of Music, and Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.[citation needed]
During his last years, Danson was chairman of the advisory committee of theCanadian War Museum inOttawa and producedNo Price Too High, a six-part series broadcast onCBC Television on Canada's role in World War II.[citation needed]
A theatre in theCanadian War Museum is named for him in honour of his service[2] and to his four closest war-time friends killed in action; Sgt Fred B. Harris-Queen's, Lt Gerald Rayner, Lt Earl R. Stoll, and Lt Harlan David Keely.[3]
Danson was named an Officer of France'sNational Order of Merit (1994), and the Churchill Society's Award for "Excellence in the Cause of Parliamentary Democracy" (1995). In 1996, Danson was named an Officer of theOrder of Canada and promoted to Companion in 2008.[4]
In 2000, he was awarded theVimy Award. In 2006, Danson was made an honorary Doctor of Laws byYork University of Toronto.[citation needed]
He was sworn in as a Member of thePrivy Council on August 8, 1974, which gave him the title "The Honourable" for life.[citation needed]
On March 28, 2007, he was made a Chevalier of theFrench Legion of Honour.[5]
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
_ribbon_bar.svg) | Order of Canada (CC) | 2008
|
 | 1939-45 Star | |
 | France and Germany Star | |
 | Defence Medal | |
 | Canadian Volunteer Service Medal |
|
 | War Medal 1939–1945 | |
 | Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal | 1977
|
 | 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal | 1992 |
 | Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal | 2002
|
 | Legion of Honour | 28 March 2007
|
 | National Order of Merit | 1994
|
There is a Barney Dansonfonds atLibrary and Archives Canada.[6]
| 1968 Canadian federal election:York North | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | ||||||
| Liberal | Barney Danson | 24,054 | ||||||
| Progressive Conservative | Gord Hurlburt | 15,693 | ||||||
| New Democratic | Jack Grant | 7,000 | ||||||
| 1972 Canadian federal election:York North | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | ||||||
| Liberal | Barney Danson | 28,123 | ||||||
| Progressive Conservative | Stephen B. Roman | 25,844 | ||||||
| New Democratic | Jim Reid | 11,065 | ||||||
| 1974 Canadian federal election:York North | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | ||||||
| Liberal | Barney Danson | 34,179 | ||||||
| Progressive Conservative | Stephen Roman | 26,386 | ||||||
| New Democratic | Jim Reid | 7,669 | ||||||
| Social Credit | Victor Upeslacis | 364 | ||||||
| 1979 Canadian federal election:York North | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | ||||||
| Progressive Conservative | John A. Gamble | 29,011 | ||||||
| Liberal | Barney Danson | 21,990 | ||||||
| New Democratic | Bruce Searle | 7,591 | ||||||
| Libertarian | Dan Davidson | 430 | ||||||
| Independent | Neil Katzman | 279 | ||||||
| Marxist–Leninist | Paul Herman | 37 | ||||||
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
