A Cyclopædia of Canadian Biography: Brief biographies of persons distinguished in the professional, military and political life, and the commerce and industry of Canada, in the twentieth century
History
A Cyclopædia of Canadian Biography: Brief biographies of persons distinguished in the professional, military and political life, and the commerce and industry of Canada, in the twentieth century
Canada -- Biography
Ottawa, Canadian Fire Insurance Co., Great West Life Assurance Co.,
Canada Permanent and Western Canada Land Co., Manitoba Northwest Land
Co., Scottish American Investment Co. He is a director of the Northern
Trusts Co., the Canada Fire Insurance Co., and numerous other financial
corporations. From 1879 to 1896 he acted as counsel for the Department
of Justice, and, in 1880, he was appointed by the Dominion Government
one of the Royal Commissioners to investigate and report on the
administration of Justice in the North-West Territories; was chief
counsel for the Province of Manitoba during the administration of Hugh
John Macdonald, drafting the Manitoba Liquor Bill, which, on appeal was
sustained by the Privy Council in England and decided to be
constitutional, and has been a model for similar legislation in other
Provinces. Appointed K.C. in 1884, and created Knight Bachelor in June,
1914, Sir James Aikins is the senior of the Manitoba Bar and President
of the Canadian Bar Association, President of the Conference of
Commissioners on Uniformity of Law. Aug., 1916, appointed
Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba. Was elected bencher of the Law Society
of Manitoba in 1886, and has filled a large number of other prominent
positions and offices, i.e., President of Y.M.C.A.; The Canadian Club;
Chairman, Wesley College, Manitoba; Honorary Bursar, Manitoba
University; President Law Society of Manitoba. In June, 1912, was
appointed to represent Canada at the second International Moral
Education Congress, held at The Hague from August 22 to 27 of that year.
A director of the Manitoba Agricultural College, Sir James takes great
interest in all educational matters. Presented silver cup to Manitoba
Mounted Rifles for general efficiency 1907; appointed Honorary
Lieut.-Colonel 90th Regiment, Winnipeg Rifles December, 1910; is also
Col. (Honorary) of the 99th Regiment, Brandon. A Methodist in religion,
the subject of this sketch has always displayed much interest in the
affairs of his church; was a member of the 20th Century Thanksgiving
Fund, and of the Methodist Church Union Committee, and in 1896 carried a
resolution in Grace Methodist Church, Winnipeg, heartily favoring
organic union of Presbyterian, Congregational, and Methodist Churches of
Canada. Sir James has been twice married—(first) to Mary B. McLellan,
in 1884, (second) to Mary F. Colby, in 1889, and has three children,
Gordon Harold Aikins, Barrister-at-Law, married to Myrtle Clint; Mary
Helena Alberta Aikins; Elizabeth Grace Colby Aikins. Sir James has
always taken a very prominent part in the affairs of the Dominion and
that the success which has come to him early in life has been the reward
of merit is generally admitted. He is a strong platform speaker, a
brilliant advocate and sound lawyer, and at critical periods in the
country’s history has shown much dominant force as a political factor.
Sir James is extremely popular with the members of his profession with
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