Tribute to Rt Hon J.L. Ilsley

The Right Honourable James Lorimer Ilsley earned a place in history as Canada’s wartime finance minister. The distinguished Nova Scotia statesman and jurist, who was born in Somerset, Kings County in 1884, was high on the list to become Canada’s next governor general in 1967.

He became Chief Justice of Nova Scotia in 1950, following an outstanding career in public life and the practice of law. As a member of the wartime cabinet, he was regarded as one of the greatest finance ministers ever to hold that important portfolio. He also served as minister of justice prior to retirement from politics in 1948.

When asked to enter the federal election campaign in 1926, he flatly refused, showing no interest in politics. His friends, however, refused to take “no” for an answer, pointing out to him there was a great need for a man of his talents in government, believing that a great future lay before him.

He was elected to the House of Commons as the Liberal candidate for Kings-Hants. He represented Digby-Annapolis-Kings in Parliament for 22 years. He was minister of national revenue in 1935 and finance minister in July, 1940.

In December, 1946, Mr. Ilsley was appointed minister of justice and retired from public life in July 1948. His appointment to the Nova Scotia Supreme Court was made in May, 1948.

Upon his death, in Berwick, flags lowered to half-mast, business establishments closed behind drawn drapes and school children and townspeople lined the streets in silent tribute as the body of the Rt. Hon. Ilsley was borne to its final resting place, beside humble parents in the family plot in the Berwick Cemetery, just three miles from his birthplace. An R.C.M.P. guard of honour stood at the gravesite, as the committal service was conducted by Rev. W. Carey Harvey of Halifax First Baptist Church.

Dignitaries were headed by Hon. H.P. MacKeen, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia; Hon. Allen J. MacEachern, Nova Scotia’s representative in the federal cabinet; Rt. Rev. W. W. Davis, Bishop of Nova Scotia; Hon. R.A. Donahoe, Nova Scotia Attorney General and Mayor Earle Robinson of Berwick. Members of Nova Scotia’s Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice L.W. Currie, university presidents and other distinguished representatives of the legal profession acted as pallbearers.

Berwick’s Chief of Police John Hallett took the salute for the town as the funeral procession approached on its journey from Halifax. At the gravesite, political leaders and ranking representatives of the legal, business and industrial life of the Valley mingled with citizens of the town and farmers from the surrounding communities as final tribute was paid to the late Chief Justice.