Douglas Abbott

The Honourable Douglas Abbott PC
Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
In office July 1, 1954 – December 23, 1973
Nominated by	Louis St. Laurent
Preceded by	Patrick Kerwin
Succeeded by	Louis-Philippe de Grandpré
Minister of Finance
In office December 10, 1946 – June 30, 1954
Prime Minister	W. L. Mackenzie King Louis St. Laurent
Preceded by	James Lorimer Ilsley
Succeeded by	Walter Harris
Minister of National Defence
In office August 21, 1945 – December 9, 1946
Prime Minister	W. L. Mackenzie King
Preceded by	Andrew McNaughton
Succeeded by	Brooke Claxton
Member of Parliament for Saint-Antoine—Westmount
In office March 26, 1940 – June 30, 1954
Preceded by	Robert Smeaton White
Succeeded by	George Carlyle Marler
Personal details
Born	Douglas Charles Abbott (1899-05-29)May 29, 1899 Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada
Died	March 15, 1987(1987-03-15) (aged 87) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Political party	Liberal
Spouses	Mary Winnifred Chisholm ​ ​ (m. 1925; died 1980)​ Florence Elizabeth Scarth ​ ​ (m. 1981)​
Children	3, including Tony
Alma mater	Bishop's University McGill Law School Université de Dijon
Profession	Lawyer
Military service
Branch/service	Non-Permanent Active Militia Royal Air Force
Years of service	1916–1918 1918
Rank	Gunner (NPAM)[1]
Unit	7th (McGill) Siege Battery, Canadian Garrison Artillery, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery

Douglas Charles Abbott PC (May 29, 1899 – March 15, 1987) was a Canadian Member of Parliament, federal Cabinet Minister, and justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. Abbott's appointment directly from the Cabinet of Canada as Finance Minister to the Supreme Court was one of the most controversial in the Supreme Court's history.^[2]

Abbott was born in Lennoxville, Quebec (now Sherbrooke, Quebec). He attended Bishop's University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts. He then attended McGill Law School, but interrupted his studies to sign up for service overseas, in 1916. Returning from the Great War, he completed his legal studies, earning his Bachelor of Civil Law. He then went to France to attend the Université de Dijon.^[3] Returning to Canada, he was called to the Barreau du Québec in 1921 and practised law in Montreal with the firm of Fleet, Phelan, Fleet & Le Mesurier.

Abbott successfully stood for election to the House of Commons in 1940, and remained a member of the House for fourteen years. A member of the Liberal Party of Canada, Abbott served as Minister of National Defence (1945–1946) and then Minister of Finance (1946–1954).

He was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada on July 1, 1954^[2] and served as puisne justice until December 23, 1973.

Abbott was appointed to the court directly from the federal Cabinet, where he had served the previous seven years as Finance Minister.^[2] The appointment is considered one of the most controversial in the history of the Supreme Court.^[2] It was the first appointment directly from Cabinet since the 1911 appointment of Louis-Philippe Brodeur.^[2] As of 2024, Abbott was the last justice of the Supreme Court of Canada appointed directly to the Court from the Cabinet, and the last justice to have held elected office prior to his appointment.^{[citation needed]}

• 16 May 1940 – 16 April 1945: St. Antoine—Westmount, Quebec
• 6 September 1945 – 30 April 1949: St. Antoine—Westmount, Quebec
• 15 September 1949 – 13 June 1953: St. Antoine—Westmount, Quebec
• 12 November 1953 – 30 June 1954: Saint-Antoine—Westmount, Quebec

• 18 April 1945 – 11 December 1946: Minister of National Defence for Naval Services^[3]
• 21 August 1945 – 11 December 1946: Minister of National Defence^[3]
• 10 December 1946 – 30 June 1954: Minister of Finance^[3] and Receiver General

• 1 April 1943 – 7 March 1945: Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Finance^[3]
• 8 March 1945 – 16 April 1945: Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of National Defence^[3]

There is a Douglas Charles Abbott fonds at Library and Archives Canada. Archival reference number is R4773 (former archival reference number MG32-B6).^[4]

• Douglas Abbott – Parliament of Canada biography
• Supreme Court of Canada biography