Albert Peter Low

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Albert Peter Low (1861-05-24 – 1942-10-09) was a Canadian geologist, explorer and athlete. His explorations of 1893–1895 were important in declaring Canada's sovereignty over the Arctic, and eventually defining the border between Quebec and Labrador.

He was born in Montreal, Quebec, and attended McGill University, graduating in 1882. He moved to Ottawa, Ontario to work as a surveyor and explorer with the Geological Survey of Canada. Low was soon recognized by senior bureaucrats for his excellent work and handed a series of scientific assignments in the North. Although his career is dotted with distinguished work, Low is perhaps best remembered as the commander of a 1903-04 Dominion expedition to declare Canada's authority over the Arctic, a journey that resulted in a bestselling book, The Cruise of the Neptune. In 1906 he was appointed director of the Geological Survey of Canada. In 1907, he became the first deputy minister of the Department of Mines. He retired from the department in 1913. He died in Ottawa in 1942.

Low was also an athlete, and he played ice hockey for two famous ice hockey teams, the McGill Hockey Club, considered the first organized hockey club in the world, and the Ottawa Hockey Club. In 1883, he played goaltender for the victorious McGill Hockey Club in the 1883 Montreal Winter Carnival. The championship is considered the first Canadian championship. After moving to Ottawa, he was a founding member of the Ottawa Hockey Club in 1883, formed within weeks of the 1883 tournament. In 1884, he would return to the Montreal Winter Carnival tournament as Ottawa's goaltender and shutout McGill. He was a member until 1889.

Aplowite, which is a transparent, pink-coloured cobalt mineral, is named in his honour.

[edit] References

Fischer, Doug. "How official Ottawa held back a 'great unsung native hero'; Even John A. Macdonald couldn't secure a full-time job for a founder of the world's first hockey league, Doug Fischer writes.", Ottawa Citizen, 2008-03-01, p. A1.
Fischer, Doug. "When hockey came to the capital; 125 years ago this week, the Ottawa Hockey Club -- the team that became the original Senators -- took to the ice for the first time. A new book tells their fascinating story", Ottawa Citizen, 2008-03-02, p. D4.
Trailblazers - Albert Peter Low. Natural Resources Canada.