John Idington

The Honourable
John Idington
QC, LL.B
John Idington in 1914
17th Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
In office
February 10, 1905  March 31, 1927
Nominated by Wilfrid Laurier
Preceded by Albert Killam
Succeeded by John Lamont
Personal details
Born October 14, 1840
Puslinch, Upper Canada
Died February 7, 1928 (aged 87)
Ottawa, Ontario
Resting place Avondale Cemetery, Stratford
Spouse(s) Margaret Colcleugh
Children 11
Alma mater University of Toronto
Profession Lawyer

John Idington, QC, LL.B (October 14, 1840 February 7, 1928) was a Canadian justice of the Supreme Court of Canada.

Born in Puslinch, Upper Canada (now Ontario), the son of Peter Idington and Catherine Stewart, he received his LL.B degree from the University of Toronto and was called to the Ontario Bar, both in 1864. He practised law in Stratford, Canada West (now Ontario) for forty years.

He was created a provincial QC in 1876 and a dominion QC in 1885.

In 1904, he was appointed to the High Court of Justice of Ontario and he was appointed by Wilfrid Laurier to the Supreme Court on February 10, 1905.

Notable decisions include his dissent in Quong Wing v. R.,[1] in which he disagreed with the effects of racist legislation, on the basis that the use of the term "Chinaman" could not have been meant to refer to naturalized Canadians of Chinese origin.

He retired on March 31, 1927, at age 86, after legislation was passed requiring a mandatory retirement age of 75.[2]

References

  1. (1914), 49 S.C.R. 44
  2. An Act to amend the Supreme Court Act, S.C. 1927, c. 38, s. 2.

External links