Leonard Arthur Kitz

Leonard Arthur Kitz QC (April 9, 1916 – January 30, 2006) was the first Jewish mayor of Halifax, Nova Scotia (1955–1957).

Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Harry and Yetta (Lesser) Kitz, he grew up with older sister Hildred Kitz (Silver) and younger brother Joe. He attended Halifax's Protestant school system (there being no state-supported school for non-Christians) and graduated from the Halifax Academy. He attended Dalhousie University, where he studied law, graduating from Dalhousie Law School in 1938.

With World War II breaking out in Europe in 1939, Kitz joined the Canadian Army becoming an infantry officer in the Princess Louise Fusiliers. During the war, he served in Italy and Holland. After the war he served as a lawyer in military tribunals.

While serving in England in 1945, Kitz met and married Dr. Alice Duff Findlay. The two returned to Halifax after the war where Kitz opened his own law firm, located on Granville Street. His law firm was eventually joined by Robert Matheson becoming Matheson and Kitz. Kitz served as President of the Nova Scotia Barristers Association from 1968-1969.

In 1948, Kitz decided to enter politics and he was elected an alderman in Halifax. He served as an alderman from 1948-1955. Kitz is most remembered for his part as the 'driving force' behind the funding and construction of a statue of Winston Churchill which is a landmark on Halifax's Spring Garden Road.

Kitz was re-elected in 1956 but two years later resigned the mayorship to run, unsuccessfully, as a Liberal for parliament in the federal riding of Halifax.

Kitz' first wife died in 1969. He remarried in 1971 to Janet Brownlee. Janet is a renowned historian of the Halifax Explosion and the author of a number of books on the subject.

References

Tribute at the Nova Scotia Barristers Association by Daniel N. Paul.

List of mayors of Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
Halifax Regional Municipality (1996-present)	Fitzgerald Kelly Savage
Town of Bedford 1979-1996	Cosman Roberts Christie Kelly
County of Halifax Wardens & Mayors 1880-1996	Laurie Archibald Chipman Shatford Wilson Madill Smith Taylor Bishop Smith Madill Brenton Smiley Hopkins Peverill Dowell Leverman Burris Settle Salton MacKenzie Lichter Ball
Town and City of Dartmouth 1873-1996	Symonds Troop Weeks Turner Payzant Stairs Frazee Weston Simmonds Scarfe Oland Sterns Johnson Scarfe Williams Notting Williams Simpson Vidito Mosher McLean Mosher Topple Mosher Isnor Pettipas Morris Akerly Zatsman Thornhill Stubbs Brownlow Savage McCluskey
City of Halifax (1841-1996)	Binney E. Kenny Williamson Keith Bell MacKinlay Jennings Stairs Hemmeon Pryor Caldwell MacKinlay Keith Pryor Scott Pryor Caldwell Hill Richey Tobin Henry Dunbar Duggan Sinclair Richey Tobin Fraser Mackintosh O'Mullin McPherson Keefe McPherson Stephen Hamilton Crosby MacIlreith Crosby Chisholm Bligh Martin Hawkins Parker Murphy J. B. Kenny Castonguay Ritchie Thompson Cragg Mitchell Donovan Lloyd Butler Ahern Kinley Donahoe Kitz Vaughan Lloyd Vaughan O'Brien Fitzgerald Morris Hanson Wallace Leiper Ducharme Fitzgerald

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