Edgar Benson

The Honourable
Edgar John Benson
PC, FCA, BComm
Member of Parliament
for Kingston (1962–1968);
Kingston and the Islands (1968–1972)
In office
1962–1968
Preceded by Benjamin Graydon Allmark
Succeeded by Flora MacDonald
In office
April 20, 1968 – January 28, 1972
Preceded by Mitchell Sharp
Succeeded by John Turner
Personal details
Born May 28, 1923
Cobourg, Ontario
Died September 2, 2011(2011-09-02) (aged 88)
Ottawa, Ontario
Resting place Beechwood Cemetery
Political party Liberal
Spouse(s) Marie Louise van Laer (1946–1974)
Mary Jane Binks (1987–2011)
Alma mater Queen's University (1949)
Profession Chartered Accountant (1952)
Military service
Service/branch 1st Survey Regiment, RCA
I Canadian Corps
Years of service 1941–1946
Rank Sergeant

Edgar John "Ben" Benson PC, FCA, BComm (May 28, 1923 – September 2, 2011) was a Canadian politician, businessman, diplomat, and university professor. He held four Cabinet posts, most notably that of Minister of Finance under Pierre Trudeau, where he was instrumental in reforming Canada's income tax law.[1] He was described as "Pierre Trudeau's unflappable finance minister, the pipe-smoking financial wizard who raised the ire of corporate Canada in the 1970s by bringing in a capital gains tax."[1]

Early years

After serving overseas in the Second World War as a sergeant in the Royal Canadian Artillery, Benson attended Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, where he obtained his Bachelor of Commerce degree. He became a chartered accountant and partner in the accounting firm of England, Leonard, Macpherson and Company, and co-owner of CKLC.[2] Prior to his entry into politics, he was also a lecturer in Business Administration at Queen's, in the capacity of Assistant Professor of Commerce.[3][4]

Political life

He was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1962 general election as the Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) for Kingston, Ontario. Initially appointed in 1962 as Parliamentary Secretary to then Minister of Finance Walter Gordon, he entered the Cabinet of Prime Minister Lester Pearson in 1964 as Minister of National Revenue, and served concurrently from 1966 to 1968 as the first President of the Treasury Board.

He was an early supporter of Pierre Trudeau in the 1968 Liberal leadership campaign to replace the retiring Pearson, and, together with Jean Marchand, was co-chairman of Trudeau's leadership bid.[1] He was later appointed Minister of Finance, serving from 1968 to 1972.

Tax reform (1971)

Benson's balanced budget for 1969–70 would be the last until Paul Martin's budget of 1997–98.[5] Later in 1969, he introduced his white paper on Canadian tax reform, which paved the way for:

The proposals were subjected to intensive debate that lasted more than a year. Those concerning the capital gains tax were severely criticized by the business community, particularly Israel Asper, who condemned the measure.[9] The reforms were only passed after significant amendment, and even then only through the use of closure.[1] They came into effect on January 1, 1972.[10]

Marc Lalonde, a colleague and future Finance Minister, later said, "He was in finance at a critical time, he revolutionized the system. He launched a revolution. It was a revolution, a necessary step and a demanding task. What he did was economically justified. The basic tax structure that he put in place is still alive. No one has really touched it since."[1]

Impact

He was also instrumental in rolling out a national medical care plan and supplementary old age pensions and played a key role in federal-provincial relations.

Benson wore a pair of new shoes on budget day in 1968, although he said, "He didn't buy them just for the budget."[11] The following year he did not wear new shoes when delivering the budget, saying jokingly that he couldn't afford them,[12] and in 1970 proudly displayed his worn soles on budget day.[13]

He later served as Minister of National Defence from January to August 1972, when he retired from politics, choosing not to run in the 1972 election.

Later life and death

Benson served as President of the Canadian Transport Commission from 1972 to 1982,[14] and as Canadian Ambassador to Ireland from 1982 to 1985.[15] He died on September 2, 2011 at the age of 88.[16]

Honours

Benson was conferred honorary degrees as a Doctor of Laws from:

Electoral record

Kingston

Canadian federal election, 1962
Party Candidate Votes
LiberalEdgar John Benson16,828
Progressive ConservativeBenjamin Allmark13,599
New DemocraticJohn McKinnon1,468
Social CreditErnest Hogan214
Canadian federal election, 1963
Party Candidate Votes
LiberalEdgar John Benson18,425
Progressive ConservativeJ. Earl McEwen12,879
New DemocraticDenis Kalman2,400
Social CreditGrace C.A. Gough194
Canadian federal election, 1965
Party Candidate Votes
LiberalEdgar John Benson16,022
Progressive ConservativeJ. Earl McEwen12,766
New DemocraticJohn Meister3,530

Kingston and the Islands

Canadian federal election, 1968
Party Candidate Votes%
LiberalEdgar Benson16,23449.7
Progressive ConservativeBoggart Trumpour11,79936.1
New DemocraticBrendan McConnell4,63614.2
Total valid votes 32,669100.0

Further reading

  • Benson, E.J. (1969). Proposals for tax reform (PDF). Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Canada.
  • Benson, E.J. (1971). Summary of 1971 Tax Reform Legislation (PDF). Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Canada.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Hustak 2011.
  2. ↑ "Radio station history - CKLC-FM". Canadian Communications Foundation. Archived from the original on 2017-03-05.
  3. ↑ "Tax Reform (speech)". Empire Club of Canada. February 13, 1969.
  4. ↑ "Flags lowered for former School of Business professor". Queen's Gazette. Queen's University. September 9, 2011.
  5. ↑ Brian Lee Crowley; Jeff Waldman (2011). Fearful Symmetry - The Fall and Rise of Canada's Founding Values. Ottawa: Macdonald-Laurier Institute. ISBN 978-1-4566-0552-0.
  6. ↑ Benson 1969, ch. 3.
  7. ↑ Benson 1969, par. 2.7-2.9.
  8. ↑ Benson 1969, par. 2.45-2.52.
  9. ↑ Israel Asper (1970). The Benson iceberg: a critical analysis of the white paper on tax reform in Canada. Toronto: Clarke, Irwin & Company. OL 5396963M.
  10. ↑ An Act to amend the Income Tax Act and to make certain provisions and alterations to the statute law related to or consequential upon the amendments to that Act, S.C. 1970-71-72, c. 63
  11. ↑ Robert Hull (October 23, 1968). "Name makes tax no sweeter". The Windsor Star. p. 16.
  12. ↑ "Busy day for Mr. Benson". The Montreal Gazette. June 4, 1969. p. 16.
  13. ↑ "Setting an example?". The Windsor Star. March 13, 1970. p. 13.
  14. ↑ "Taking Control - The Canadian Transport Commission, 1967 to 1988". Canadian Transportation Agency. Archived from the original on 2013-05-29. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Benson, Hon. Edgar J. (Non-career)". Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada.
  16. ↑ "Edgar John Benson". Kingston Whig-Standard.
  17. ↑ "Honorary Degree Recipients 2008-2010". Queen's University. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  • "Edgar J. Benson fonds". Library and Archives Canada.
  • Edgar Benson – Parliament of Canada biography
  • Alan Hustak (September 13, 2011). "Unflappable finance minister rewrote Canada's tax rules". The Globe and Mail.
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