Barney Danson

Barnett Jerome "Barney" Danson Template:Post-nominals (February 8, 1921 – October 17, 2011) was a Canadian politician and Cabinet minister.

Family

Barnett Jerome "Barney" Danson was born to a Jewish family in Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood. He joined The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in 1939 as the Second World War broke out. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant<ref name=":0" /> and served until he was severely wounded, losing an eye, in the Battle of Normandy.<ref name=":0" /> His ailment created an interest in the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) and its library for the blind and visually impaired,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which he maintained until his death.

He returned to Canada and joined his family's insurance business before entering the plastics industry with his own company, the Danson Corporation.<ref name=":0" /> He also served as president of the Society of the Plastics Industry of Canada.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2002, his autobiography, Not Bad for a Sergeant: The Memoirs of Barney Danson, was published.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

His son, Tim Danson, is a Toronto lawyer known as a victim's rights advocate and for having represented the families of Paul Bernardo's victims.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Politics

Danson was first elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 1968 general election as the Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) for the Toronto-area riding of York North.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":2" /> Danson was unsuccessful during his first attempt at politics as an Ontario Liberal Party candidate in the 1967 provincial election in the riding of York Mills.

In 1970, he became Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, and was appointed to the Cabinet in 1974 as Minister of State for urban affairs.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> In 1976, he was promoted to Minister of National Defence.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> While Minister of National Defence, he was appointed the Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, his regiment.

He served in that position until the defeat of the Liberal government in the 1979 general election, in which he lost his seat.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> Danson received an honorary degree (1993) from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, of which he was a former chancellor.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As a Member of the Privy Council Danson was styled "The Honourable".

Service

Danson is the co-founder along with Jacques Hébert of Katimavik,<ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref> the national youth volunteer programme. Danson served as Canada's Consul General in Boston from 1984 to 1986.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref>

He served on corporate and not-for-profit boards of directors such as the Canadian Executive Services Organization (CESO),<ref name=":5">Template:Cite web</ref> Canadian Council of Christians and Jews,<ref name=":4" /> the Atlantic Council,<ref name=":5" /> the Empire Club of Canada,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the Ballet Opera House Corporation,<ref name=":3" /> de Havilland Aircraft of Canada,<ref name=":5" /> Algoma Central Corporation,<ref name=":5" /> General Steelwares,<ref name=":5" /> the Royal Conservatory of Music,<ref name=":5" /> and Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5" />

During his last years, Danson was chairman of the advisory committee of the Canadian War Museum<ref name=":5" /> in Ottawa and produced No Price Too High, a six-part series broadcast on CBC Television on Canada's role in World War II.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

A theatre in the Canadian War Museum is named for him in honour of his service<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and to his four closest war-time friends killed in action; Sgt Fred B. Harris-Queen's, Lt Gerald Rayner, Lt Earl R. Stoll, and Lt Harlan David Keely.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Awards

Danson was named an Officer of France's National Order of Merit (1994), and the Churchill Society's Award for "Excellence in the Cause of Parliamentary Democracy" (1995). In 1996, Danson was named an Officer of the Order of Canada and promoted to Companion in 2008.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2000, he was awarded the Vimy Award. In 2006, Danson was made an honorary Doctor of Laws by York University of Toronto.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

He was sworn in as a Member of the Privy Council on August 8, 1974, which gave him the title "The Honourable" for life.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On March 28, 2007, he was made a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref>

• Barney Danson's Medals were in Order of Precedence

Ribbon	Description	Notes
File:Order of Canada (CC) ribbon bar.svg	Order of Canada (CC)	2008 Companion 2008 Officer 1996
File:39-45 Star BAR.svg	1939-45 Star
File:France and Germany Star BAR.svg	France and Germany Star
File:Defence Medal BAR.svg	Defence Medal
File:Canadian Volunteer Service Medal BAR.svg	Canadian Volunteer Service Medal	With Overseas Clasp
File:War Medal 39-45 BAR.svg	War Medal 1939–1945
File:UK Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg	Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal	1977 Canadian Version of this Medal
File:125canada ribbon.png	125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal	1992
File:UK Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg	Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal	2002 Canadian Version of this Medal
File:Legion Honneur Chevalier ribbon.svg	Legion of Honour	28 March 2007 Chevalier
File:Ordre national du Merite Officier ribbon.svg	National Order of Merit	1994 Officer

Archives

There is a Barney Danson fonds at Library and Archives Canada.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• Speech given to the Empire Club of Canada