Term Start: | 1887 |
Term End: | 1888 |
Predecessor: | William McCraney |
Successor: | David Henderson |
Birth Date: | April 22, 1833 |
Birth Place: | Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland |
Death Date: | June 12, 1907 |
Death Place: | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
Resting Place: | Burlington, Ontario, Canada |
Profession: | lumber merchant |
Party: | Liberal |
Riding: | Halton |
Term Start2: | 1888 |
Term End2: | 1891 |
Predecessor2: | David Henderson |
Successor2: | David Henderson |
John Waldie (April 22, 1833 – June 12, 1907) was a Canadian politician and businessman.
Born in Hawick, Roxburghshire, Scotland, he moved to Canada West when still a youth.[1] When the rest of his family moved to Huron County to establish a farm,[2] he decided to remain in Nelson Township, becoming a prominent wheat merchant.[3] He was Reeve of Nelson Township for two years,[1] and was instrumental in incorporating the Village of Wellington Square in 1873.[3] After Wellington Square was amalgamated with Port Nelson to become the Village of Burlington late that year,[3] he became its Reeve for five years.[1] During that time, he was also Warden of Halton County for two years.[1]
In 1885, he sold his interest in his business to his partner, and became a lumber baron, moving to Toronto in the process.[3] He founded the Victoria Harbour Lumber Company (consolidating three mills then operating)[4] that year,[2] located at Victoria Harbour, Ontario.[3] Many of the buildings he had constructed there have since been designated as heritage properties.[5] He would acquire further mills in his lifetime, including one in Spragge, Ontario just one month before his death.[1]
He was also the President of two tanneries, located at Collingwood and Burk's Falls,[1] and was a director on the boards of the Toronto Paper Company (operating in Cornwall) and the Canada Coating Mills (located in Georgetown).[1]
Waldie was also a director of the Bank of Toronto,[1] and had also been vice-president of the Landed Banking and Loan Company in Hamilton, Ontario,[1] which later became part of Canada Permanent Trust.
He was elected to the House of Commons of Canada as a Member of the Liberal Party in the 1887 election to represent the riding of Halton, later being re-elected in 1888, but defeated in the elections of 1891 and 1896. In that time, he developed a close friendship with Wilfrid Laurier, which proved useful after he left office.[2]