Preceded by Ian Strachan Role Canadian Politician Political party Conservative Education University of Toronto | Profession Lawyer, judge Succeeded by Allan Lawrence Name Dana Porter | |
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Born January 14, 1901
Toronto, Ontario ( 1901-01-14 ) Died May 13, 1967, Toronto, Canada Party Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | ||
Dana Harris Porter (January 14, 1901 – May 13, 1967) was a Canadian politician and jurist.
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Porter was a member of the Ontario Legislature from 1943 to 1958 serving as a representative for Toronto St. George.
In 1958, Porter left politics to accept an appointment as Chief Justice of the Ontario Court of Appeal. He made a notable ruling in 1964, lifting a ban on the book Fanny Hill.
Dana Porter's son, Julian Porter, is a Canadian copyright and libel lawyer who ran unsuccessfully in the 1985 provincial election as a Progressive Conservative in the same riding formerly represented by his father.
Early life
Porter was born January 14, 1901 in Toronto. His father was Dr. George Porter was the director of health services at the University of Toronto and his brother was hockey player John Porter, who went on to serve as executive vice-president at Simpsons.
After graduating from the University of Toronto in 1921, Porter went to England to continue his studies at Balliol College, Oxford from which he graduated with a master's degree in 1923. He returned to Toronto where he was called to the bar, and joined the firm of Fennel, Porter & Davis.
Porter married his wife Dorothy (nee Parker) in 1929. Together they had two sons - Dana Jr. and Julian.
Career
Porter entered politics in 1943 winning a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario representing the downtown Toronto riding of St. George in the 1943 provincial election. First serving as parliamentary assistant to then Premier George A. Drew, Porter went on to be named Minister of Planning and Development. During his fifteen year career in the Legislature was elected five times, never once losing an election.
Death
Porter died of cancer on May 13, 1967 at Wellesley Hospital in Toronto. Following his death Ontario's Supreme Courts were recessed from May 15 until after his funeral, with county courts also closing at noon on the day of the service. The funeral was held on May 16 at the Metropolitan United Church in Toronto. Led by Reverend Arthur B. B. Moore, nearly 1,000 were in attendance. Among the 23 honorary pallbearers were former prime minister John Diefenbaker, former Ontario premier John Robarts and author Claude Bissell. Following the service, Porter's body was interred at Mount Pleasant Cemetery.