James Joseph McCann

James Joseph McCann, born on March 29, 1887, in Perth, Ontario, was a prominent Canadian politician and physician. He was the son of John A. McCann, a mason and license inspector, and Mary Hourigan, both of Irish descent. Interestingly, while McCann consistently reported his birth date as 1887, he was actually born a year earlier, in 1886, and was originally named James Parnell McCann. This discrepancy is supported by various records, including his birth registration and census entries.

McCann pursued a career in medicine, earning his M.D. and C.M. degrees from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, in 1909, where he graduated with a gold medal. He furthered his education with a post-graduate degree from the University of Chicago in 1911. Before entering the political arena, he practiced as a physician in Hamilton and Renfrew, Ontario, and served as the Coroner for Renfrew County for over thirty years.

His political career began when he was elected to the House of Commons of Canada, representing Renfrew South in the 1935 federal election as a member of the Liberal Party. McCann was re-elected multiple times, in 1940, 1945, 1949, and 1953, but faced defeat in 1957. Throughout his tenure, he held several ministerial positions, including Minister of National War Services, Minister of National Revenue, and Minister of Mines and Technical Surveys under the leadership of Mackenzie King and Louis St. Laurent.

McCann's contributions to Canadian politics were significant. His death notice highlighted his role as finance minister during the post-war years, where he was tasked with re-settling Canada's economy and cautioned against excessive economic ties with the United States. As Revenue Minister, he oversaw a remarkable increase in government income and played a crucial role in reorganizing the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 1941. An early advocate for government health programs within the Liberal Party, many of his ideas eventually became reality. McCann was married twice but had no children.