John Wendell Holmes

John Wendell Holmes, born on June eighteenth, nineteen ten, in London, Ontario, was a distinguished Canadian diplomat and historian. He pursued his academic journey at the University of Western Ontario and later earned a Master of Arts degree from the University of Toronto. His early career saw him serve as a master of English at Pickering College from nineteen thirty-three to nineteen thirty-eight, before furthering his studies at the University of London from nineteen thirty-eight to nineteen forty.

In nineteen forty-three, Holmes joined the Department of External Affairs as a temporary wartime assistant, marking the beginning of a notable diplomatic career. He served as the Canadian Chargé d'Affaires ad interim to the Soviet Union from nineteen forty-seven to nineteen forty-eight and was appointed Acting Permanent Delegate to the United Nations in nineteen fifty. His ascent continued as he became the Assistant Under-Secretary of State for External Affairs in nineteen fifty-three, a position he held until his resignation in nineteen sixty, following the revelation of his sexual orientation.

Holmes's career was significantly impacted by the RCMP's homosexual witch hunt, which targeted numerous federal civil servants from nineteen fifty-eight onwards. Despite these challenges, he remained a prominent figure in international relations, serving as president of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs from nineteen sixty to nineteen seventy-three. He also held academic positions at York University, Glendon College, and the University of Toronto, where he was a visiting professor of international relations.

As an accomplished author, Holmes penned significant works including 'Life with Uncle: the Canadian-American Relationship' and 'The Shaping of Peace: Canada and the Search for World Order, nineteen forty-three to nineteen fifty-seven.' His contributions to the field were recognized with the Royal Society of Canada's J. B. Tyrrell Historical Medal in nineteen eighty-six and his appointment as an Officer of the Order of Canada in nineteen sixty-nine. Throughout his life, he received ten honorary doctorates, solidifying his legacy in Canadian history and diplomacy.