Item 0028 - Letter, from Sir Robert Laird Borden

Robert Laird Borden (1854-1937) was born at Grand-Pre, Nova Scotia. He attended Horton Academy and then taught school in New Jersey before beginning the study of law. Called to the Nova Scotia bar in 1878, Borden pursued a legal career in Halifax until political duties ended his legal practice in 1911. In the House of Commons, Borden represented Halifax, Nova Scotia, from 1896 to 1904 and from 1908 to 1917, Carleton, Ontario, from 1905 to 1908, and King's, Nova Scotia, from 1917 to 1920. He was elected leader of the Conservative Party in 1901 and became Prime Minister after the defeat of the Laurier government in the 1911 federal election. In the Borden ministries, 1911 to 1920, Borden was President of the Privy Council from 1911 to 1917 and Secretary of State for External Affairs from 1912 to 1920. After his retirement Borden was appointed representative of Canada at the Washington Conference, 1921-1922, and was chief Canadian delegate at the Assembly of the League of Nations in 1930 and Canadian representative on the Council of the League. He also served as Chancellor of McGill and Queen's Universities, first president of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs and President of the League of Nations Society. Other notable positions included President of the Crown Life Insurance Company and Barclay's Bank (Canada).