The Imperial Canadian: Vincent Massey in Office

Joan McGrath is a Toronto Board of Education library consultant.

Vincent Massey was “more British than the British,” yet an ardent Canadian patriot, aristocrat, democrat, diplomat — all these things and more. Written with extraordinary grace, delicacy and wit, Bissell’s sequel to The Young Vincent Massey details the crowded years of Massey’s maturity and splendid achievement.

He served as Canada’s high commissioner to London from 1935 to 1946, a role for which he was preeminently suited. He and his wife remained at their post in the battered city throughout the war years, and were especially vigorous in their support of services to Canadians serving with the armed forces overseas.

Upon his return to Canada, Massey hoped for a political appointment, but Prime Minister Mackenzie King was no supporter to his ambitions. His next office proved to be that of chancellor of the University of Toronto. Then, from 1949 to 1951 he served as chairman of the Royal Commission on National Development in the Arts, Letters and Sciences, that came to be known as The Massey Commission, and which led ultimately to the creation of the Canada Council in 1956. His highest honour, however, was as governor-general of Canada, from 1952 to 1959, the first Canadian to be appointed to this office.