Photo: By Brad Lowe
Ceremony Honoured Judge Matheson
By 24498 A/SLt Noelani Shore (RMC 2009)
H17417 Judge John Ross Matheson, OC, CD, has accomplished many great things in his 87 years, and for that, Kingston has honoured him by renaming the Garrison’s Hwy 15 gate after him.
His contributions to Canadian culture include founding the Order of Canada, of which he is a recipient, as well as guiding in the design for the National Flag of Canada. Matheson wrote a book, Canada’s Flag: A Search for a Country, about the creation of the new flag.
Matheson, served in the Second World War with the 1st Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, 1st Canadian Infantry Division.
Matheson went on to receive a Bachelor of Laws degree from Osgoode Hall Law School, a Master of Arts degree from Mount Allison University, as well as a Master of Laws degree from the University of Western Ontario. He practiced law with Matheson, Henderson & Hart in Brockville. He was also the Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister Lester Pearson from 1966 to 1968.
In 1968, Matheson was appointed a judge of the Judicial District of Ottawa-Carleton, and in 1984 he was appointed a judge of the County Court of Lanark. He went on to be appointed a judge of the District Court of Ontario in 1985, and he was a justice of the Ontario Court of Justice from 1990 to 1992.
Judge Matheson is an extraordinary leader and founder of Canadian culture, and this honour is just a small token of the respect he has earned.
