John George Bourinot
John George Bourinot was a prominent Canadian journalist and historian in the late 19th century, best known for his extensive knowledge of Canadian governmental procedures. Born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, into a politically influential family, he showed early promise as a student at Trinity College in Toronto but left before completing his degree. Bourinot began his career in journalism, covering the Canadian parliament, and later founded a pro-Confederation newspaper in Halifax. His roles in the Nova Scotia Senate and as clerk of the House of Commons in Ottawa greatly contributed to his expertise in political matters.
Bourinot authored significant works, including "Local Government in Canada" and "How Canada Is Governed," which are considered essential readings on Canadian governance. His comparative studies of Canadian and American political systems marked him as a key figure in political science in Canada. In addition to his political writings, he explored Nova Scotia's history and published short stories and a serialized novel. Bourinot's personal life included three marriages and seven children, reflecting a complex and engaged existence alongside his professional achievements.
On this Page
Subject Terms
John George Bourinot
Fiction and Nonfiction Writer
- Born: October 24, 1836
- Birthplace: Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Died: October 13, 1902
- Place of death: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Biography
John George Bourinot was a journalist and historian in late nineteenth century Canada. Having served as the clerk of the House of Commons, he is regarded as the foremost authority on Canadian governmental procedure. His most famous publications, such as Local Government in Canada (1886) andHow Canada Is Governed (1895), are standard works on their topics.
John George Bourinot was born in the town of Sydney, Nova Scotia, to a politically prominent family. His father, John Bourinot, served as both a provincial assemblyman and a senator, representing Cape Breton County, while his maternal grandfather served as a county judge. As a young man, Bourinot was a bright student and enrolled in Trinity College, Toronto. Despite his academic promise, he left Trinity before completing his degree, perhaps for financial reasons.
Bourinot began his career as a journalist, covering the Canadian parliament for the Toronto Leader. While this job would contribute to his life’s achievement of authority on political matters in Canada, it was a brief start. He returned to Nova Scotia within two years, where he briefly worked as a law clerk in his hometown. In 1860, he moved to Halifax and resumed his journalistic career, founding a pro-confederation newspaper, the Evening Reporter, with Joseph C. Crosskill. While managing the Evening Reporter, Bourinot also reported on the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. He left the Evening Reporter in 1867 but continued to file freelance articles with various newspapers and journals, most dealing with politics or history in Nova Scotia.
In 1870, Bourinot received the first of several appointments as the official recorder of debates in the Nova Scotia Senate. This experience positioned him to be appointed second clerk assistant of the House of Commons in Ottawa in 1873; he was promoted to first clerk assistant in 1879 and, finally, clerk in 1880—a title he held until his death in 1902.
As clerk, Bourinot sharpened his expertise on Canadian governmental procedure and published frequently on the topic. He became well known for his comparative analyses of the Canadian and American systems of governance and had a strong preference for the former. His prolific writing on matters of government has caused some scholars to refer to Bourinot as Canada’s first political scientist.
In addition to his writings on government, Bourinot wrote about the history of Nova Scotia and Canada. He also published several short stories and one novel, Marguerite, a historical romance serialized in 1870. John George Bourinot was married three times (widowed twice), and fathered seven children.