Frederick Borden

Politician

• Born: May 14, 1847
• Birthplace: Cornwallis, Nova Scotia
• Died: January 6, 1917
• Place of death: Canning, Nova Scotia

Contribution: Frederick William Borden was a Canadian physician, businessman, politician, and militia officer. From 1896 to 1911, he served as Canada’s minister of militia and defense and played a key role in reorganizing, expanding, and reforming the military.

Early Life and Education

Borden was born on May 14, 1847, in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, the only son of Jonathan Borden and Maria Frances Brown. He attended the Acacia Villa School and obtained a bachelor of arts degree from King’s College, Windsor, in 1866. Borden earned a medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1868.

After completing medical school, Borden returned to Nova Scotia and practiced medicine in the village of Canning. He also served as a bank agent and invested in real estate and other local enterprises. Borden received an LLD from the University of New Brunswick in 1911.

Militiaman and Politician

Borden first joined the Canadian militia as a cadet at King’s College. Upon resettling in Canning, he joined the Canadian voluntary militia, rising to the ranks of colonel and honorary surgeon general.

In 1874, as a member of the Liberal Party, Borden was elected to the House of Commons for Kings County. He represented this constituency from 1874 to 1882 and again from 1887 to 1911, until his defeat in the 1911 general elections.

With his militia background, Borden was selected as minister of militia and defense under the the administration of prime minister Wilfrid Laurier from its formation in 1896 to its defeat in 1911. Borden strived to create a citizen army with a greater degree of autonomy, while still maintaining a cooperative relationship with Britain. He amended the Militia Act in 1904 to allow Canadian officers to advance to the position of general commander of the militia, an office previously reserved under Canadian law for an officer of the British army. He also showed enthusiasm for Canada’s participation in the South African War and supported the cooperative linking of British and Canadian regiments.

Honors and Awards

By the early 1900s, Borden was well-known in Canada and internationally. Among many honors, Borden was knighted in 1902 by King Edward VII, extended the honor of attending George V’s coronation, and was named an honorary surgeon-general of the British army. In 1916, the newly created Canadian army base in Ontario was named Camp Borden in his honor.

Personal Life

Borden was married twice. With his first wife, Julia Maude Clarke, he had three children. After Maude’s death in 1880, Borden married her sister, Bessie Blanche Clarke, in 1884.

Borden and his wives were generous supporters of numerous philanthropic organizations, especially religious and educational charities. They belonged to many private societies and were known travelers.

Borden died on January 6, 1917, in Canning, Nova Scotia. At the time of his death, he was active in politics.

Bibliography

“Borden to Revise Tariff; Other Knotty Questions Await Settlement by New Regime.” New York Times. New York Times, 22 Sept. 1911. Web. 9 Aug. 2013.

“Canadian Society Dines; Sir Frederick Borden Speaks of Canada and the United States.” New York Times. New York Times, 20 Dec. 1902. Web. 9 Aug. 2013.

Miller, Carmen. A Knight in Politics: A Biography of Sir Frederick Borden. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s UP, 2010. Print.

Miller, Carman. The Public Life of Sir Frederick Borden. Halifax: Dalhousie U, 1964. Print.

“Plan to Defend Canada; Sir Frederick Borden Would Have a Chain of Forts on Frontier.” New York Times. New York Times, 3 July 1905. Web. 9 Aug. 2013.