John Whitney Pickersgill (23 June 1905 – 14 November 1997) was a Canadian civil servant and politician. He was born in Ontario, but was raised in Manitoba. He was Clerk of the Privy Council in the early 1950s. He was first elected to federal parliament in 1953, representing a Newfoundland electoral district and serving in Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent's cabinet. In the mid-1960s, he served again in cabinet, this time under Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson. Pickersgill resigned from Parliament in 1967 to become the president of the Canadian Transport Commission. He was awarded the highest level of the Order of Canada in 1970. He wrote several books on Canadian history. He died in 1997 in Ottawa.
Early years
Pickersgill was born in Wyecombe, Ontario, on June 23, 1905, the son of Frank Allan Pickersgill (1877-) and Sarah Smith (1878-). His parents were born in Ontario. When he was a young child, and Frank Pickersgill, all of whom were born in Manitoba. He was educated at the University of Manitoba and at the University of Oxford, and he taught history in Winnipeg. A gravestone in Old Kildonan Cemetery in Winnipeg memorializes the 1938 death of Beatrice, "wife of John W. Pickersgill."
Senior civil servant
He joined the Department of External Affairs in Ottawa and soon worked at the Prime Minister's Office as Assistant Private Secretary to Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King. Pickersgill was a senior and trusted adviser to both Prime Ministers: "Clear it with Jack" was the byword on Parliament Hill for years.
When the Liberal government was defeated in the 1957 election, Pickersgill was re-elected as an MP. He became a leading tormentor of the new government of John Diefenbaker from the opposition benches. This gave him the Post Nominal Letters "CC" for Life. He was later bestowed the Honorific Prefix "The Right Honourable", usually reserved in Canada for Prime Ministers, Governors-General and Chief Justices, as recognition of his service.
As a currently serving Member of Parliament He received the Canadian Centennial Medal in 1967.
As a recipient of the Order of Canada He received the Canadian Version of the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977.
He was awarded the Honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (LL.D) by the University of Manitoba on 25 May 1967. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Winnipeg in 1982.
Writings
He and D. F. Forster authored the four volumes of The Mackenzie King Record, which was based on King's diaries. Pickersgill was a literary executor for King's diaries. Pickersgill is also the author of three political memoirs — My Years with Louis St. Laurent (), The Road Back (), and Seeing Canada Whole () — as well as a history of the Liberal Party.
- The Mackenzie King record (1960) online
Archives
There is a Jack Pickersgill fonds at Library and Archives Canada.