Arthur Meighen 1874 – 1960

Biography

Arthur Meighen was born on June 16, 1874, in Perth South, Ontario, beginning a life that would lead him to the highest office in Canadian government. From his rural Ontario origins, he rose through the ranks of Canadian politics to become the ninth Prime Minister of Canada, serving during a critical period in the nation’s early development. His career reflected both the ambitions and complexities of early twentieth-century Canadian leadership.

Meighen’s path to prominence was marked by his involvement in the political movements and decisions that shaped Canada during and after the First World War. His time as Prime Minister represented a significant chapter in the country’s political history, as the nation navigated the transition from wartime to peacetime governance and addressed the emerging challenges of a maturing democracy.

After a lifetime dedicated to public service, Meighen passed away on August 5, 1960, in Toronto. He was laid to rest at St. Marys Cemetery in St. Marys, Ontario, where his legacy as a former Prime Minister and influential political figure remains part of Canada’s historical record.