Vincent Massey

Vincent Massey (born Feb. 20, 1887, Toronto, Ont., Can.—died Dec. 30, 1967, London, Eng.) was a statesman who was the first Canadian to serve as governor-general of Canada (1952–59).

Massey lectured in modern history at the University of Toronto from 1913 to 1915 until he was appointed associate secretary of the cabinet war committee during World War I (1914–18). After the war he directed the Massey-Harris Company, the family farm-equipment business, until 1925, when he became minister without portfolio in W.L. Mackenzie King’s Liberal cabinet. In 1926 he was appointed Canada’s first minister to the United States, where he stayed until 1930.

From 1932 to 1935 Massey served as president of the National Liberal Federation before being appointed high commissioner for Canada in the United Kingdom, at which post he served until 1946. The following year he became chancellor of the University of Toronto. In 1949, as chairman of the Royal Commission on National Development in Arts, Letters, and Sciences, Massey spoke of Canada’s need to break away culturally from the United States. He was named Canadian governor-general in 1952 and served in that post until his retirement in 1959. His younger brother, Raymond, achieved prominence as an actor on the stage and in films.