John Thomas Hackett, QC (June 12, 1884 – September 15, 1956) was a lawyer and political figure in Quebec. He represented Stanstead in the House of Commons of Canada from 1930 to 1935 and from 1945 to 1949 as a Conservative and then as a Progressive Conservative member. He sat for the Victoria division in the Senate of Canada from 1955 to 1956.

John Thomas Hackett
Senator for Victoria, Quebec
In office
July 28, 1955 – September 15, 1956
Appointed byLouis St. Laurent
Preceded byWilliam James Hushion
Succeeded byJosie Alice Quart
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Stanstead
In office
1930–1935
Preceded byWillis Keith Baldwin
Succeeded byRobert Davison
In office
1945–1949
Preceded byJoseph-Armand Choquette
Succeeded byLouis-Édouard Roberge
19th President of the Canadian Bar Association
In office
1947–1948
Preceded byJames Chalmers McRuer
Succeeded byStanley Harwood McCuaig, M.C., Q.C., B.A., LL.D.
Personal details
Born(1884-06-12)June 12, 1884
Stanstead, Quebec
DiedSeptember 15, 1956(1956-09-15) (aged 72)
Political partyConservative
Progressive Conservative
SpouseLinda Harding
RelationsMichael Felix Hackett (father)
Alma materSt. Charles Seminary; McGill Law School
ProfessionLawyer

He was born in Stanstead, Quebec, the son of Michael Felix Hackett and Florence Alberta Knight, and was educated at St. Charles Seminary and the law school at McGill University. In 1912, he married Linda Harding. Hackett served as a member of the board of governors for McGill University. He was Batonnier of the Bar Association of Montreal and also President of the Canadian Bar Association, from 1947 to 1948.[1] He was also president of the Stanstead County Historical Society and a lieutenant in the militia.

In 1948, while serving as the President of the Canadian Bar Association and MP for Stanstead, Hackett spoke in the House of Commons against a proposal that the position of chief commissioner of the Board of Transport Commissioners be designated as open only to a judge of the Exchequer Court of Canada. Hackett was concerned that the proposal would blur the lines between the quasi-political and policy role of the Board, compared to the traditional neutrality of judges, and could undermine popular respect for the judiciary as neutral arbiters.[2]

Hackett died in office at the age of 72.

Electoral record

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1930 Canadian federal election: Stanstead
Party Candidate Votes
Conservative John Thomas Hackett 5,804
Liberal Cecil Lorne Brown 3,900
Independent Liberal Jean-Charles Samson 1,584
1935 Canadian federal election: Stanstead
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal Robert Davison 5,676
Conservative John Thomas Hackett 5,553
Reconstruction James Bert Reed 434

References

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  1. ^ Canadian Bar Association: Past CBA Presidents
  2. ^ Ian Bushnell, The Federal Court of Canada: A History, 1875-1992 (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1997), p. 126.
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