Browse "Business & Economics"

Elsie Marie Knott (née Taylor), Ojibwe chief, community leader, entrepreneur (born 20 September 1922 on Mud Lake Reserve [now Curve Lake First Nation], ON; died there on 3 December 1995). Knott was the first elected female First Nations chief in Canada, after a 1951 amendment to the Indian Act permitted Indigenous women to vote and participate in band governments. She was also chief of her First Nation for 14 years, from 1954 to 1962 and from 1970 to 1976. Knott was dedicated to preserving the Ojibwe language and was known for her community activism and support of education.

​Elsie Reford, née Meighen, philanthropist and founder of the Reford Gardens (born 8 January 1872 in Perth, ON; died 8 November 1967 in Montréal, QC).

Enos Collins, merchant, privateer, banker (b at Liverpool, NS 5 Sept 1774; d at Halifax 18 Nov 1871). Enos went to sea as a cabin boy on one of his father's fishing vessels, becoming master of a trading ship before he was 19.

Erastus Wiman, journalist, businessman (b at Churchville, UC 21 Apr 1834; d on Staten I, NY 9 Feb 1904).

Eric Lafferty Harvie, oilman, philanthropist (b at Orillia, Ont 2 Apr 1892; d at Calgary 11 Jan 1975). Harvie was called to the Alberta Bar in 1915. He served overseas in WWI, was wounded in France and achieved the rank of captain.

Eric Herbert Molson, industrial capitalist (b at Montréal 16 Sept 1937). Molson was educated at Bishop's, Princeton and McGill.

Eric William Kierans, OC, economist, politician, businessman (born 2 February 1914 in Montreal, Quebec; died 10 May 2004 in Montreal). Educated at Loyola College and McGill University, Kierans was director of the School of Commerce at McGill 1953–60, president of the Montreal Stock Exchange 1960–63 and then minister of communications and postmaster general of Canada 1968–71. He served in two governments — Jean Lesage's  Quiet Revolution (in which he served as minister of revenue 1963–65 and as minister of health 1965–66) and Pierre Trudeau's first Cabinet.

Erskine Henry Bronson, manufacturer, politician (b at Bolton, NY 12 Sept 1844; d at Ottawa 19 Oct 1920). His father, Henry Franklin BRONSON, moved the family to Bytown [Ottawa] in 1853 during an influx of Americans attracted by cheap waterpower at the Chaudière Falls.

Esdras Minville, professor and economist (born 7 November 1896 in Grande-Vallée, Quebec; died 9 December 1975 in Montreal, Quebec).An influential contributor to social and economic thought in Quebec in the 20th century, Minville served as the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Université de Montréal and was the first French-Canadian to hold the position of Director at HEC Montréal. He was also the longest-serving Director at HEC, holding the position for 25 years from 1938 to 1962.

Eugene O'Keefe, brewer, banker, philanthropist (born 10 December 1827 in Bandon, Ireland; died 1 October 1913 in Toronto, ON).

Ezra Butler Eddy, manufacturer (b near Bristol, Vt 22 Aug 1827; d at Hull, Qué 12 Feb 1906).

Francis Hector Clergue, financier and industrial promoter (b at Brewer, Maine 28 May 1856; d at Montréal 19 Sept 1939). Born of Huguenot parents, Clergue studied law at Maine State College.

Francis Murray Patrick McMahon, industrialist (b at Moyie, BC 2 Oct 1902; d at Hamilton, Bermuda 20 May 1986). He began as a driller working for mining companies in BC, and in 1927 established a small business as a diamond-drilling contractor.

Frank Albert Sherman, industrialist (b at Crown Point, NY 19 May 1887; d at Surfside, Fla 27 Jan 1967).

Frank Morse Robb, inventor, designer, business executive (born 28 January 1902 in Belleville, ON; died 5 August 1992 in Belleville). Frank Morse Robb was one of the first inventors in the world to succeed in developing an electronic organ, the Robb Wave Organ, in 1927.