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James B. Harkin fonds

https://archives.whyte.org/en/permalink/descriptions608
Part Of
James B. Harkin fonds
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of notes and letters by J. B. Harkin; transcripts of Harkin's notes and quotations by Mabel B. Williams and Dorothy Barber (former colleagues of Harkin); biographical notes; articles re Harkin; a Parks Canada newsletter; correspondence between M. B. Williams and Dr. Robin Winks; a le…
Date Range
1952-1960
Reference Code
M143 / V84
Description Level
1 / Fonds
GMD
Photograph
Photograph print
Textual record
Private record
Part Of
James B. Harkin fonds
Description Level
1 / Fonds
Fonds Number
M 143
V 84
Sous-Fonds
M 143
V 84
Accession Number
7743 (unproc)
Reference Code
M143 / V84
GMD
Photograph
Photograph print
Textual record
Private record
Date Range
1952-1960
Physical Description
4 cm textual records. -- 1 photograph: print; b&w; 8x10 in.
History / Biographical
James Bernard Harkin, 1875-1955 was born in Vankleek Hill, Ontario, Canada. In 1892 Harkin worked for a newspaper in Montreal and in 1893 moved to The Ottawa Journal. Promoted to city editor, Harkin gained access to the Parliamentary Press Gallery. In 1901 Harkin went to work for the federal civil service as a clerk in the Department of the Interior and in 1904 became Parlimentary Secretary to the Minister of the Interior. In 1911 the Dominion Parks Branch was established within the Department of the Interior as a result of the increasing importance of parks to the federal government's conservation and tourism policies. From 1911 to 1936 Harkin, as Commissioner of Dominion Parks, developed Canada's National Park system and created a centralized agency to administer the National Parks. Harkin promoted and was instrumental in the successful passage of the National Parks Act - federal legislation providing for the conservation of National Parks in Canada. During his term as Commissioner of Dominion Parks, Harkin generated greater awareness of the importance of conservation and was influential in promoting ecological approaches to public recreation and tourism initiatives within the national parks.
Scope & Content
Fonds consists of notes and letters by J. B. Harkin; transcripts of Harkin's notes and quotations by Mabel B. Williams and Dorothy Barber (former colleagues of Harkin); biographical notes; articles re Harkin; a Parks Canada newsletter; correspondence between M. B. Williams and Dr. Robin Winks; a letter to Harkin from N. K. Luxton. Fonds also includes a photograph of Harkin by Yousef Karsh.
Name Access
Harkin, J. B. (James Bernard)
Subject Access
Exploration, discovery and travel
Environment
Natural resources
Sports, recreation and leisure
Access Restrictions
No restrictions on access
Language
Language is English
Finding Aid
No finding aid
Creator
Harkin, J.B.
Category
Environment
Exploration, discovery and travel
Sports, recreation and leisure
Natural resources
Biographical Source Notes
Accession record; E. J. Hart, The Place of Bows (Banff: EJH Literary Enterprises, 1999); Eleanor G. Luxton, Banff: Canada's First National Park (Banff: Summerthought, 1974); Gabrielle Blais, RG 84 Records of Parks Canada General Inventory Series, 1985; C. J. Taylor "Defining National Parks: J. B. Harkin and the National Parks Branch," 1997.
Title Source
Title based on contents of fonds
Processing Status
Unprocessed
Less detail
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