John Gillies Rennie

Who is John Gillies Rennie?

John Gillies Rennie was a Quebec politician and educator and a member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec from 1947 until his death in office.

He was born in Brooklet, near Hinchinbrooke, Quebec, the son of Frederick Malcolm Rennie, farmer, and Maria Carter.

He went to school in Stark School House in Godmanchester, Quebec, at Huntingdon Academy, at McGill University, and then at Bishop's College in Lennoxville, Quebec. He received a bachelor's degree in economics and political science in 1929. He took correspondence courses from Queen's University and received a diploma in the field of life insurance in 1932.

At first working as an insurance agent in the region of Huntingdon, Quebec, he was later a teacher in Frelighsburg, Quebec and in Pointe-Claire, Quebec. He was assistant director of Protestant schools in Pointe-Claire from 1930 to 1936, and principal of Valois Park School, and then of Cedar Park School. He returned to work in the field of insurance in 1936 in Montreal, where he was an agent of Manufacturer's Life Insurance.

He trained as an officer in 1940 and 1941 and became a lieutenant in the Black Watch regiment in 1942. He served at the military depot in Longueuil from 1942 to 1944, then served overseas as a staff officer from 1944 to 1946. He retired on November 23, 1946 with the rank of major.