Donald Gordon

Who was Donald Gordon?

Donald Gordon, CC CMG was a Canadian businessman and the former President of the Canadian National Railways from 1950 to 1966.

Born in Oldmeldrum, Scotland, he came to Canada at an early age. At the age of 15 he joined the Bank of Nova Scotia in Toronto, becoming assistant chief accountant and assistant manager of the Toronto branch. In 1935, he was appointed Secretary of the newly formed Bank of Canada and later became deputy governor. At the outbreak of war, he was appointed Chairman of the Foreign Exchange Control Board, and then from 1941 to 1947, he was Chairman of the Wartime Prices and Trade Board. He became a national figure in Canada during these years, as the WPTB had control over all wages and prices in Canada, and touched the lives of all Canadians. He was also asked to meet with US economic experts as the USA came into the war, and the US modelled much of its price policy on the Canadian experience. After the war, Mr Gordon was the Canadian representative on the newly formed International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. From 1950 to 1966, he was Chairman and President of the Canadian National Railways. During his colourful career at this post, he re-organised the company, and brought an ailing and bankrupt company into profit.