| Honorific-Prefix: | The Honourable |
| Office: | Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada |
| Predecessor: | Patrick Kerwin |
| Successor: | Louis-Philippe de Grandpré |
| Term Start: | July 1, 1954 |
| Term End: | December 23, 1973 |
| Nominator: | Louis St. Laurent |
| Office1: | Minister of Finance |
| Primeminister1: | W. L. Mackenzie King Louis St. Laurent |
| Term Start1: | December 10, 1946 |
| Term End1: | June 30, 1954 |
| Predecessor1: | James Lorimer Ilsley |
| Successor1: | Walter Harris |
| Office2: | Minister of National Defence |
| Primeminister2: | W. L. Mackenzie King |
| Term Start2: | August 21, 1945 |
| Term End2: | December 9, 1946 |
| Predecessor2: | Andrew McNaughton |
| Successor2: | Brooke Claxton |
| Parliament3: | Canadian |
| Predecessor3: | Robert Smeaton White |
| Successor3: | George Carlyle Marler |
| Term Start3: | March 26, 1940 |
| Term End3: | June 30, 1954 |
| Birth Name: | Douglas Charles Abbott |
| Birth Date: | 29 May 1899 |
| Birth Place: | Lennoxville, Quebec, Canada |
| Death Place: | Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Party: | Liberal |
| Spouse: | |
| Children: | 3, including Tony |
| Alma Mater: | |
| Profession: | Lawyer |
| Branch: | Non-Permanent Active Militia Royal Air Force |
| Rank: | Gunner (NPAM)[1] |
| Serviceyears: | 1916–1918 1918 |
Douglas Charles Abbott (May 29, 1899 – March 15, 1987) was a Canadian Member of Parliament, federal Cabinet Minister, and justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. Abbott's appointment directly from the Cabinet of Canada as Finance Minister to the Supreme Court was one of the most controversial in the Supreme Court's history.[2]
Abbott was born in Lennoxville, Quebec (now Sherbrooke, Quebec). He attended Bishop's University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts. He then attended McGill Law School, but interrupted his studies to sign up for service overseas, in 1916. Returning from the Great War, he completed his legal studies, earning his Bachelor of Civil Law. He then went to France to attend the Université de Dijon.[3] Returning to Canada, he was called to the Barreau du Québec in 1921 and practised law in Montreal with the firm of Fleet, Phelan, Fleet & Le Mesurier.
Abbott successfully stood for election to the House of Commons in 1940, and remained a member of the House for fourteen years. A member of the Liberal Party of Canada, Abbott served as Minister of National Defence (1945–1946) and then Minister of Finance (1946–1954).
He was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada on July 1, 1954 and served as puisne justice until December 23, 1973.
Abbott was appointed to the court directly from the federal Cabinet, where he had served the previous seven years as Finance Minister. The appointment is considered one of the most controversial in the history of the Supreme Court. It was the first appointment directly from Cabinet since the 1911 appointment of Louis-Philippe Brodeur. As of, Abbott was the last justice of the Supreme Court of Canada appointed directly to the Court from the Cabinet, and the last justice to have held elected office prior to his appointment.
There is a Douglas Charles Abbott fonds at Library and Archives Canada. Archival reference number is R4773 (former archival reference number MG32-B6).[4]