John Everett Lyle Streight Explained

John Everett Lyle Streight
Riding:York West
Term Start:1935
Term End:1940
Predecessor:James Lawson
Successor:Rodney Adamson
Party:Liberal
Birth Date:15 August 1880
Birth Place:Islington, Ontario, Canada
Profession:Soldier

Colonel John Everett Lyle Streight (August 15, 1880 – June 2, 1955) was a Canadian lumber merchant, military officer and politician.[1]

Biography

Streight's was born and kept a home in Islington, Ontario (now part of Toronto) throughout his life. He joined the army at the age of 18, beginning a 46-year military career in which he was awarded the Military Cross. He fought in the South African War at the dawn of the 20th century and also saw action in World War I in which he was captured and became a prisoner of war.[2]

In the 1930s he served as aide-de-camp to the Governor General of Canada and, in 1932, served as aide-de-camp to King George V.[2]

Streight first ran for federal office in the 1921 federal election as a Liberal but was defeated in his York West by Henry Lumley Drayton. He was elected to the House of Commons of Canada on his second attempt, 14 years later, in the 1935 federal election winning by 60 votes. In 1937, he was a member of the Canadian contingent attending the coronation of King George VI.[3] That year, he turned down an invitation from Adolf Hitler to speak to German youth on the need to establish an equivalent to the Canadian Legion. He retired from politics in 1940.[2]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2017-03-01 . Streight, John Everett Lyle . 2022-10-22 . The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum and Archive . en.
  2. "Col. J.E.L. Streight Funeral Saturday", Toronto Daily Star, June 2, 1955
  3. Web site: EGGLESTON . WILFRID . Canada's Part in the Coronation Maclean's MAY 1st, 1937 . 2022-10-22 . Maclean's The Complete Archive . en-US.