Interview of John Fraser

John Allen Fraser April 21, 2015; Second interview date unknown; May 1, 2015 Born Dec. 15, 1931, in Yokohama, Japan; moved to Canada at age 3. Baptised by an Anglican priest in Japan. Brother born in Canada in 1935. Interview begins abruptly, in the middle of a sentence. John describes speaking at a gathering of the Fraser clan. He describes Simon Fraser’s history in B.C. – he doesn’t think he is related, as his family is Presbyterian, and Simon Fraser was Roman Catholic. He wore his Seaforth kilt, as he doesn’t have a Fraser kilt. John knew Lord Lovat – he ran the British Commandos during the Second World War. John joined the Reserves one week after the Korean War was declared. His father had a strong view that depending solely on volunteers in War was wrong. He was encouraged, and so he joined the Cadet Corps to further his training. He attended 3 years of law school at the same time. They were trained with live ammunition – four of his friends were killed in demonstrations, with no investigation. Served in the Seaforth Highlanders, and served in the Canadian Brigade in Germany with the Highland Battalion in 1953. He visited the Fraser house in Beaufort Castle while on leave, and had lunch with the Lord and Lady. He received a letter from his father, explaining that his Battalion was due to be sent to Korea. In summer 1953, negotiations established a ceasefire in Korea, and so the unit was held back. John was a keen soldier. He returned to Canada and finished law school, and became involved with the Reserves again. He served as an honorary officer with the Seaforth Highlanders into 2010. He speaks about the concept of militarism, and how the views of those that served differ from the public views on War. John’s first ancestor (John Fraser) came to Canada from Scotland in 1759, to his knowledge. Possible connection to the start of the 78th Fraser Highlanders. When Prince Charlie came from France to Scotland in the 18th century, the Fraser clan was very much involved in the Battle of Culloden. This fighting spirit continued when Frasers came to Canada, with the Fraser Highlanders fighting in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. He speaks about the contributions of Scots to Canada. John received the Order of Canada in 2001. Father: Clarence Fraser. Born & raised in Atlin, Yukon. Moved to Vancouver to enlist. All brothers served in the First World War, except one (Allen). He was denied entry, although he was the best shot in the family. They grew up hunting, trapping, and running dog teams. For Allen, living in Vancouver during the War and walking down the street without a uniform was difficult. John’s father learned to speak some Japanese during his time there selling BC lumber (7 or 8 years). The family lived in Powell River for a time, where he also sold lumber. Horace, another brother, became a well-known land surveyor, and served in the Seaforth Highlanders. He was badly injured and taken out of action for a time. Lyle, served in the PPCLI; also wounded in action at one time, but managed to round up fellow soldiers. He received a military medal. Paternal Grandfather: John Allen Fraser. Born in Canada. Owned a general store in Fort William (now Thunder Bay), Ontario, and worked in the fur trade. Had a contract with the company building the Canadian Pacific Railway to supply ties. He worked himself across the country this way and ended up in Vancouver. The railway opened up shipping from Asia. Gold was discovered in the Yukon, and John couldn’t resist; he went north, eventually becoming a government agent, gold commissioner, and local magistrate in Atlin, Yukon. A cousin owns a copy of his diary. Mother: Laudie Robinson. Her fiancee was severely injured during the First World War, and passed from the flu upon his return in 1919. Family came from West Side of Ireland to Ontario, Canada in 1830 as farmers. Father named John, mother named Mary. She once joked with John, “I’ve heard enough of your Highland heritage; you’re over 50% Irish, and that’s the problem”. She went back to visit family in Ireland with her husband and John. They went to visit her Uncle John. Met John’s father in Tokyo, Japan, on a trip with her cousin around 1929. Married in Ontario. John was on the rugby team at Prince of Wales High School. He continued to play rugby into his 30’s, when the workload from his law firm took priority. John was recommended to a law firm with Gregory Grant & Cox in Victoria, BC. He joined up with the Seaforth Highlanders again in while there. He had planned to marry a young woman who married another man, and so he felt the need to relocate from Victoria. A partner of the firm was taking over a new law firm in Powell River, BC, and John jumped at the chance. He wanted to work in the courtroom more than anything, and did defence work, which impressed the people at Ladner Downs Law Firm. He worked there for a long time. Wife: Family name Finley. Family came to Canada in 1850. John has received many accolades: He was a cabinet minister in the Clark and Mulroney governments, earning him the Order of Canada & Order of BC; Canadian Forces decoration, Queens Council, and several honourary law degrees. Won the Vimy Award for outstanding service to the Canadian military. Politics: Father identified as a conservative Liberal, and didn’t have any respect for Mackenzie King due to his lack of military service. In Vancouver, if you were interested in politics and wanted to advance your career, you were expected to become a Liberal. John became involved with the Progressive Conservative Party in his first year at UBC, sitting as a Conservative in the “mock parliament” hosted by the School, debating Canada’s presence in Germany. He felt service in politics was “the patriotic thing to do”. In 1968, he ran as a Member of Parliament for Vancouver South in the year of the “Trudeau sweep”. He stayed active after this run, Joe Clark became leader of the Conservative party. John ran again for Vancouver South, against Gordon Gibson. The Speaker was appointed by the Prime Minister. At the best of times, they would talk to the leader of the opposition for consultation, but not always. John was the first elected Speaker of the House of Commons, and then later ran as Speaker. The workload increased by 60% when he was Speaker. John worked very hard to learn French and connect with French-Canadians. There was a large German and Sikh community in his area. He encouraged people to approach him over issues. Military support, international trade, and environmentalism were his main concerns. He recalls some eventful moments in the House of Commons, including challenging Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau during Question Period, which prompted Trudeau to point at John and say, “I’ll see you outside”. John tried to show respect for anyone who the Canadian people elected. If there’s no acceptance and respect between both sides of the House of Commons, John says it’s impossible for a Speaker to “control the House”. In John’s time, climate change was not as much of a discussion. He was at a cabinet meeting with the Minister of Fisheries when global warming was brought up, and Mulroney asked John to give a briefing on the topic. He said it was his conviction that most scientific research indicates we are collectively issuing greenhouse gas emissions at a dangerous rate, impacting the climate. At the time, reports were saying the planet was headed for another Ice Age. Some scientists argued that carbon was necessary for growth. It is still an issue that needs to be addressed to this day, as misinformation is still around. There is science which is difficult to argue with. He is a passionate fly-fisher and has strong feelings about the environment. He spent lots of time outdoors as a child. Was a member of the British Columbia Steelhead Association. John notes the difference between Conservative politics in Canada and the USA. He discusses the idea of a “Red Tory” (a left-leaning conservative). He points out that not all Conservatives are reformists. John became a Boy Scout, and started attending Anglican Church services at St. Mary’s because of that. He recalls a service in which a minister taught acceptance of the Jewish faith. There was anti-Semitism in Vancouver at the time; a major golf course would not allow Jewish people to play. John tells a story of rumours flying around the neighbourhood after his parents let a Jewish family friend stay the night. John discusses the unification of the Canadian Armed Forces under Trudeau. He discusses his experiences in the military, and describes how the soldiers who trained him were almost “parental”. He is critical of the changes made during unification, such as a suggestion of removing rank and special uniforms, which he felt collapsed morale. He discusses Canada’s military history at length. He was part of the Cadet Corps at Point Grey Junior High School. John had a friend as a child, Joan Patterson, who tracked him down while he was in training at Camp Borden. She asked him to come visit in Toronto, and they got along famously, which made his time in Ontario more bearable. He kept in touch with her for years after. He discusses training exercises he experienced.

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