Provincial plaque memorializes Colonel The Honourable Herbert Alexander
Bruce, MD, LLD

PORT PERRY, ON, Aug. 19 /CNW/ - Today, the Ontario Heritage Trust, the Lake Scugog Historical Society and the Township of Scugog unveiled a provincial plaque to commemorate Colonel The Honourable Herbert Alexander Bruce, MD, LLD (1868-1963).

"I am pleased to take part in this commemorative ceremony that honours one of my predecessors, whom I respect greatly," said The Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. "This provincial plaque will enable the people of Ontario to become aware of Herbert Alexander Bruce's contributions in drawing attention to dire social-economic issues of the day."

"Dr. Herbert Bruce was a catalyst for a number of the province's greatest advancements in public health and affordable housing," said Minister of Tourism and Culture Michael Chan. "Ontario's health care system owes much to his tireless work and perseverance."

The plaque reads as follows:

    
           COLONEL THE HONOURABLE HERBERT ALEXANDER BRUCE, MD, LLD
                                  1868-1963

     Herbert Bruce was born at Blackstock in 1868, and grew up on a farm
     located on this Port Perry site. In 1893, he graduated in medicine from
     the University of Toronto. Specializing in surgery, he rose to the top
     of his profession, and in 1911 founded the Wellesley Hospital, Toronto.
     During the First World War, he was appointed Inspector-General of the
     Canadian Medical Services and produced the Bruce Report, a frank
     criticism of medical care provided to Canadian soldiers serving
     overseas. In 1919, Bruce married Angela Hall. Dedicated to public
     service, Bruce was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Ontario (1932-1937)
     and served as the Conservative member of Parliament for Parkdale,
     Toronto (1940-1946). In 1934, Bruce condemned the state of Toronto's
     poorer neighbourhoods, and was a vocal member of the Opposition during
     the Second World War. Bruce championed cancer care in the 1920s, social
     housing in the 1930s, better health care for the military and veterans,
     and the introduction of contributory health insurance in the 1940s.
    

"Herbert Alexander Bruce's intelligence, ambition, courage and patriotism made him a visionary in medicine as well as in public life," said Dr. Thomas H.B. Symons, Chairman of the Ontario Heritage Trust. "We are delighted to honour his many accomplishments with this provincial plaque."

The unveiling ceremony took place at Dr. Herbert A. Bruce Community Park in Port Perry, where the provincial plaque will be permanently installed. The Ontario Heritage Trust's Provincial Plaque Program commemorates significant people, places and events in Ontario's history.

"Dr. H. A. Bruce is one of Scugog's most notable and accomplished sons," said Paul Arculus, President of the Lake Scugog Historical Society. "We are proud to join with the Township of Scugog and the Ontario Heritage Trust in establishing a permanent reminder of his life and his achievements. This park and the accompanying plaque, located on land which his parents once owned and where he spent his youth, will remind us all of his outstanding dedication to humanity."

The Ontario Heritage Trust is an agency of the Government of Ontario, dedicated to identifying, preserving, protecting and promoting Ontario's heritage.

Quick Facts:

    
    -   Since 1953, over 1,200 provincial plaques have been unveiled.

    -   387 provincial plaques across Ontario commemorate people that have
        helped shape the province's history.
    

Learn More:

For more information on the Provincial Plaque Program, visit www.heritagetrust.on.ca.

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For further information: Liane Nowosielski, Marketing and Communications Specialist, Ontario Heritage Trust, Telephone: [phone], Email: [email protected]