Fonds A 27 - Saul Laskin fonds

Saul Laskin (b. Fort William 1918) was educated in Fort William and Toronto. He returned to the Lakehead in 1937 and worked at Stitt's Clothing store in Fort William in 1938 and in his father's Port Arthur business after that. Mr. Laskin served overseas in the army in World War II. He began to take over operations of his father's store in 1938, bought the property and built a new store that year (expanded in 1947). This he operated successfully from 1946-1958. He entered politics as alderman of Port Arthur (1959-1960) and served as mayor from 1962 to 1969 (Port Arthur) and 1970 to 1972 (Thunder Bay). He was Thunder Bay's first mayor. He ran as a Liberal in the 1963 Federal election but failed to achieve office. Amalgamation of the Lakehead communities was a principal goal for Laskin as a politician. Mr. Laskin belonged to the Chamber of Commerce and Rotary International. He served as president of the Port Arthur Bearcats hockey team and sat on the advisory committee of St. Joseph's Hospital. He married Adele in the 1940s. His father emigrated from Russia in 1903 and began farming in Neebing area and in ca. 1918 rented and operated a small, clapboard second hand store (clothing, furniture, hardware) in Port Arthur on S. Cumberland St. Saul Laskin’s mother was born in Latvia. His brother was Bora Laskin, Chief Justice of Canada. Mr. Laskin claims the Jewish religion to be formative in his personal life.