J.S. Ewart

Ewart, John Skirving

John Skirving Ewart, lawyer, publicist (b at Toronto, 11 Aug 1849; d at Ottawa 21 Feb 1933). Educated at Upper Canada College and Osgoode Hall, Toronto, Ewart moved to Winnipeg to practise law in 1882. He was counsel for the French-speaking minority in the MANITOBA SCHOOLS dispute, 1890-96. He settled in Ottawa in 1904 to facilitate his many appearances before the Supreme Court of Canada and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, London. He wrote a series of essays urging Canadian constitutional independence, as well as other works on law, Canadian constitutional development and the diplomatic origins of WWI.