Ralph Sutherland
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Ralph Sutherland | |
|---|---|
| Ottawa Alderman | |
| In office January 1, 1970 – December 31, 1972 | |
| Preceded by | Howard Henry and Lloyd Francis |
| Succeeded by | Bill Law |
| Constituency | Carleton Ward |
| Ottawa Controller | |
| In office January 1, 1977 – December 1, 1980 | |
| Preceded by | Garry Guzzo, Bill Law |
| Succeeded by | Board abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 19, 1925 |
| Died | June 28, 2023 (aged 97) |
| Party | New Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) | Dr. Eleanor Sutherland[1] (m. 1951;[2] div. 1986)[3][4]
Jeannette Bennett (m. 1995; died 2019)[4] |
| Children | 4[1] |
Ralph William Sutherland[2] (born October 19, 1925 – June 28, 2023)[4] was a Canadian physician, administrator, professor, politician, forester and author. He served on Ottawa City Council as an alderman from 1970 to 1972 and as a controller from 1977 to 1980. While serving on council, he was sometimes considered the council's conscience, and one of its most intelligent, principled members. A member of the left-wing New Democratic Party, he believed in getting the public involved in municipal affairs. Despite his party affiliation, he had a fiscally conservative streak, garnering a reputation as a 'slasher' during budget meetings.[5]
Sutherland was born in Pouce Coupe, British Columbia,[6] the son of H. T. Wesley Sutherland and Eleanor Sharp,[7] and grew up in Dawson Creek.[8] He served with the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1943 to 1945, allowing him to enrol at the University of Alberta.[4] He graduated with a degree in medicine from there in 1952. After graduating, he interned in Edmonton for two years and Camrose, Alberta for one. He then practised medicine in Eastend, Saskatchewan for four years. He then obtained a diploma in hospital administration from the University of Toronto and joined the Saskatchewan health department in 1961. In 1963, Sutherland became the director of the Saskatchewan Medical Care Insurance Commission.[6] While serving as director, he oversaw the roll out of medicare in the province as well as the Saskatchewan doctors' strike.[4] He resigned his position in 1964.[9] He moved to Ottawa in 1965 to help the federal government implement medicare on a national level, but only stayed in that position until 1966[4] when he became the associate professor of hospital administration at the University of Ottawa.[10]