The Canadian Champion

It was founded as The Canadian Champion and County of Halton Intelligencer in 1861 by James A. Campbell,^[1][a][b] and it was known for its outspoken political views. In 1862, it declared:

"Our continual aim will be to make our paper a true exponent of sound Reform principles, to cripple extravagance in all departmental affairs and sue for the initiation of a just and economical system of disbursing the public revenue and the proper disposing of the patronage of the State; we shall consequently work vigilantly for the purpose of overthrowing the present corrupt administration^[c] whose every act has been at variance with these views."^[1]

Campbell sold the newspaper in 1864 to Robert Matheson and Isaac Hunter.^[d] Hunter would leave in 1866 to found the Halton Herald in Georgetown, Ontario.^[4][e] From 1869 to 1882, the paper would see a succession of owners, until settling with the partnership of William Panton and David Watson Campbell.^[1] That would last until Campbell's sudden death in 1896.^[5] Panton would continue as sole publisher until he sold the Champion to John W. Blight and F. Leonard White in 1927.^[6]

After Blight's death, the Champion was sold to G. Arlof Dills, publisher of The Acton Free Press, in November 1943.^[7] Dills stated, "It will be our aim to make the two papers as distinct as the needs of the two communities."^[8]

The Champion would remain in the ownership of the Dills family until 1978, when it would be sold to Inland Publishing,^[f] which would later merge with Metrospan Community Newspapers^[g] in 1981^[10] to form Metroland.

The Champion was not the only newspaper covering Milton events. The Halton Journal had already begun in 1855, but there is no record of when it ceased publication.^[11] The Halton New Era was published in the early 1860s, and the Halton News ran for a short time from 1877.^[12] The Milton Reformer was the most successful competitor, being published from 1885 to 1932, until selling its subscription list to the Champion.^[13]