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.

Location

About 200 metres (approximately 650 feet) southwest of Simcoe Street, on Greenway Blvd., Scugog.

Themes

• People
• Politics and law
• War and conflict