William Dennis

William Dennis (4 March 1856 – 11 July 1920) was an Independent Conservative member of the Senate of Canada. He was born in the English county of Cornwall and became an editor, journalist and publisher. Biography Introduction William Dennis (4 March 1856 – 11 July 1920) was an Independent Conservative member of the Senate of Canada. He was also the owner and President of a publishing company, and Editor-in-Chief of two newspapers, the Halifax Herald and the Evening Mail. He survived many hardships and tragedies including the loss of six of his younger siblings and five of his children, two major fires at his publishing company and the Halifax Explosion. Through it all, he dedicated himself to his work, raising money through his newspapers to help the wives, widows and children of soldiers of the South African Wars (1879–1915) and victims of the Indian famine of 1899–1900, and the Famine in Japan. When he was a Senator, he traveled to England and France to personally report on the progress of World War I and Canada’s role in it. He was presented to the Queen of England. While in the Senate he also championed the needs of lobster fishermen and advanced other issues for Nova Scotia. William Dennis's son Alexander described his father as "a character full of initiative, energy and enthusiasm that had so many facets. He hated dishonesty and his eyes that generally carried a twinkle seemed to penetrate in steely contrast to the untruth. Some likened him unto a typical English squire. This severeness was more than balanced by his generous spirit. He was neither a physical nor moral coward and seemed to have a total disregard for self. His pen courageously attacked what he believed to be wrong and not in the interests of the people, and his campaigns of publicity were carried out with thoroughness in the interests of his province and country."