William Thomas White
Sir William Thomas White, GCMG, PC (UK), PC (Can) (November 13, 1866February 11, 1955), was a Canadian politician and Cabinet minister. He served as minister of finance from 1911 to 1919 under Prime Minister Robert Borden. As finance minister, White introduced the income tax to help fund Canada's World War I efforts. Early life White worked as a reporter for the Toronto Evening Telegram in 1890, and subsequently worked for Toronto's Assessment Department. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto in 1895, and a law degree from Osgoode Law School in 1899. White did not practice law after his graduation, but instead worked as a Managing Director for the National Trust Company, Ltd., becoming its Vice-President in 1911. National Trust was incorporated in 1898 by Senator George Albertus Cox and Edward Rogers Wood. National Trust Company, Ltd. became part of Bank of Nova Scotia as Scotia Trust in 1997. Political career and finance minister White was initially a Liberal party member, but his views diverged from the party's policies on some key matters. He was a supporter of British imperialism, and joined Clifford Sifton and other Liberals in signing an anti - reciprocity manifesto in