Discover Toronto's history as told through its plaques

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Robert Gourlay 1778-1863

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted August, 2007

This monument, erected by the North York Historical Society and Toronto Culture here in St. James Park, has an inscription cut into the front as well as plaques attached to the sides. Here's what they have say:

Coordinates: 43.650726 -79.372852

Banished from Upper Canada in 1819 on false charges of sedition brought by the Family Compact. His writings had an impact on events leading to the 1837 rebellion. Robert Gourlay championed reforms ahead of his time. In Scotland - a vote for every man who could read and write. In England - a living wage for workers. In Canada - fair land distribution. "The first question in political economy should be, can the mass of the people live comfortably under this or that arrangement? But this most necessary question was forgotten, and many of the people have perished." R. Gourlay, Statistical Account of Upper Canada, 1822.

Related Ontario plaque
Robert F. Gourlay 1778-1863

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Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

> Posted March 3, 2014
I am searching for Gourlay relatives (possibly but irrelevantly related to Robert Fleming Gourlay). My mother, Margaret Gourlay (1915 - 1987), daughter of another Robert Gourlay, and sister to Winnifred and George Gourlay, lived her entire life in Toronto, Ontario. Her sister had a son, John, with her husband Carl Warren. Her brother had three sons, two of which were twins, with his wife Edith, all from the Toronto area. I was given the book; Robert Fleming Gourlay, Gadfly, by Lois Darroch Milanni, many years ago with the understanding that I was related to RFG, the historical figure. I have since lost contact with the Gourlays of Toronto after I moved away in about 1972 and my mother died in 1987. I would be very appreciative if anyone can provide me a contact to reconnect with these relatives. Thank you.
Douglas Goldthorp, Bellingham, WA USA [email protected]

> Posted August 3, 2010
Always pleased to see this...Robert Gourlay was my paternal Great Uncle...Janet Gourlay was my Great Grandmother...her son, Frederick Gourlay Millar, my grandfather, and Dr. Owen Bruce Millar my father. He was the last President of PSI {Physician's Services, Inc}, the FIRST affordable health insurance program available anywhere in Canada {started in 1948, but was to have begun in 1939 but delayed by WWII}. He was the first President of the PSI Foundation, now one of the largest funding organizations in Canada for medical research and scholarship/bursary programs for medical students. It was created by surplus operating funds from PSI after it was put out of business as a non-profit by Pierre Trudeau for what he himself admitted were purely ideological reasons---talk about coming full circle! My son is James Robert Gourlay Millar...
Best regards, Robert Millar

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