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The Honourable Sydney John Smith, 1966-1968

The Senate commissions a portrait of every Speaker in recognition of the procedural and protocol importance of that role — a tradition that predates Confederation.

The subject of this portrait, the Honourable Sydney John Smith, made his mark as a professional athlete, businessman, farmer, alderman, mayor, provincial MLA and senator. Mr. Smith played football for the Saskatchewan Roughriders before pursuing careers in business and public service. He served one term in the British Columbia legislature and was later president of the B.C. Liberal Association.

Mr. Smith was appointed to the Senate in 1957 and named Speaker in 1966. He resigned from the position and the Chamber in 1968 for health reasons.

The Speaker can choose the artist for whom they would like to sit; Mr. Smith selected Kenneth Forbes, a notable Canadian landscape and portrait painter. Mr. Forbes served as an official war artist during the First World War and received the Order of Canada in 1967 for his artistic contributions.

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