FRANCIS COLLINS

FRANCIS COLLINS

FRANCIS COLLINS, CANADA’S FIRST PROFESSIONAL PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES REPORTER, WAS BORN CA. 1800 IN NEWRY, COUNTY DOWN, IRELAND. HE HAD BEEN A PUBLISHER BEFORE HIS ARRIVAL IN YORK (TORONTO) WHERE, NEAR HERE FROM 1825-1834 HE PUBLISHED THE “CANADIAN FREEMAN.” COLLINS ADVOCATED THE PRINCIPLES OF A FREE PRESS AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN UNCENSORED RECORD OF PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES. FOR HIS ATTACKS ON THE FAMILY COMPACT HE WAS JAILED IN 1828 AND, FOLLOWING THE DEBATE OF THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ON HIS CASE, HE WAS GRANTED ROYAL CLEMENCY. FRANCIS COLLINS AND MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY WERE VICTIMS OF THE CHOLERA EPIDEMIC OF 1834.

TORONTO HISTORICAL BOARD
1982

Sarah J. McCabe

October 20, 2018