Leighton McCarthy

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Leighton Goldie McCarthy (15 December 1869 – 3 October 1952) was a Canadian lawyer, politician, businessman and diplomat.

Life and career
- Born in Walkerton, Ontario. He was called to the Ontario Bar in 1892.
- In 1898, he was elected to the House of Commons as an independent for Simcoe North, succeeding his father Dalton McCarthy, who had died in a carriage accident. He was re-elected in 1900 and 1904, but defeated in 1911 when he ran as a Liberal.
- In 1928, he became president of the Canada Life Assurance Company.
- In 1941, he was appointed to the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada. From 1941 to 1944, he served as Canada's ambassador to the United States, becoming the first person to hold the title Canadian ambassador to the United States (the position had previously been called Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary). He continued his law practice before and after his diplomatic service, ending his practice in 1946.

Later life
- McCarthy moved to Toronto and built a house at 45 Walmer Road in 1932. He died there in 1952 and left the house to the University of Toronto. Since 1953, the building has housed the Institute of Child Study.

Archives
- There is a Leighton G. McCarthy fonds at Library and Archives Canada, archival reference R4172.