Deputy Minister David Sim

1898 - 1987  (89 years)

• Name	David Sim
  Prefix	Deputy Minister
  Born	4 May 1898	Glasgow, , Lanark, Scotland   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Physical Description	5' 7" fresh complexion, greyish green eyes, dark brown hair  [1]
  Military	WW1
  Military	1914	WW1   [2]
  	WW1, 108 Regiment, Service #751095
  Military	1914	WW1   [3]
  	WW1, Private, 118th Battalion / 1st Battalion
  Occupation	1915	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  	meter reader
  Residence	1915	21 Heins Ave., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  Residence	1924	63 Schneider Ave., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada
  Occupation	1943	, Canada
  	National Revenue Deputy Minister
  Residence	, Scotland   [3]
  Residence	Glasgow, , Lanark, Scotland   [2]
  Residence	21 Heins Ave., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [2]
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-159860P
  Died	18 Jun 1987
  Buried	Pinecrest Cemetery, Ottawa, Carleton Co., Ontario, Canada
  Person ID	I159860	Generations
  Last Modified	28 Jan 2025

  
  

  Father	David Sim,   b. 17 May 1871, Glasgow, , Lanark, Scotland ,   d. 1952  (Age 80 years)
  Mother	Cora Lillian Clarke Angus,   b. 1874,   d. 1940  (Age 66 years)
  Family ID	F45305	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Ada Helen Inrig,   b. 18 Feb 1901, , England ,   d. 18 Aug 1958  (Age 57 years)
  Last Modified	29 Jan 2025
  Family ID	F45391	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  C. Fraser Elliott, David Sim Become Deputy Ministers C. Fraser Elliott, K.C., commissioner of income tax, and David Sim. commissioner of excise, have been appointed to full rank of deputy ministers for the Department of National Revenue. Hon. Colin Gibson, minister of national revenue, announced today that an order-in-council has been passed covering the appointments. Mr. Elliott becomes deputy minister of national revenue for taxation and Mr. Sim deputy minister of national revenue for customs and excise. Mr. Elliot entered the government service in 1919 and for the past 11 years has been commissioner of Income tax and succession duties. Mr. Sim was appointed private secretary to the minister of national revenue In 1927 and was appointed commissioner of excise in 1934. Ottawa Citizen 28 Jul 1943 ____________ Nation Revenue Deputy David Sim Retires Jan. 5 The last deputy minister appointed by Rr. Hon. R. B. Bennett is retiring on Jan 4. He is David Sim deputy minister of nation revenue (customs and excise) When he was appointed 31 years ago, he was only the eighth man to occupy the post since confederation, but in his 31 years he has served under 12 ministers. There was no pressure on Mr. Sim to retire. He was 65 last May, but it has been his inflexible policy in the department that retirement is mandatory at 65 years and six months. "And I'm not going to break that policy for myself." he said "Besides I think it is a good thing it make room for the ones on their way up. When a top post is vacated there are a lot of people who get promotions." Away from the daily pressure of decisions to be made. Mr. Sim figures on a lot of golfing, curling and fishing and doing a lot of reflective thinking. He has some altruistic ideas but he's not telling what they are right now. Fourth career There have been reports that Mr. Sim might go into politics. No so, he said "I'll have fourth career but it won't be in politics." His first career was in the army (as a bugler at 16. then in the band, then in the trenches), his second with a bank and trust company, his third as public servant. The fourth your guess. Mr. Sim recalled that at one time he used to learn to play a new instrument each year. Now perhaps he'll take up the few he has missed. His interests are many. He is a past president of Ottawa Rotary Club, the Rideau Curling Club, the Canadian Club of Ottawa and Five Lake Fishing Club. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland and came to Canada when 12 years old, his family setting at Kitchener then Berlin. He enlisted in the army in 1915 in 1927 came to Ottawa as private secretary to the late Hon. W. D. Euler, minister of national revenue. Vigorous health Mr. Sim said all this friends (for most of them) are in Ottawa and he intends to stay here. He is blessed with vigorous health. There are compensations to being a deputy minister, said Mr. Sim. It is a great thing to be able to sit in the Commons gallery and to hear a minister say he's reached a conclusion. "And he uses your words to tell what the conclusion it. It a vicarious satisfaction." Mr. Simi doesn't bridle a the word bureaucrat. There must of necessity be a bureaucracy and the good bureaucrat is indispensable. "The country needs both the politician and the bureaucrat." he said. "The politician has his antennas out for public sentiment in a way that the civil servant does not." Other there are conflicts of opinion on policy and administrative matters between ministers and their deputies. "We recognize who has the last word and when the minister says this is it, then what we say is that if that is the way it is to be, this is the way it should be done." Ottawa Citizen 17 Dec 1964

  
  

• Sources

  [S157] Military - Canada - World War I - Attestation papers. David Sim Jr Residence: Berlin, Ontario Birth Date: 4 May 1898 Birth Location: Glasgow, Scotland Relative: Cora Sim Relationship: Mother Regiment Number: 751095 [S157] Military - Canada - World War I - Attestation papers. [S2231] Military - Kitchener Public Library - Soldier Information Card Collection - World War One.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 4 May 1898 - Glasgow, , Lanark, Scotland Occupation - meter reader - 1915 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1915 - 21 Heins Ave., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Residence - 1924 - 63 Schneider Ave., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Occupation - National Revenue Deputy Minister - 1943 - , Canada Residence - - , Scotland Residence - - Glasgow, , Lanark, Scotland Residence - - 21 Heins Ave., Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Pinecrest Cemetery, Ottawa, Carleton Co., Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth