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A Lifelong Passion
When it comes to his choice to support Canada’s History Society, John Cleghorn says, “I’m involved because it’s something I’ve been interested in all my life. I think Canada’s History has attracted a good group of people from across the country who really care.”
Cleghorn grew up in a family very aware of its Scottish, Loyalist and Pennsylvania Dutch (Mennonite) roots. Indeed, his great-aunt wrote an acclaimed book about the experience of ancestors who’d come to Canada in covered wagons, The Trail of the Conestoga. Its foreword was written by none other than William Lyon Mackenzie King.
History was “probably my best mark in school,” Cleghorn says. And like many a Canadian, he had studied the fur trade to the point where he felt he knew all he needed to. That is, until he was transferred to Winnipeg and what he’d learned suddenly came to vivid life. “I discovered the geography, the forts — I started to think maybe we wouldn’t have a country without the fur trade.”
His next professional stop was Vancouver. He and his family canoed and camped, exploring parks where “you saw the history,” he says.
For someone more familiar with Quebec and Ontario, spending time in other parts of the country transformed a long-standing interest into something more. “All of a sudden, Canada’s history came to me in the geography and the people, and I became a passionate Canadian.”
Cleghorn and his family have generously supported many history organizations including the Canadian War Museum and the Canadian Canoe Museum. They’ve financed tours of European battlefields for Canadian students in which each young person learns the life story of a soldier buried abroad and has the powerful experience of standing at the gravesite.
Knowing our history is critical in times like the ones we’re in now, Cleghorn says, pointing to the reality that Americans have been trying for centuries to cajole or intimidate Canada into joining them. “Any reading of history shows that we’ve done things a different way here,” he says. “All you have to do is look at our anthems.”
Our flagship magazine Canada’s History and its predecessor, The Beaver, have been mainstays in his household for decades. An avid reader of history, Cleghorn praises Madelaine Drohan’s He Did Not Conquer: Benjamin Franklin’s Failure to Annex Canada along with the work of Governor General’s History Award laureate for popular history, Stephen Bown, in books such as The Company and Dominion. (You can read Drohan’s cover story from the June-July 2025 issue of Canada’s History here.)
He also credits other donors who help sustain the work of Canada’s History Society in connecting Canadians through the stories of our past. "I’m just one of many helping a worthwhile cause. For my family and me, it's a significant part of our lives."
Help keep Canada’s stories true, strong, and free
We hope you’ll help us continue to share fascinating stories about Canada’s past by making a donation to Canada’s History Society today.
We highlight our nation’s diverse past by telling stories that illuminate the people, places, and events that unite us as Canadians, and by making those stories accessible to everyone through our free online content.
We are a registered charity that depends on contributions from readers like you to share inspiring and informative stories with students and citizens of all ages — award-winning stories written by Canada’s top historians, authors, journalists, and history enthusiasts.
Any amount helps, or better yet, start a monthly donation today. Your support makes all the difference. Thank you!
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