William Ralph Meredith - Public Service

Public Service

Outside of court Meredith still exercised great political influence, and his "legislative and forensic skills were frequently enlisted by various governments". It was widely believed that Meredith was the political mentor of Sir James Whitney, and that he had a hand in framing some of the progressive measures put through by him. Meredith also mediated between Whitney and Sir Adam Beck, suggesting and even wording many of the bills that established the Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario. The Toronto Daily Star stated that Meredith's "revision of the statutes of Ontario was masterful".

In 1895, Meredith was appointed a Senator of the University of Toronto, and five years later he was unianimously elected Chancellor of that university, a position he held until his death. He was a member of the Royal Commission that investigated the affairs of the University of Toronto in 1905. He was also called upon to lead commissions into the causes for the collapse of the Farmer's Bank of York, Upper Canada and to investigate the worth of the Canadian Northern Railway prior to its takeover by the government of Sir Arthur Meighen. He was President of the South African Memorial Association and joint Chairman of Toronto's Civic Improvement Committee.