By Terrie Todd
Born in Collins Bay, Ontario, Edwin Albert Baker graduated with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Queen's University in 1914. With the breakout of what would soon be called The Great War (and later, World War I), Baker enlisted with the Sixth Field Company, Canadian Engineers. In 1915, he was wounded in France, losing his sight in both eyes. In his own words during an interview with author Marjorie Wilkins Campbell in the 1960s, he said, “A German star-shell lit up the desolate landscape… as I watched, a bullet smashed through the bridge of my nose and left me to the mercy of the darkness and my friends.” Baker lay in an army hospital, believing his life was over.
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| Pocket watch designed for the blind. |
While recuperating at St. Dunstan’s Hostel for Blind Soldiers and Sailors in London, England, its founder, Sir Arthur Pearson, presented Baker with a pocket watch designed for the blind. Pearson’s philosophy was one of self-reliance. He believed the blind could enjoy life and become active members of society with training. When Edwin discovered he could learn to tell time with his fingers, a spark of hope was ignited. Eventually, he learned to manage his daily life and to read Braille.
Edwin Baker
After returning
to Canada, Edwin devoted his time to assisting other blind veterans, serving on
the board of the Canadian Free Library for the Blind (founded in 1906). On 6
December 1917, the Great Halifax Explosion left hundreds of people suffering
vision loss from the accident. The tragedy highlighted the need for more
support for blind people in Canada. Seven board members of the Canadian Free
Library for the Blind, including Baker, came together to establish a national
organization. In 1918, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB),
was established in Toronto. The goal of the non-profit organization was “to
serve the blind people of Canada and to prevent blindness.”
BakerWood, former CNIB head office on Bayview Avenue, date unknown. From Canadian National Institute for the Blind, The CNIB Story, 1918-1969: 50 years of Service (1968).
To provide employment opportunities to blind Canadians, CNIB established workshops and later stores to manufacture various items, including brooms and knitted socks, and do service work such as boot repair.
Helen Keller presents Col. Baker with Migel Award for Outstanding Services to the Blind, AFB, 1951.(courtesy American Foundation for the Blind, Helen Keller Archive)
Baker served as
CNIB’s first Vice-President from 1918 to 1920 and Managing Director &
General Secretary from 1920 until his retirement in 1962. He married Jessie
Robinson. They had three sons and a daughter. He died in 1968, after
having received numerous awards, including the Canadian Government’s highest
award, Companion of the Order of Canada.
The Reluctant Healer of Halifax includes some characters blinded by the war and by the Halifax Explosion. A story of love, loss, faith, and honor set against Canada’s most devastating moment of the First World War. Watch for it in August 2026.
Terrie Todd is the award-winning author of ten historical novels, all set in Canada where she lives with her husband Jon. A former church drama team leader and newspaper columnist, she’s also a frequent contributor to Guideposts Books, mother of three, and grandmother of five.
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