Career
He was the first full-time employed academic in the field at a Canadian university (Queen"s University)
While a lecturer at Queen"s, he was appointed as the editor of the Queen"s Journal and is largely credited with moving the paper from a strict focus on campus matters to a more mixed discussion on all university interests, particularly to broaden the readership amongst alumni. He is most well known for his research into the history of Canadian banking and for his association with the National Archives of Canada. Regarded as the father of professional economics in Canada, Shortt took a historical approach as differentiated from economic theory, as he believed that the economics of nations depend on natural resources, geographic location, and specific economic attributes.
He was self-taught, went to Queen"s University and took courses on a wide range of subjects.
Shortt went on to Glasgow University for his master"s degree in political economy.