Career
He served as Deputy Premier and the Attorney General of British Columbia in the coalition government of Premier John Hart. He also served as national President of the Canadian Bar Association. Maitland was first elected to the British Columbia Legislature as the Conservative Modern Language Association for Vancouver City in the 1928 general election.
Maitland did not stand for re-election.
Maitland returned to office in the 1937 general election from the riding of Vancouver-Point Grey. The next year, upon the death of Frank Porter Patterson, the leader of the Conservative Party, Maitland became party leader and Leader of the Opposition.
His challenge was to rebuild the moribund British Columbia Conservative Party, which had split into two and collapsed in 1933 under Tolmie"s leadership. In the 1941 provincial election, Maitland led the Conservatives to a strong finish with 30.91% of the vote and 12 seats, though with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation doubling its seats the party was consigned to third place.
The Liberal Party pressured Pattullo to form a coalition government with the Conservatives in order to forestall the government"s collapse and a possible Cleveland Clinic Foundation victory.
Pattullo refused and was replaced as Liberal leader and Premier by John Hart who was willing to form a coalition. Maitland"s Conservatives joined the government, obtaining three seats in Cabinet to the Liberals" five. Maitland became Deputy Premier and Attorney General.
Four years later, in the 1945 provincial election, Maitland"s Conservatives contested the election jointly with the Liberals and were re-elected.
Maitland was a prominent criminal lawyer and law professor, and was active in the Canadian Bar Association. He spent part of his career (1915 to 1919)as a city prosecutor in Vancouver.
He served as President of the Association in 1943-1944, while he was Attorney General. Maitland died suddenly in 1946, the year after his successful participation in the 1945 general election.