A. Wesley Stuart
Encyclopedia
Andrew Wesley Stuart was a Canadian
commercial fisherman
and politician
from the Province of New Brunswick
.
Known by Wesley, he was born at Deer Island, New Brunswick
, the son of Andrew Holmes Stuart and Laura Gertrude Thompson. Raised in a place where fishing was a major part of the economy, in addition to fishing for a living, he worked as a government fishing industry
inspector.
In the 1945 Canadian federal election
, Stuart was elected as the Liberal Party's
candidate for the riding of Charlotte
. He was reelected in 1949
, 1953
, and again in 1957
.
Wesley Stuart lived on the bank of the St. Croix River and as was common for residents, he frequently travelled across the border to Maine
. A proponent of free trade
between Canada and the United States
, in 1951 Stuart received much publicly in both countries for his statements in the Canadian House of Commons
on cross-border smuggling
. Time
magazine reported that he declared he had "been a smuggler
all his life—and intended to keep on being one," adding that he "never came through [the border] in my lifetime that I did not smuggle something." Stuart's straight talk met with wide approval by his constituents and in the ensuing federal election, he won his third term in office with the largest majority of his political career.
In the 1958
electoral sweep by the Progressive Conservatives
under John Diefenbaker
, Stuart lost his seat to Caldwell Stewart
. While remaining active in politics, he served as the New Brunswick Liberal Party President
from 1960 to 1963.
On October 23, 1924 he married Julia Marguerite Graham (1899-1961) . The couple had three children. Wesley Stuart died in 1984. He and his wife are buried in the St. Andrews, New Brunswick
Rural Cemetery.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
commercial fisherman
Commercial fishing
Commercial fishing is the activity of catching fish and other seafood for commercial profit, mostly from wild fisheries. It provides a large quantity of food to many countries around the world, but those who practice it as an industry must often pursue fish far into the ocean under adverse conditions...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from the Province of New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
.
Known by Wesley, he was born at Deer Island, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, the son of Andrew Holmes Stuart and Laura Gertrude Thompson. Raised in a place where fishing was a major part of the economy, in addition to fishing for a living, he worked as a government fishing industry
Fishing industry
The fishing industry includes any industry or activity concerned with taking, culturing, processing, preserving, storing, transporting, marketing or selling fish or fish products....
inspector.
In the 1945 Canadian federal election
Canadian federal election, 1945
The Canadian federal election of 1945 was the 20th general election in Canadian history. It was held June 11, 1945 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 20th Parliament of Canada...
, Stuart was elected as the Liberal Party's
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
candidate for the riding of Charlotte
New Brunswick Southwest
Charlotte redirects here, for the provincial electoral district, see Charlotte New Brunswick Southwest is a federal electoral district in New Brunswick, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004...
. He was reelected in 1949
Canadian federal election, 1949
The Canadian federal election of 1949 was held on June 27 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 21st Parliament of Canada. It was the first election in Canada in almost thirty years in which the Liberal Party of Canada was not led by William Lyon Mackenzie King. King had...
, 1953
Canadian federal election, 1953
The Canadian federal election of 1953 was held on August 10 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 22nd Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Louis St...
, and again in 1957
Canadian federal election, 1957
The Canadian federal election of 1957 was held June 10, 1957, to select the 265 members of the House of Commons of Canada. In one of the great upsets in Canadian political history, the Progressive Conservative Party , led by John Diefenbaker, brought an end to 22 years of Liberal rule, as the...
.
Wesley Stuart lived on the bank of the St. Croix River and as was common for residents, he frequently travelled across the border to Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. A proponent of free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
between Canada and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in 1951 Stuart received much publicly in both countries for his statements in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
on cross-border smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
. Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine reported that he declared he had "been a smuggler
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
all his life—and intended to keep on being one," adding that he "never came through [the border] in my lifetime that I did not smuggle something." Stuart's straight talk met with wide approval by his constituents and in the ensuing federal election, he won his third term in office with the largest majority of his political career.
In the 1958
Canadian federal election, 1958
The Canadian federal election of 1958 was the 24th general election in Canada's history. It was held to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 24th Parliament of Canada on March 31, 1958, just nine months after the 23rd election...
electoral sweep by the Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
under John Diefenbaker
John Diefenbaker
John George Diefenbaker, PC, CH, QC was the 13th Prime Minister of Canada, serving from June 21, 1957, to April 22, 1963...
, Stuart lost his seat to Caldwell Stewart
Caldwell Stewart
Robert Dugald Caldwell Stewart was a Progressive Conservative party member of the Canadian House of Commons. He was born in Dalhousie, New Brunswick and became a lawyer by career....
. While remaining active in politics, he served as the New Brunswick Liberal Party President
New Brunswick Liberal Association
The New Brunswick Liberal Association , more popularly known as the New Brunswick Liberal Party or Liberal Party of New Brunswick, is one of the two major political parties in the Canadian province of New Brunswick...
from 1960 to 1963.
On October 23, 1924 he married Julia Marguerite Graham (1899-1961) . The couple had three children. Wesley Stuart died in 1984. He and his wife are buried in the St. Andrews, New Brunswick
St. Andrews, New Brunswick
St. Andrews is a Canadian town in Charlotte County, New Brunswick.It is sometimes referred to in tourism marketing by its unofficial nickname "St. Andrews-by-the-sea".-Geography:St...
Rural Cemetery.