Arthur Ellis (politician)
Encyclopedia
Arthur Ellis was a Canadian
lawyer and politician. He was mayor of Ottawa from 1928 until 1929.
He was born in Ottawa
, the son of Ottawa mayor James A. Dent Ellis
. Arthur Ellis studied at Osgoode Hall
, was called to the Ontario bar in 1913 and set up practice in Ottawa. He served on the Ottawa school board in 1916 and 1917 before being elected to Ottawa city council where he served as an alderman in 1920 and then on the Board of Control for six years beginning in 1921. After a term as mayor of Ottawa, he was elected in the 1929 provincial election
to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
, representing Ottawa South
for the Conservative Party
.
He was rumoured to be in line to become Provincial Treasurer but was consigned to the backbench when Joseph Monteith
defied pundits by retaining his seat in the legislature in the 1929 election. After the Ontario Liberal Party
under Mitchell Hepburn
took power in the 1934 provincial election
Ellis moved to the Opposition bench where he achieved prominence as finance critic.
On November 25, 1935, he struck and killed a pedestrian on Highway 15 north of Kingston, Ontario and was charged with criminal negligence
. He was acquitted in 1936, but the notoriety of the incident hurt his chances as a candidate in the Ontario Conservative leadership convention
, held several weeks after the trial, in which he placed seventh with ten votes.
He remained in the legislature until 1937 when he retired from politics.
In 1940, as the result of a separate incident, Ellis was convicted of driving while drunk and sentenced to 30 days in jail. He had been charged after he hit a traffic cop's motorcycle, failed to stop, and hit a parked car following a chase. An open bottle of wine was found in the front seat of Ellis' car.
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...
lawyer and politician. He was mayor of Ottawa from 1928 until 1929.
He was born in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, the son of Ottawa mayor James A. Dent Ellis
James A. Ellis
James Albert Ellis was mayor of Ottawa, Canada, from 1904 to 1906 and in 1913. He represented Ottawa West in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1911 to 1914....
. Arthur Ellis studied at Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall is a landmark building in downtown Toronto constructed between 1829 and 1832 in the late Georgian Palladian and Neoclassical styles. It houses the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Divisional Court of the Superior Court of Justice, and the Law Society of Upper Canada...
, was called to the Ontario bar in 1913 and set up practice in Ottawa. He served on the Ottawa school board in 1916 and 1917 before being elected to Ottawa city council where he served as an alderman in 1920 and then on the Board of Control for six years beginning in 1921. After a term as mayor of Ottawa, he was elected in the 1929 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1929
The Ontario general election, 1929 was the 18th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on October 30, 1929, to elect the 112 Members of the 18th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
, representing Ottawa South
Ottawa South (provincial electoral district)
Ottawa South is a riding in the Canadian province of Ontario, in the city of Ottawa. It is represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by the Premier of Ontario, Dalton McGuinty....
for the Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
.
He was rumoured to be in line to become Provincial Treasurer but was consigned to the backbench when Joseph Monteith
Joseph Monteith
Joseph Dunsmore Monteith was an Ontario MLA for Perth North from 1923 to 1934. He was treasurer from 1926 to 1930 and Minister of Labour, Public Works and Highways from 1930 to 1934....
defied pundits by retaining his seat in the legislature in the 1929 election. After the Ontario Liberal Party
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
under Mitchell Hepburn
Mitchell Hepburn
Mitchell Frederick Hepburn was the 11th Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1934 to 1942. He was the youngest Premier in Ontario history, appointed at age 37....
took power in the 1934 provincial election
Ontario general election, 1934
The Ontario general election, 1934 was the 19th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on June 19, 1934, to elect the 90 Members of the 19th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
Ellis moved to the Opposition bench where he achieved prominence as finance critic.
On November 25, 1935, he struck and killed a pedestrian on Highway 15 north of Kingston, Ontario and was charged with criminal negligence
Criminal negligence
In the criminal law, criminal negligence is one of the three general classes of mens rea element required to constitute a conventional as opposed to strict liability offense. It is defined as an act that is:-Concept:...
. He was acquitted in 1936, but the notoriety of the incident hurt his chances as a candidate in the Ontario Conservative leadership convention
Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership conventions
This page lists the results of leadership elections within the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario .Before 1920, leaders of the Conservative Party were usually chosen by caucus...
, held several weeks after the trial, in which he placed seventh with ten votes.
He remained in the legislature until 1937 when he retired from politics.
In 1940, as the result of a separate incident, Ellis was convicted of driving while drunk and sentenced to 30 days in jail. He had been charged after he hit a traffic cop's motorcycle, failed to stop, and hit a parked car following a chase. An open bottle of wine was found in the front seat of Ellis' car.