David Spence was a Canadian politician.

Spence was born in County Armagh

County Armagh

-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...

, Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

 and was educated at a state school before immigrating to North America in 1896. After spending a year in Pittsburgh he moved to Toronto where he established a wholesale fruit and commission business. He served as an alderman

Alderman

An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...

 on Toronto City Council

Toronto City Council

The Toronto City Council is the governing body of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors....

 from 1910 to 1916 and was instrumental in winning approval for the construction of the Prince Edward Viaduct

Prince Edward Viaduct

The Prince Edward Viaduct System, commonly referred to as the Bloor Viaduct or the viaduct, is the name of a truss arch bridge system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that connects Bloor Street East, on the west side of the system, with Danforth Avenue on the east...

.

During World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 he helped form The Irish Regiment of Canada

The Irish Regiment of Canada

2nd Battalion, The Irish Regiment of Canada is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces based in Sudbury, Ontario. The 1st Battalion was reduced to nil strength and placed on the Supplemental Order of Battle on 31 December 1964....

 and was one of its officers but was not permitted to go overseas to fight because of his age.

Spence was first elected to 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...

 as a Conservative in the 1921 federal election

Canadian federal election, 1921

The Canadian federal election of 1921 was held on December 6, 1921 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 14th Parliament of Canada. The Union government that had governed Canada through the First World War was defeated, and replaced by a Liberal government under the young leader...

 and was re-elected from thr riding of Parkdale

Parkdale (electoral district)

Parkdale was a Canadian federal electoral district represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1917 to 1979. It included the community of Parkdale in the western part of Toronto...

 in 1925, 1926, 1930 and 1935 serving in the House of Commons for almost 19 years until his death prior to the 1940 federal election

Canadian federal election, 1940

The Canadian federal election of 1940 was the 19th general election in Canadian history. It was held March 26, 1940 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 19th Parliament of Canada...

 in which he was nominated to again be the Tory standard-bearer in Parkdale.

He had intended to run as a Conservative in the 1917 federal election

Canadian federal election, 1917

The 1917 Canadian federal election was held on December 17, 1917, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 13th Parliament of Canada. Described by historian Michael Bliss as the "most bitter election in Canadian history", it was fought mainly over the issue of conscription...

 but withdrew from the race in order to support Liberal-Unionist

Liberal-Unionist

For the British party see Liberal Unionist PartyLiberal-Unionists were supporters of the Liberal Party of Canada who, as a result of the Conscription Crisis of 1917 rejected Sir Wilfrid Laurier's leadership and supported the coalition Unionist government of Sir Robert Borden.Much of the Ontario...

 Herbert Mowat

Herbert Mowat

Herbert Macdonald Mowat was a lawyer, jurist, and Canadian parliamentarian.A nephew of longtime Ontario premier Mowat, Herbert Mowat was elected president of the Toronto Reform Association in 1901 and then became president of the General Reform Association of Ontario Herbert Macdonald Mowat...

 who was running as a supporter of the Union Government formed by Conservative Prime Minister Robert Borden

Robert Borden

Sir Robert Laird Borden, PC, GCMG, KC was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as the eighth Prime Minister of Canada from October 10, 1911 to July 10, 1920, and was the third Nova Scotian to hold this office...

. Mowat was appointed to the bench prior to the 1921 federal election freeing up the riding for Spence to contest.

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