Donald McNiven
Encyclopedia
Donald Alexander McNiven (23 June 1887 – 31 July 1961) was a Canadian politician on the provincial and federal level. He was born in Walkerton, Ontario
and became a barrister and judge.
McNiven attended public and secondary schools at Virden, Manitoba
. He graduated from the University of Manitoba
in 1909 with a Bachelor of Arts
degree.
He was elected as a provincial Liberal
member to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
at the Regina City
riding in a by-election on 19 September 1922. He was a member of that legislature until his defeat in the 1929 provincial election
.
McNiven was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
for the Liberal party
at the Regina City
riding in the 1935 general election
and re-elected there in 1940
.
McNiven resigned from the House of Commons on 19 October 1944 before the end of the 19th Canadian Parliament
to become a judge on the Saskatchewan Court of King's Bench. In that same year, he also began to serve on various wartime-related boards. In 1949, he was made a judge of the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan
where he presided until shortly before his death in July 1961.
Walkerton, Ontario
Walkerton is a community in the Canadian province of Ontario, located within and governed by the municipality of Brockton. It is the site of Brockton's municipal offices and the county seat of Bruce County...
and became a barrister and judge.
McNiven attended public and secondary schools at Virden, Manitoba
Virden, Manitoba
Virden, Manitoba is a town in southwestern Manitoba. Oil was first discovered in 1951, and Virden has since come to be known as the "Oil Capital of Manitoba"....
. He graduated from the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
in 1909 with a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree.
He was elected as a provincial Liberal
Saskatchewan Liberal Party
The Saskatchewan Liberal Party is a liberal political party in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.-Early history :The party dominated Saskatchewan politics for the province's first forty years providing six of the first seven Premiers, and being in power for all but five of the years between the...
member to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
The 25th Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan was in power from 2003 until November 20, 2007. It was controlled by the Saskatchewan New Democratic Party under premier Lorne Calvert.-Members:-By-elections:...
at the Regina City
Regina City (provincial electoral district)
Regina City is a former provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was the riding of premier William Melville Martin...
riding in a by-election on 19 September 1922. He was a member of that legislature until his defeat in the 1929 provincial election
Saskatchewan general election, 1929
The Saskatchewan general election of 1929 was the seventh provincial election held in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. It was held on June 6, 1929 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan....
.
McNiven was 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...
for the Liberal party
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...
at the Regina City
Regina City
Regina City was a federal electoral district in Saskatchewan, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1935 to 1968.This riding was created in 1933 from parts of Regina riding.It consisted initially of the city of Regina....
riding in the 1935 general election
Canadian federal election, 1935
The Canadian federal election of 1935 was held on October 14, 1935 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 18th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal Party of William Lyon Mackenzie King won a majority government, defeating Prime Minister R.B. Bennett's Conservative Party.The central...
and re-elected there in 1940
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...
.
McNiven resigned from the House of Commons on 19 October 1944 before the end of the 19th Canadian Parliament
19th Canadian Parliament
The 19th Canadian Parliament was in session from May 16, 1940 until April 16, 1945. The membership was set by the 1940 federal election on March 26, 1940, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections until it was dissolved prior to the 1945 election.It was controlled by a...
to become a judge on the Saskatchewan Court of King's Bench. In that same year, he also began to serve on various wartime-related boards. In 1949, he was made a judge of the Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan
Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan
The Court of Appeal for Saskatchewan is the highest superior appeal court in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. It hears appeals from the Court of Queen's Bench for Saskatchewan as well as the Provincial Court of Saskatchewan and administrative tribunals...
where he presided until shortly before his death in July 1961.