George H. V. Bulyea
Encyclopedia
George Hedley Vicars Bulyea (February 17, 1859 – July 22, 1928) was a Canadian
politician
and the first Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. As the youngest ever Lieutenant-Governor, at age 46, he was appointed by Governor General
Lord
Earl Grey
on advice of The Right Honourable
Prime Minister of Canada
Sir Wilfrid Laurier
on September 1, 1905.
He spent many years in the service of the territorial and provincial governments and played an important role in the early history of the Province of Alberta.
s. Bulyea was a descendant of United Empire Loyalists
, with his great-grandparents being born in New York
. James Albert Bulyea served as a captain with the 1st Battalion of the Queens County Militia, headquartered in Gagetown, his birthplace.
He was educated at the Gagetown Grammar School and graduated from the University of New Brunswick
, Fredericton, in 1878, with a Bachelor of Arts
degree. He was first in his class with honors in mathematics
and French
.
After graduation from university, Bulyea decided to pursue a teaching career. He served as principal of the Sheffield Grammar School, Sudbury County, New Brunswick
, from 1878, until 1882. In 1883, he moved to Western Canada, and settled initially in Winnipeg
, Manitoba
. In 1883, he moved to Qu'Appelle
, District of Assiniboia, North-West Territories (now Saskatchewan), a town just east of Regina. Up until 1898, he worked as a merchant, in which he dealt flour
and feed
. He served as the first treasurer of Qu'Appelle, when it was formed as a municipality, in 1886.
On January 29, 1885, he married Annie Blanche Babbit, the second daughter of Robert Thorne Babbit, Registrar of Queens County, New Brunswick. They had one son in 1885, Percy McFarlane Bulyea, who died at the age of fifteen on February 5, 1901, of a paralytic affliction. The Bulyeas were active members of the Baptist Church.
, he ran as an unsuccessful candidate for a seat to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories for the riding
of South Qu'Appelle
. He ran successfully for the same seat in 1894, and was elected in the 1894 Election
. He was re-elected to the same position in 1898, and 1902 On October 7, 1897, he became a Member of the first Executive Council
of the Northwest Territories which administered the affairs of the area that presently comprises Alberta
, Saskatchewan
, and the Yukon
. He was re-elected by acclamation at a by-election
on October 26, 1897. In 1898, he was appointed Special Commissioner to the Territories, serving in that capacity until the Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan were created in 1905. During the period 1898 to 1905, he also served as Administrator of Territorial Affairs in the Yukon for one year. He was reelected to the Northwest Territories Assembly at the 1898 Northwest Territories election
and again, by acclamation, in 1902 Northwest Territories election
. George H.V. Bulyea was appointed Commissioner of Agriculture and Territorial Secretary in the Haultain
government on January 12, 1899, relinquishing the agriculture portfolio in February, 1903, to become Commissioner of Public Works
. Along with Frederick W. A. G. Haultain
, he represented the territorial government in the negotiations with Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier and the federal Cabinet
on the issue of provincial status.
In 1910, Lieutenant Governor George H.V. Bulyea presided over the resignation of Premier
A.C. Rutherford following the Alberta and Great Waterways Railway scandal
. He passed over the candidates of two rival factions in the Liberal government's caucus to promote, and finally name, Alberta's Chief Justice Arthur Sifton as Rutherford's successor. This decisive action helped put matters to rest.
The Lieutenant Governor also played a sensitive role in the internal politics of the provincial Liberal Party
. The dynamics of federal and provincial political parties were not as clearly delineated then as they are today. The selection of such a prominent Liberal and an active political figure for the first Lieutenant Governor suggests that Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier expected that George H.V. Bulyea would play an assertive role in developing the politics of the new Province. However, the role of the Office has since evolved into a non-partisan and largely symbolic
position. George H.V. Bulyea was appointed Lieutenant Governor for a second term and continued to serve in that capacity until his successor was appointed effective October 20, 1915. Following his service as Lieutenant Governor, The Honourable George H.V. Bulyea was appointed Chairman of Alberta's Board of Public Utilities on November 20, 1915.
In 1908, George H.V. Bulyea received Honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from the University of Alberta
and the University of New Brunswick
. While living in Edmonton, he was a member of the Edmonton Club and the Edmonton Golf and Country Club.
, where they had previously resided during summers, at their 4-hectare fruit orchard, and summer home. He was a shareholder in the Peachland Townsite Company and was involved in negotiations for the sale of its irrigation system.
He was an active member of the Edmonton Club, and Edmonton Golf and Country Club, while living in Edmonton.
, after a long illness. A service was held on July 24, at the United Church, in Qu'Appelle
, Saskatchewan
, where he was later interred in the Qu'Appelle Cemetery. His wife, Annie was interred alongside him, when she died, in 1934.
1 Amédée E. Forget
served as Lieutenant-Governor of Northwest Territories
until Alberta was separated from the Territories and became a province.
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and the first Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. As the youngest ever Lieutenant-Governor, at age 46, he was appointed by Governor General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
Lord
Lord
Lord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...
Earl Grey
Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey
Albert Henry George Grey, 4th Earl Grey was a British nobleman and politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the ninth since Canadian Confederation....
on advice of The Right Honourable
The Right Honourable
The Right Honourable is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Anglophone Caribbean and other Commonwealth Realms, and occasionally elsewhere...
Prime Minister of Canada
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Sir Wilfrid Laurier
Wilfrid Laurier
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, GCMG, PC, KC, baptized Henri-Charles-Wilfrid Laurier was the seventh Prime Minister of Canada from 11 July 1896 to 6 October 1911....
on September 1, 1905.
He spent many years in the service of the territorial and provincial governments and played an important role in the early history of the Province of Alberta.
Early life
George Hedley Vicars Bulyea was born on February 17, 1859, in Gagetown, Queen's County, New Brunswick, to James Albert Bulyea, and Jane Blizzard, two prosperous farmerFarmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s. Bulyea was a descendant of United Empire Loyalists
United Empire Loyalists
The name United Empire Loyalists is an honorific given after the fact to those American Loyalists who resettled in British North America and other British Colonies as an act of fealty to King George III after the British defeat in the American Revolutionary War and prior to the Treaty of Paris...
, with his great-grandparents being born in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. James Albert Bulyea served as a captain with the 1st Battalion of the Queens County Militia, headquartered in Gagetown, his birthplace.
He was educated at the Gagetown Grammar School and graduated from the University of New Brunswick
University of New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada and among the first public universities in North America. The university has two main campuses: the original campus founded in 1785 in...
, Fredericton, in 1878, 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 first in his class with honors in mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
.
After graduation from university, Bulyea decided to pursue a teaching career. He served as principal of the Sheffield Grammar School, Sudbury County, 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...
, from 1878, until 1882. In 1883, he moved to Western Canada, and settled initially in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
. In 1883, he moved to Qu'Appelle
Qu'Appelle
Qu'Appelle may refer to:* Chateau Qu'Appelle, hotel* CSTC HMCS Qu'Appelle, Cadet Summer Training Centre HMCS* Diocese of Qu'Appelle, diocese of the Anglican Church of Canada* Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan* HMCS Qu'Appelle...
, District of Assiniboia, North-West Territories (now Saskatchewan), a town just east of Regina. Up until 1898, he worked as a merchant, in which he dealt flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
and feed
Feed
Feed may refer to:In animal foodstuffs:* Compound feed, feedstuffs that are blended from various raw materials and additives* Fodder , any foodstuff that is used specifically to feed domesticated livestockIn computing:...
. He served as the first treasurer of Qu'Appelle, when it was formed as a municipality, in 1886.
On January 29, 1885, he married Annie Blanche Babbit, the second daughter of Robert Thorne Babbit, Registrar of Queens County, New Brunswick. They had one son in 1885, Percy McFarlane Bulyea, who died at the age of fifteen on February 5, 1901, of a paralytic affliction. The Bulyeas were active members of the Baptist Church.
Political career
In the 1891 Northwest Territories electionNorthwest Territories general election, 1891
The Northwest Territories general election of 1891 was held on 7 November 1891 to elect twenty five members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, Canada. It was the second general election in the Northwest Territories' history. The legislature gained three seats, and six new...
, he ran as an unsuccessful candidate for a seat to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories for the riding
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of South Qu'Appelle
South Qu'Appelle
South Qu'Appelle is a former provincial electoral division for the Legislative Assembly of the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. The district was created before the 1st Saskatchewan general election in 1905, and abolished before the 8th Saskatchewan general election in 1934...
. He ran successfully for the same seat in 1894, and was elected in the 1894 Election
Northwest Territories general election, 1894
The Northwest Territories general election of 1894 held 31 October 1894. This was the third general election in the history of the Northwest Territories, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, the writs were dropped on 3 October 1894...
. He was re-elected to the same position in 1898, and 1902 On October 7, 1897, he became a Member of the first Executive Council
Executive Council (Commonwealth countries)
An Executive Council in Commonwealth constitutional practice based on the Westminster system is a constitutional organ which exercises executive power and advises the governor or governor-general. Executive Councils often make decisions via Orders in Council.Executive Councillors are informally...
of the Northwest Territories which administered the affairs of the area that presently comprises Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, and the Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
. He was re-elected by acclamation at a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
on October 26, 1897. In 1898, he was appointed Special Commissioner to the Territories, serving in that capacity until the Provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan were created in 1905. During the period 1898 to 1905, he also served as Administrator of Territorial Affairs in the Yukon for one year. He was reelected to the Northwest Territories Assembly at the 1898 Northwest Territories election
Northwest Territories general election, 1898
The Northwest Territories general election of 1898 took place on 4 November 1898. This was the fourth general election in the history of the Northwest Territories, Canada. It was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories....
and again, by acclamation, in 1902 Northwest Territories election
Northwest Territories general election, 1902
The Northwest Territories general election of 1902, occurred on 21 May 1902 and was the fifth general election in the history of the Northwest Territories, Canada. It was held to elect Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories. This was the last election held until 1951,...
. George H.V. Bulyea was appointed Commissioner of Agriculture and Territorial Secretary in the Haultain
Frederick W. A. G. Haultain
Sir Frederick William Alpin Gordon Haultain was a lawyer and a long serving Canadian politician and judge. His career in provincial and territorial legislatures stretched into four decades...
government on January 12, 1899, relinquishing the agriculture portfolio in February, 1903, to become Commissioner of Public Works
Commissioner of Public Works
The Commissioner of Public Works heads one of the departments in those local governments in New Jersey that operate under the Walsh Act form of municipal governance. This is a standalone position in Walsh Act municipalities with a five-member commission...
. Along with Frederick W. A. G. Haultain
Frederick W. A. G. Haultain
Sir Frederick William Alpin Gordon Haultain was a lawyer and a long serving Canadian politician and judge. His career in provincial and territorial legislatures stretched into four decades...
, he represented the territorial government in the negotiations with Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier and the federal Cabinet
Cabinet of Canada
The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada...
on the issue of provincial status.
Lieutenant Governor
On the advice of Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier, George H.V. Bulyea was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Alberta effective September 1, 1905, the date that Alberta became a province. This appointment was made by Earl Grey, Governor General of Canada. During George H.V. Bulyea's period of service as Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, his Secretaries were G.H. Babbit and A.C. Gillespie.In 1910, Lieutenant Governor George H.V. Bulyea presided over the resignation of Premier
Premier (Canada)
In Canada, a premier is the head of government of a province or territory. There are currently ten provincial premiers and three territorial premiers in Canada....
A.C. Rutherford following the Alberta and Great Waterways Railway scandal
Alberta and Great Waterways Railway scandal
The Alberta and Great Waterways Railway Scandal was a political scandal in Alberta, Canada in 1910. It resulted in the resignation of the provincial government of Alexander Cameron Rutherford over allegations of conflict of interest in the government's involvement in the financing of the Alberta...
. He passed over the candidates of two rival factions in the Liberal government's caucus to promote, and finally name, Alberta's Chief Justice Arthur Sifton as Rutherford's successor. This decisive action helped put matters to rest.
The Lieutenant Governor also played a sensitive role in the internal politics of the provincial Liberal Party
Alberta Liberal Party
The Alberta Liberal Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada. Originally founded in 1905, when the province was created, it was the dominant political party until 1921 when it was defeated. It has never been in government since that time...
. The dynamics of federal and provincial political parties were not as clearly delineated then as they are today. The selection of such a prominent Liberal and an active political figure for the first Lieutenant Governor suggests that Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier expected that George H.V. Bulyea would play an assertive role in developing the politics of the new Province. However, the role of the Office has since evolved into a non-partisan and largely symbolic
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
position. George H.V. Bulyea was appointed Lieutenant Governor for a second term and continued to serve in that capacity until his successor was appointed effective October 20, 1915. Following his service as Lieutenant Governor, The Honourable George H.V. Bulyea was appointed Chairman of Alberta's Board of Public Utilities on November 20, 1915.
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
and the University of New Brunswick
University of New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada and among the first public universities in North America. The university has two main campuses: the original campus founded in 1785 in...
. While living in Edmonton, he was a member of the Edmonton Club and the Edmonton Golf and Country Club.
Later life
After the completion of his second term as Lieutenant Governor, he was appointed the first chair of Alberta's Board of Publicity Utility Commissioners, in which he would remain until 1923, when he would resign, due to ill health. After retirement, the Bulyeas moved, and settled in Peachland, British ColumbiaPeachland, British Columbia
Peachland is a district municipality of approximately 5000 residents in the Okanagan Valley, on the west side of Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, Canada. It was founded in 1899 by John Moore Robinson, although the region had long been home to the Okanagan people...
, where they had previously resided during summers, at their 4-hectare fruit orchard, and summer home. He was a shareholder in the Peachland Townsite Company and was involved in negotiations for the sale of its irrigation system.
He was an active member of the Edmonton Club, and Edmonton Golf and Country Club, while living in Edmonton.
Death
George H. V. Bulyea died on July 22, 1928, in Peachland, British ColumbiaPeachland, British Columbia
Peachland is a district municipality of approximately 5000 residents in the Okanagan Valley, on the west side of Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, Canada. It was founded in 1899 by John Moore Robinson, although the region had long been home to the Okanagan people...
, after a long illness. A service was held on July 24, at the United Church, in Qu'Appelle
Qu'Appelle
Qu'Appelle may refer to:* Chateau Qu'Appelle, hotel* CSTC HMCS Qu'Appelle, Cadet Summer Training Centre HMCS* Diocese of Qu'Appelle, diocese of the Anglican Church of Canada* Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan* HMCS Qu'Appelle...
, Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, where he was later interred in the Qu'Appelle Cemetery. His wife, Annie was interred alongside him, when she died, in 1934.
Footnotes
- Legislative Assembly of Alberta
1 Amédée E. Forget
Amédée E. Forget
Amédée Emmanuel Marie Forget was a Canadian lawyer, civil servant, and politician. He was the last Lieutenant Governor of the North-West Territories and the first Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Saskatchewan....
served as Lieutenant-Governor of Northwest Territories
Lieutenant-Governors of Northwest Territories
This is a list of historical lieutenant-governors of Northwest Territories, Canada. The position of Lieutenant-Governor lasted from the acquisition of Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory in 1869 to the creation of Alberta and Saskatchewan in 1905....
until Alberta was separated from the Territories and became a province.