Herbert James Palmer
Encyclopedia
H. James Palmer was the 11th Premier of Prince Edward Island
and the son of former colonial Premier
Edward Palmer.
Born in Charlottetown
, Palmer was educated at Prince of Wales College
and then at King's College
in Windsor
, Nova Scotia
.
He was called to the bar in 1876 and became a Queen's Counsel
in 1878. Palmer entered the provincial legislature
as a Liberal upon winning a seat in the election of 1900. He served as Attorney-General at various times except between 1904 and 1908 when he was out of office. In May 1911 he became premier when Francis Longworth Haszard
was appointed to the Supreme Court
of the province. At the time, members of the legislature were required to resign their seats and run for re-election in a by-election
. Palmer did so but was defeated in the December by-election. He resigned as premier and returned to his law practice. The loss of Palmer's seat also caused the Liberal government to lose their majority
in the legislature and the lieutenant governor
asked the leader of the opposition, John A. Mathieson, to form a new government.
Premier of Prince Edward Island
The Premier of Prince Edward Island is the first minister for the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive.The current Premier of Prince Edward Island is Robert Ghiz.-See also:...
and the son of former colonial Premier
Premier of Prince Edward Island
The Premier of Prince Edward Island is the first minister for the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. They are the province's head of government and de facto chief executive.The current Premier of Prince Edward Island is Robert Ghiz.-See also:...
Edward Palmer.
Born in Charlottetown
Charlottetown
Charlottetown is a Canadian city. It is both the largest city on and the provincial capital of Prince Edward Island, and the county seat of Queens County. Named after Queen Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottetown was first incorporated as a town in 1855 and designated as a city in 1885...
, Palmer was educated at Prince of Wales College
Prince of Wales College
Prince of Wales College is a former university college, which was located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. PWC merged with St. Dunstan's University in 1969 to form the University of Prince Edward Island....
and then at King's College
University of King's College
The University of King's College is a post-secondary institution in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. King's is a small liberal arts university offering mainly undergraduate programs....
in Windsor
Windsor, Nova Scotia
Windsor is a town located in Hants County, Mainland Nova Scotia at the junction of the Avon and St. Croix Rivers. It is the largest community in western Hants County with a 2001 population of 3,779 and was at one time the shire town of the county. The region encompassing present day Windsor was...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
.
He was called to the bar in 1876 and became a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1878. Palmer entered the provincial legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
as a Liberal upon winning a seat in the election of 1900. He served as Attorney-General at various times except between 1904 and 1908 when he was out of office. In May 1911 he became premier when Francis Longworth Haszard
Francis Longworth Haszard
Francis Longworth Haszard was a Prince Edward Island politician and jurist, the tenth Premier of Prince Edward Island. Haszard's family had been United Empire Loyalists moving to PEI from the United States after the American Revolution.Longworth was born at Bellevue, Lot 49, Prince Edward Island...
was appointed to the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island
The Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island is the top court in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island and the highest Court of Appeals in the province....
of the province. At the time, members of the legislature were required to resign their seats and run for re-election in 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....
. Palmer did so but was defeated in the December by-election. He resigned as premier and returned to his law practice. The loss of Palmer's seat also caused the Liberal government to lose their majority
Majority government
A majority government is when the governing party has an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or parliament in a parliamentary system. This is as opposed to a minority government, where even the largest party wins only a plurality of seats and thus must constantly bargain for support from...
in the legislature and the lieutenant governor
Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island
The Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island is the viceregal representative in Prince Edward Island of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her...
asked the leader of the opposition, John A. Mathieson, to form a new government.