Hugh Armstrong
Encyclopedia
Hugh Armstrong was a politician in Manitoba
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1892 to 1896 and from 1902 to 1915, and was a senior cabinet minister in the government of Rodmond P. Roblin. Armstrong was a member of the Conservative Party
.
, New York, in 1868, and moved to Ontario
with his parents one year later. He moved to Manitoba in 1883, and settled in Portage la Prairie
in 1896. He worked as a fish exporter, and was a prominent figure in Manitoba's early fish industry.
, winning without opposition in the Woodlands constituency. The Manitoba Liberal Party
won a majority government in this election, and Armstrong sat with the small opposition group.
He resigned from the legislature in 1896 to run for the Canadian House of Commons
as a candidate of the federal Conservative Party
. He lost the riding of Selkirk
to Liberal Party
candidate John Alexander MacDonell
by a single vote.
The Manitoba Conservative Party formed government in 1900, initially under Hugh John Macdonald
and subsequently under Rodmond P. Roblin. Armstrong returned to the legislature in 1902, and the sitting member for Portage la Prairie died. He was again returned without opposition, and sat as a government backbencher.
Armstrong was re-elected in the 1903 election
, defeating Liberal candidate Edward Brown
by thirty-three votes. Brown became leader of the provincial Liberal Party in 1907, and again challenged Armstrong in that year's general election
. Armstrong was again victorious, defeating Brown by 223 votes.
Armstrong entered Roblin's cabinet on November 19, 1908, in the senior portfolio of Provincial Treasurer. He served in this capacity for the remainder of his career in politics. In the 1910 election
, he defeated Liberal challenger Ewan A. McPherson by 201 votes.
MacPherson challenged Armstrong again in the 1914 provincial election
, and this time defeated him by ten votes. The Conservatives again won a majority government, and Armstrong returned to the legislature after winning a deferred election in the northern constituency of Grand Rapids.
In 1915, the Roblin ministry was forced to resign from office after a report commissioned by the Lieutenant Governor
found the government guilty of corruption in the tendering of contracts for new legislative buildings. Armstrong resigned from office on May 12, 1915, and did not seek re-election in the 1915 campaign
.
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...
, Canada
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...
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and the lieutenant governor form the Legislature of Manitoba, the legislature of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly in provincial general elections, all in single-member constituencies with first-past-the-post...
from 1892 to 1896 and from 1902 to 1915, and was a senior cabinet minister in the government of Rodmond P. Roblin. Armstrong was a member of the Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
.
Early life
Armstrong was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York, in 1868, and moved to Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
with his parents one year later. He moved to Manitoba in 1883, and settled in Portage la Prairie
Portage la Prairie, Manitoba
-Transportation:Portage la Prairie railway station is served by Via Rail with both The Canadian and Winnipeg – Churchill trains calling at the station....
in 1896. He worked as a fish exporter, and was a prominent figure in Manitoba's early fish industry.
Political career
He was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in the provincial election of 1892Manitoba general election, 1892
This was the eighth Manitoba general election and was held on July 23, 1892....
, winning without opposition in the Woodlands constituency. The Manitoba Liberal Party
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
won a majority government in this election, and Armstrong sat with the small opposition group.
He resigned from the legislature in 1896 to run for 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 candidate of the federal Conservative Party
Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. Initially known as the "Liberal-Conservative Party", it dropped "Liberal" from its name in 1873, although many of its candidates continued to use this name.As a result of World War I and the...
. He lost the riding of Selkirk
Selkirk (electoral district)
Selkirk was a federal electoral district in Manitoba, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1871 to 1979.This riding was created in 1871 when the province of Manitoba was created....
to 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...
candidate John Alexander MacDonell
John Alexander MacDonell
John Alexander MacDonell was a Canadian politician.Born in Dundas, Canada West, MacDonell was educated in Hamilton and Toronto. A civil engineer and contractor, he was Chief Clerk of the Manitoba Department of Public Works and Chief Engineer of Manitoba...
by a single vote.
The Manitoba Conservative Party formed government in 1900, initially under Hugh John Macdonald
Hugh John Macdonald
Sir Hugh John Macdonald, PC was the only surviving son of the first Prime Minister of Canada, Sir John A. Macdonald, and was a politician in his own right, serving as a member of the Canadian House of Commons and a federal cabinet minister, and briefly as the eighth Premier of Manitoba.-Early...
and subsequently under Rodmond P. Roblin. Armstrong returned to the legislature in 1902, and the sitting member for Portage la Prairie died. He was again returned without opposition, and sat as a government backbencher.
Armstrong was re-elected in the 1903 election
Manitoba general election, 1903
Manitoba's general election of July 20, 1903 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a second consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, now led by Premier Rodmond Palen Roblin...
, defeating Liberal candidate Edward Brown
Edward Brown (Manitoba politician)
Edward Brown was a Manitoba politician. He served briefly as leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party , and was later a cabinet minister in Tobias C. Norris's government ....
by thirty-three votes. Brown became leader of the provincial Liberal Party in 1907, and again challenged Armstrong in that year's general election
Manitoba general election, 1907
Manitoba's general election of March 7, 1907 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a third consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, led by premier Rodmond Palen Roblin...
. Armstrong was again victorious, defeating Brown by 223 votes.
Armstrong entered Roblin's cabinet on November 19, 1908, in the senior portfolio of Provincial Treasurer. He served in this capacity for the remainder of his career in politics. In the 1910 election
Manitoba general election, 1910
Manitoba's general election of July 11, 1910 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a fourth consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, led by premier Rodmond Palen Roblin. Roblin's electoral machine won...
, he defeated Liberal challenger Ewan A. McPherson by 201 votes.
MacPherson challenged Armstrong again in the 1914 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1914
Manitoba's general election of July 10, 1914 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a fifth consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party, led by premier Rodmond P. Roblin...
, and this time defeated him by ten votes. The Conservatives again won a majority government, and Armstrong returned to the legislature after winning a deferred election in the northern constituency of Grand Rapids.
In 1915, the Roblin ministry was forced to resign from office after a report commissioned by the Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
The Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba is the viceregal representative in Manitoba 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 oldest realm, the United...
found the government guilty of corruption in the tendering of contracts for new legislative buildings. Armstrong resigned from office on May 12, 1915, and did not seek re-election in the 1915 campaign
Manitoba general election, 1915
Manitoba's general election of August 6, 1915 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This election was held only one year after the previous general election of 1914. In that election, the governing Conservatives of premier Rodmond P. Roblin were...
.