James David Stewart
Encyclopedia
James David Stewart was a Prince Edward Island
educator, lawyer and politician, the province's 15th Premier
.
Born in Lower Montague
and educated at Prince of Wales College
and Dalhousie University
, he taught school in Georgetown
for several years before entering the legal profession.
In 1917, the Conservative Party recruited Stewart, then a young lawyer, to be the party's candidate in a by-election
in King's County. Stewart won the vote and took his seat in the provincial legislative assembly
.
In 1921 he was elected leader of the Conservative Party and led the party to victory in the 1923 election but his government was defeated in the 1927 election due to Stewart's opposition to total prohibition
of alcohol.
He remained party leader and defeated the Liberal government in the 1931 election thanks, in party, to the difficulty all incumbent governments had in dealing with the Great Depression
.
Stewart took on several cabinet positions himself and also intensively lobbied the federal government for relief so the province could deal with the economic hardships Prince Edward Islanders were suffering during the Depression. He obtained a larger federal subsidy for the island but the workload had a toll on Stewart and he died in office in 1933 at the age of 59.
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
educator, lawyer and politician, the province's 15th 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:...
.
Born in Lower Montague
Lower Montague, Prince Edward Island
Lower Montague is a rural community located to the east of the Town of Montague, Prince Edward Island, Canada.The Community of Lower Montague was incorporated in 1974. The first inhabitants of the Island and the area now called Lower Montague were the First Nations Mi’kmag people who came to the...
and 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 Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
, he taught school in Georgetown
Georgetown, Prince Edward Island
Georgetown is a Canadian town and the county seat of Kings County, Prince Edward Island. As of 2011, the population was 693.-Geography:Georgetown, Capital of Kings County, sits on an 8 kilometre long peninsula formed by the Cardigan and Brudenell Rivers, Along with Georgetown Harbour...
for several years before entering the legal profession.
In 1917, the Conservative Party recruited Stewart, then a young lawyer, to be the party's candidate 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....
in King's County. Stewart won the vote and took his seat in the provincial legislative assembly
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a legislature, or to one of its branch.The name is used by a number of member-states of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as a number of Latin American countries....
.
In 1921 he was elected leader of the Conservative Party and led the party to victory in the 1923 election but his government was defeated in the 1927 election due to Stewart's opposition to total prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
of alcohol.
He remained party leader and defeated the Liberal government in the 1931 election thanks, in party, to the difficulty all incumbent governments had in dealing with the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
Stewart took on several cabinet positions himself and also intensively lobbied the federal government for relief so the province could deal with the economic hardships Prince Edward Islanders were suffering during the Depression. He obtained a larger federal subsidy for the island but the workload had a toll on Stewart and he died in office in 1933 at the age of 59.