John Andrew Davidson
Encyclopedia
John Andrew Davidson was a Manitoba
politician. He was briefly the leader of Manitoba's Conservative
parliamentary caucus in 1894, and later served as a cabinet minister in the governments of Hugh John Macdonald
and Rodmond P. Roblin.
Davidson was born in Thamesford, Canada West (now Ontario
). He moved to Manitoba in 1871, and became a mill owner and general merchant, also serving on the Protestant school board.
Manitoba's boundaries were expanded in 1881, and Davidson was elected to the provincial legislature in a by-election as the first member for Dauphin. A Liberal
, he defeated his sole opponent, P.S. St. Clair McGregor, 148 votes to 17.
Party affiliations were fluid in Manitoba in this period, and by the general election of 1883
Davidson was identifying himself as a Liberal-Conservative, and a supporter of Premier John Norquay
. He was re-elected in Dauphin without opposition.
Following redistribution, Davidson campaigned in the Beautiful Plains constituency for the provincial election of 1886
. The Liberals saw their support rise in this campaign, and Davidson (now a Conservative) lost to Liberal John Crawford
by thirty votes. Crawford again defeated Davidson in the 1888 election
, this time by twenty-four votes.
Provincial support for the Conservatives recovered slightly in the 1892 election
, and Davidson defeated Crawford by sixteen votes in their third encounter. The opposition caucus to which he belonged initially chose William Alexander Macdonald
as its leader. When Macdonald's constituency election was overturned in 1893, Davidson was chosen in his place. He made his first speech as leader of the opposition
in January 1894. Davidson was a moderate figure, whose interventions were respected by the province's Liberal leadership.
He did not serve as opposition leader for long. His constituency victory was also overturned on April 17, 1894, and he was subsequently defeated by John Forsyth of the Patrons of Industry
in a by-election. After his loss, the leadership of the opposition seems to have fallen to James Fisher
, an Independent MLA. Davidson again lost to a Patrons of Industry
candidate in the 1896 election
.
Though the Conservatives returned to government in the 1899 election
, Davidson was once again defeated in Beautiful Plains, losing to Liberal Robert Ennis by ninety votes. He was, nonetheless, appointed to cabinet by Premier Hugh John Macdonald in January 1900, serving as Provincial Treasurer, Minister of Agriculture, and Provincial Lands Commissioner. Ennis was persuaded to resign his seat the following month, and Crawford was returned to the legislature in a by-election.
Rodmond P. Roblin took the Agriculture portfolio for himself on becoming Premier in late 1900, but kept Davidson in his other two positions. Within a year, Davidson had eliminated the debt accumulated during the previous administration of Thomas Greenway
.
Davidson was re-elected in the 1903 election
, but died shortly after the election.
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...
politician. He was briefly the leader of Manitoba's Conservative
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:...
parliamentary caucus in 1894, and later served as a cabinet minister in the governments of 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 Rodmond P. Roblin.
Davidson was born in Thamesford, Canada West (now 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....
). He moved to Manitoba in 1871, and became a mill owner and general merchant, also serving on the Protestant school board.
Manitoba's boundaries were expanded in 1881, and Davidson was elected to the provincial legislature in a by-election as the first member for Dauphin. A Liberal
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 :...
, he defeated his sole opponent, P.S. St. Clair McGregor, 148 votes to 17.
Party affiliations were fluid in Manitoba in this period, and by the general election of 1883
Manitoba general election, 1883
This was the fifth Manitoba general election and was held on January 23, 1883....
Davidson was identifying himself as a Liberal-Conservative, and a supporter of Premier John Norquay
John Norquay
John Norquay was the Premier of Manitoba from 1878 to 1887. He was born near St. Andrews in what was then the Red River Colony, making him the first Premier of Manitoba to have been born in the region....
. He was re-elected in Dauphin without opposition.
Following redistribution, Davidson campaigned in the Beautiful Plains constituency for the provincial election of 1886
Manitoba general election, 1886
This was the sixth Manitoba general election and was held on December 9, 1886....
. The Liberals saw their support rise in this campaign, and Davidson (now a Conservative) lost to Liberal John Crawford
John Crawford (Manitoba politician)
John Crawford was a Canadian politician.Born in Kintail, Huron County, Ontario, the son of James Crawford and Catherine McGregor, Crawford received his education in the Port Albert public school, and after spending six years in a flour mill in Port Albert moved to Gladstone, Manitoba...
by thirty votes. Crawford again defeated Davidson in the 1888 election
Manitoba general election, 1888
This was the seventh Manitoba general election and was held on July 11, 1888....
, this time by twenty-four votes.
Provincial support for the Conservatives recovered slightly in the 1892 election
Manitoba general election, 1892
This was the eighth Manitoba general election and was held on July 23, 1892....
, and Davidson defeated Crawford by sixteen votes in their third encounter. The opposition caucus to which he belonged initially chose William Alexander Macdonald
William Alexander Macdonald
William Alexander Macdonald was a Manitoba Lawyer and politician. He briefly served as leader of the Manitoba Conservatives during the 1890s....
as its leader. When Macdonald's constituency election was overturned in 1893, Davidson was chosen in his place. He made his first speech as leader of the opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Manitoba)
A list of parliamentary opposition leaders in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba, Canada, from 1870 to the present.William Alexander Macdonald was the first officially recognized Leader of the Opposition in Manitoba although Rodmond Roblin is considered to have been the de facto opposition leader...
in January 1894. Davidson was a moderate figure, whose interventions were respected by the province's Liberal leadership.
He did not serve as opposition leader for long. His constituency victory was also overturned on April 17, 1894, and he was subsequently defeated by John Forsyth of the Patrons of Industry
Patrons of Industry
The Grand Association of the Patrons of Industry in Ontario was a Canadian farmers' organization formed in 1890 that cooperated with the urban labour movement to address the political frustrations of both groups with big business....
in a by-election. After his loss, the leadership of the opposition seems to have fallen to James Fisher
James Fisher (Manitoba politician)
James Fisher was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He may have served as leader of the parliamentary opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for a brief period in the mid-1890s....
, an Independent MLA. Davidson again lost to a Patrons of Industry
Patrons of Industry
The Grand Association of the Patrons of Industry in Ontario was a Canadian farmers' organization formed in 1890 that cooperated with the urban labour movement to address the political frustrations of both groups with big business....
candidate in the 1896 election
Manitoba general election, 1896
This was the ninth Manitoba general election and was held on January 15, 1896....
.
Though the Conservatives returned to government in the 1899 election
Manitoba general election, 1899
This was the tenth Manitoba general election and was held on December 7, 1899....
, Davidson was once again defeated in Beautiful Plains, losing to Liberal Robert Ennis by ninety votes. He was, nonetheless, appointed to cabinet by Premier Hugh John Macdonald in January 1900, serving as Provincial Treasurer, Minister of Agriculture, and Provincial Lands Commissioner. Ennis was persuaded to resign his seat the following month, and Crawford was returned to the legislature in a by-election.
Rodmond P. Roblin took the Agriculture portfolio for himself on becoming Premier in late 1900, but kept Davidson in his other two positions. Within a year, Davidson had eliminated the debt accumulated during the previous administration of Thomas Greenway
Thomas Greenway
For the American character actor , see Tom Greenway.Thomas Greenway was a politician, merchant and farmer. He served as the seventh Premier of Manitoba, Canada, from 1888 to 1900...
.
Davidson 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...
, but died shortly after the election.