William Finlay
Encyclopedia
William Thomas Finlay was a politician and cabinet minister in Alberta
and Northwest Territories
, Canada
and worked in the whole sale grocey business before moving to Montreal, Quebec
in 1873. He moved to the Medicine Hat region 10 years later in 1883 and started working for the Northwest Lumber Company, and later his own firm Finlay and Company. He got married and became interested in territorial politics in 1898.
in the 1898 Northwest Territories general election
in the Medicine Hat
district but was defeated, coming a close second to Horace Albertie Greeley.
William ran again in the 1902 Northwest Territories general election
this time becoming elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Medicine Hat
.
on September 9, 1905.
In the provinces first general election
, William was voted in as a member of the Alberta Liberal Party
for Medicine Hat
.
William was re-elected in the 1909 Alberta general election
, but declined to return to his cabinet post due to his health. He stepped down as the member of his riding in 1910 after his health deteriorated to the point where he could no longer perform his duties, and made room for Charles R. Mitchell
to run in a by-election.
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...
and Northwest Territories
Northwest Territories
The Northwest Territories is a federal territory of Canada.Located in northern Canada, the territory borders Canada's two other territories, Yukon to the west and Nunavut to the east, and three provinces: British Columbia to the southwest, and Alberta and Saskatchewan to the south...
, 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...
Early life
William was born in Linsburn, IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and worked in the whole sale grocey business before moving to Montreal, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in 1873. He moved to the Medicine Hat region 10 years later in 1883 and started working for the Northwest Lumber Company, and later his own firm Finlay and Company. He got married and became interested in territorial politics in 1898.
Northwest Territories politics
William ran for the Legislative Assembly of Northwest TerritoriesLegislative Assembly of Northwest Territories
The Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories or Legislative Council of the Northwest Territories, Canada, is located in Yellowknife. The Assembly is a unicameral elected body that creates and amends law in the Northwest Territories...
in the 1898 Northwest Territories general 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....
in the Medicine Hat
Medicine Hat (N.W.T. electoral district)
Medicine Hat was a former territorial electoral district in Northwest Territories, Canada. The electoral district was created with the passage of the North-West Representation Act of 1888. The primary population center and the districts name sake was the city of Medicine Hat...
district but was defeated, coming a close second to Horace Albertie Greeley.
William ran again in the 1902 Northwest Territories general 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,...
this time becoming elected as the Member of the Legislative Assembly for Medicine Hat
Medicine Hat (N.W.T. electoral district)
Medicine Hat was a former territorial electoral district in Northwest Territories, Canada. The electoral district was created with the passage of the North-West Representation Act of 1888. The primary population center and the districts name sake was the city of Medicine Hat...
.
Alberta politics
William became Alberta's first Minister of Agriculture after the province was created on September 1, 1905 he was sworn into the executive council on the advice of Premier Alexander Cameron RutherfordAlexander Cameron Rutherford
Alexander Cameron Rutherford was a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as the first Premier of Alberta from 1905 to 1910. Born in Ormond, Ontario, he studied and practised law in Ottawa before moving with his family to the Northwest Territories in 1895...
on September 9, 1905.
In the provinces first general election
Alberta general election, 1905
The Alberta general election of 1905 was the first general election held in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on 9 November 1905, to elect members of the Alberta legislature to the 1st Alberta Legislative Assembly, shortly after the province was created out of the Northwest Territories...
, William was voted in as a member of the Alberta 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...
for Medicine Hat
Medicine Hat (provincial electoral district)
Medicine Hat is an Albertan provincial electoral district, covering most of the city of Medicine Hat.Under the Alberta electoral boundary re-distribution of 2004, the constituency covers the portion of the city north of the South Saskatchewan River, the Trans-Canada Highway and Carry Drive...
.
William was re-elected in the 1909 Alberta general election
Alberta general election, 1909
The Alberta general election was 1909 was the second general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on 22 March 1909 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
, but declined to return to his cabinet post due to his health. He stepped down as the member of his riding in 1910 after his health deteriorated to the point where he could no longer perform his duties, and made room for Charles R. Mitchell
Charles R. Mitchell
Charles Richmond Mitchell was a Canadian lawyer, judge, cabinet minister and former Leader of the Official Opposition in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.-Early life:...
to run in a by-election.
Electoral record
| 1909 Alberta general election Alberta general election, 1909 The Alberta general election was 1909 was the second general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on 22 March 1909 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.... results (Medicine Hat Medicine Hat (provincial electoral district) Medicine Hat is an Albertan provincial electoral district, covering most of the city of Medicine Hat.Under the Alberta electoral boundary re-distribution of 2004, the constituency covers the portion of the city north of the South Saskatchewan River, the Trans-Canada Highway and Carry Drive... ) |
Turnout N.A. | |||
| Liberal 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... |
William Thomas Finlay | 1,249 | 71.66% |
Conservative | F. O. Sissions | 494 | 28.34% |
| 1905 Alberta general election Alberta general election, 1905 The Alberta general election of 1905 was the first general election held in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on 9 November 1905, to elect members of the Alberta legislature to the 1st Alberta Legislative Assembly, shortly after the province was created out of the Northwest Territories... results (Medicine Hat Medicine Hat (provincial electoral district) Medicine Hat is an Albertan provincial electoral district, covering most of the city of Medicine Hat.Under the Alberta electoral boundary re-distribution of 2004, the constituency covers the portion of the city north of the South Saskatchewan River, the Trans-Canada Highway and Carry Drive... ) |
Turnout N.A. | |||
| Liberal 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... |
William Thomas Finlay | 575 | 51.71% |
Conservative | F. D. Sissons | 537 | 48.29% |
| 1902 Northwest Territories general 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,... results (Medicine Hat Medicine Hat (N.W.T. electoral district) Medicine Hat was a former territorial electoral district in Northwest Territories, Canada. The electoral district was created with the passage of the North-West Representation Act of 1888. The primary population center and the districts name sake was the city of Medicine Hat... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout N.A. | |||
| William Thomas Finlay | 486 | 70.33% | ||
| J. A. Grant | 205 | 29.67% | ||
| 1898 Northwest Territories general 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.... results (Medicine Hat Medicine Hat (N.W.T. electoral district) Medicine Hat was a former territorial electoral district in Northwest Territories, Canada. The electoral district was created with the passage of the North-West Representation Act of 1888. The primary population center and the districts name sake was the city of Medicine Hat... ) |
font style="font-size: 90%;">Turnout N.A. | |||
| Horace Albertie Greeley | 327 | 36.50% | ||
| William Thomas Finlay | 285 | 31.81% | ||
| John George Calder | 284 | 31.70% | ||