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William Hearst (politician)
Encyclopedia
Sir William Howard Hearst, KCMG
(February 15, 1864–September 29, 1941) was the seventh Premier
of the Canadian
province of Ontario
from 1914 to 1919.
His government passed legislation to permit women to vote in provincial elections, and held a plebiscite on prohibition
. The plebiscite was held the same day as the 1919 general election. While prohibition was approved by the voters, the Hearst government was unexpectedly defeated by the United Farmers of Ontario
party in their first election.
Sir William Howard Hearst was born in the township of Arran
in Bruce County
, Ontario. He studied law at Osgoode Hall
, Toronto
, and became a lawyer
in 1888. Hearst practiced law in Sault Ste. Marie
, where he became prominent in municipal affairs. He was an unsuccessful candidate in Algoma
East in 1894. In 1902 he organized support in Northern Ontario for James P. Whitney.
In 1908 Hearst was elected member for the riding of Sault Ste. Marie
. In 1911 he became Minister of Forests and Mines. On the death of James P. Whitney in 1914, Hearst became his successor and was sworn in as Premier on October 2, 1914.
In 1916, the Ontario Temperance Act
(OTA) was introduced as a temporary wartime measure by Hearst, a temperance advocate and pipenisllar of the Methodist church. It made possession of liquor and beer outside one's home illegal. Although one could retain a 'cellar supply' for personal consumption, it was illegal to sell a drink. As a result, the government closed bars, taverns, clubs and liquor stores.
Under his administration a comprehensive measure to provide compensation to workers for injuries was put into operation. He took steps to deal with housing problems and provide loans to settlers. Municipal acts were passed. School fairs and teaching of agriculture were inaugurated. Measures were taken to increase war production. Reforestation and fire prevention services were established. And the Orpington
Hospital in England
was built as a gift of the people of Ontario.
Hearst served as a member of the International Joint Commission
formed to settle international boundary waters disputes between the United States and Canada.
He resumed his law practice in Toronto after his term as premier.
The town of Hearst
, in Northern Ontario
, is named for William Hearst.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(February 15, 1864–September 29, 1941) was the seventh Premier
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
of the Canadian
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...
province of 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....
from 1914 to 1919.
His government passed legislation to permit women to vote in provincial elections, and held a plebiscite on 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...
. The plebiscite was held the same day as the 1919 general election. While prohibition was approved by the voters, the Hearst government was unexpectedly defeated by the United Farmers of Ontario
United Farmers of Ontario
The United Farmers of Ontario was a political party in Ontario, Canada. It was the Ontario provincial branch of the United Farmers movement of the early part of the 20th century.- Foundation and rise :...
party in their first election.
Sir William Howard Hearst was born in the township of Arran
Arran-Elderslie, Ontario
The Municipality of Arran–Elderslie is a township in Bruce County in Western Ontario, Canada. The township is located at the headwaters of the Sauble River, and the Saugeen River forms the northwestern boundary.-Communities:...
in Bruce County
Bruce County, Ontario
Bruce County is a county in western Ontario, Canada, and includes the Bruce Peninsula. As of 2006, the population was 65,349. The area was . The county seat is Walkerton, Ontario. It is located at ....
, Ontario. He studied law at Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall
Osgoode Hall is a landmark building in downtown Toronto constructed between 1829 and 1832 in the late Georgian Palladian and Neoclassical styles. It houses the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Divisional Court of the Superior Court of Justice, and the Law Society of Upper Canada...
, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, and became a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in 1888. Hearst practiced law in Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie is a city on the St. Marys River in Algoma District, Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, after Sudbury and Thunder Bay, with a population of 74,948. The community was founded as a French religious mission: Sault either means "jump" or "rapids" in...
, where he became prominent in municipal affairs. He was an unsuccessful candidate in Algoma
Algoma District, Ontario
Algoma District is a district and census division in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1858 comprising territory as far west as Minnesota...
East in 1894. In 1902 he organized support in Northern Ontario for James P. Whitney.
In 1908 Hearst was elected member for the riding of Sault Ste. Marie
Sault Ste. Marie (provincial electoral district)
Sault Ste. Marie is a provincial electoral district in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario since 1890 when it was created. The electoral district consists of the City of Sault Ste. Marie, bounded by Prince Township, and the Rankin Indian Reserve 15D....
. In 1911 he became Minister of Forests and Mines. On the death of James P. Whitney in 1914, Hearst became his successor and was sworn in as Premier on October 2, 1914.
In 1916, the Ontario Temperance Act
Ontario Temperance Act
Ontario Temperance Act was a law passed in Ontario in 1916 to prohibit the sale of alcohol, a period known as Prohibition. This meant the province remained dry in legal terms, but smugglers continued to import alcohol into the province. The cause was the demand of religious elements led by women...
(OTA) was introduced as a temporary wartime measure by Hearst, a temperance advocate and pipenisllar of the Methodist church. It made possession of liquor and beer outside one's home illegal. Although one could retain a 'cellar supply' for personal consumption, it was illegal to sell a drink. As a result, the government closed bars, taverns, clubs and liquor stores.
Under his administration a comprehensive measure to provide compensation to workers for injuries was put into operation. He took steps to deal with housing problems and provide loans to settlers. Municipal acts were passed. School fairs and teaching of agriculture were inaugurated. Measures were taken to increase war production. Reforestation and fire prevention services were established. And the Orpington
Orpington
Orpington is a suburban town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley. It forms the southeastern edge of London's urban sprawl and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
Hospital in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
was built as a gift of the people of Ontario.
Hearst served as a member of the International Joint Commission
International Joint Commission
The International Joint Commission is an independent binational organization established by the United States and Canada under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909.The Commission has responsibilities related to the following treaties and agreements:...
formed to settle international boundary waters disputes between the United States and Canada.
He resumed his law practice in Toronto after his term as premier.
The town of Hearst
Hearst, Ontario
Hearst is a town in the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located in Northern Ontario, approximately west of Kapuskasing, approximately north of Toronto and east of Thunder Bay on Highway 11...
, in Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario
Northern Ontario is a region of the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron , the French River and Lake Nipissing. The region has a land area of 802,000 km2 and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it contains only about 6% of the population...
, is named for William Hearst.
External links
- http://ontarioplaques.com/Plaques_ABC/Plaque_Bruce17.htmlOntario Plaque for Hearst in Tara, OntarioTara, OntarioTara is an unincorporated community in southwestern Ontario, Canada. At the 2006 census, it had 989 residents and 435 dwellings. Within the municipality of Arran-Elderslie, it is a designated place located on the Sauble River, with an area of 2.39 km², and an urban area that covers...
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