Alexander Cameron Rutherford
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Alexander Cameron Rutherford (Osgoode, ON February 2, 1857 - June 11, 1941 Edmonton, AB), Canadian politician, a Premier of Alberta between 1905 and 1910.
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[edit] Early life
Alexander Rutherford was born in 1857, on a farm in Carleton County, Ontario. In 1881 he graduated from McGill University with Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Civil Law degrees. In 1885 he was called to the Ontario Bar, practising at the law firm of Hodgkins, Kidd, and Rutherford. In 1895 he moved to the District of Alberta in western Canada (then still part of the Northwest Territories), where he continued to practice law by opening up his own office at the railhead of the Calgary and Edmonton Railway, then known as South Edmonton. Alexander Rutherford was the first lawyer south of the North Saskatchewan River, an area later to become known as Strathcona (amalgamating with Edmonton in 1912). After the amalgamation, the firm opened a branch office north of the river.
[edit] Law practice
On December 19, 1888, he married Mattie Birkett, with whom he had three children: Cecil Alexander, Hazel Elizabeth and Marjorie Cameron. Rutherford was joined in the practice of law by Stanley Harwood McCuaig, who articled with the firm and later married Rutherford's daughter Hazel. That firm, Rutherford McCuaig, continues to operate in Edmonton as one of Alberta's oldest law firms, McCuaig Desrochers.
[edit] Northwest Territories MLA
In 1902 he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Northwest Territories for Strathcona. Rutherford supported the Government of Premier Frederick Haultain.
[edit] Premier of Alberta
Rutherford was appointed by Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier to lead the temporary government prior to the first general election after the creation of Alberta. His Alberta Liberal Party won a large mandate and swept into power in the new province's fist general election on November 9, 1905.
Rutherford took particular interest in the education system and rapidly expanded Alberta's public school system. In 1906, he initiated legislation founding the University of Alberta and personally selected the site in Strathcona for the university campus. The residence he built near the campus, now known as Rutherford House, has been restored and furnished as a historic house, museum and memorial.
Rutherford's government promoted railway and road expansion and the creation of a public telephone system. He was forced to resign as premier on May 26, 1910, over allegations of conflict of interest in the government's proposals to insure bonds issued by a railway company. The scandal became known as the Great Waters Railway Scandal.
Rutherford himself was cleared of wrongdoing, but he lost his seat in the legislature in the 1913 election. He later joined the Conservatives, campaigning for them in the 1921 federal election.
[edit] External links
| 1st Ministry - Government of Alexander Cameron Rutherford | ||
| Cabinet Posts (3) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Predecessor | Office | Successor |
| New Position | Minister of Education (1905–1910) |
Charles R. Mitchell |
| New Position | Provincial Treasurer (1905–1910) |
Arthur Lewis Sifton |
| New Position | Premier of Alberta (1905–1910) |
Arthur Lewis Sifton |
| Preceded by: New District |
MLA Strathcona, NWT 1902-1905 |
Succeeded by: District Abolished |
| Preceded by: New District |
MLA Strathcona, AB 1905-1913 |
Succeeded by: Rob Lougheed |
| Premiers of Alberta |  |
|---|---|
| Rutherford | Sifton | Stewart | Greenfield | Brownlee | Reid | Aberhart | Manning | Strom | Lougheed | Getty | Klein | Stelmach |
