Walter Maxfield Lea

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Walter Maxfield Lea, former Premier of Prince Edward Island
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Walter Maxfield Lea, former Premier of Prince Edward Island

Walter Maxfield Lea (February 10, 1874-January 10, 1936) was a Prince Edward Island politician. A farmer and livestock breeder by profession, Lea was elected to the provincial House of Assembly in 1915 as a Liberal and became commissioner of agriculture in 1919. In 1930 Lea became premier when his predecessor was appointed to the Supreme Court but the Great Depression took a toll on the government's popularity and he lost the election the next year to the rival Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island.

Lea rebuilt the party while in opposition and in 1935 the Liberals won all 30 seats in the legislature, the first time such a thing had ever happened in the British Empire. Lea had been ill during the campaign, however, and died in office on January 10, 1936.

Preceded by
Albert Charles Saunders
Premier of Prince Edward Island
First premiership

1930–1931
Succeeded by
James David Stewart
Preceded by
William J. P. MacMillan
Second premiership
1935–1936
Succeeded by
Thane Alexander Campbell


Premiers of Prince Edward Island Flag of Prince Edward Island
Colony: Coles | Holl | Coles | E. Palmer | Gray | Pope | Coles | Hensley | Haythorne | Pope | Haythorne |
Province: Pope | Owen | Davies | Sullivan | McLeod | F. Peters | Warburton | Farquharson | A. Peters | Haszard | J. Palmer | Mathieson | Arsenault | Bell | Stewart | Saunders | Lea | Stewart | MacMillan | Lea | T. Campbell | Jones | Matheson | Shaw | A. Campbell | B. Campbell | MacLean | Lee | Ghiz | Callbeck | Milligan | Binns
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