William McDougall (politician)
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William McDougall (January 25, 1822 – May 29, 1905) was a Canadian lawyer, politician and one of the Fathers of Confederation.
He was born near York, Upper Canada (now Toronto, Ontario). His parents were Daniel McDougall and Hannah Matthews.
He received his education at Victoria College in Cobourg, Upper Canada, and in 1847, began practising law as an attorney and solicitor in Upper Canada. In 1862, he was called to the Upper Canada Bar.
He was elected as a member of the legislative assembly in 1858 and served as Commissioner of Crown Lands and Provincial Secretary. He attended all three Confederation Conferences, and then served as Minister of Public Works in the Macdonald government.
In the election of 1867 he was elected in the district of Lanark North, for the Liberal-Conservative party.
McDougall was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory in 1869. However, when he tried to enter that jurisdiction from the United States, he was turned back near the border by Louis Riel's insurgents before he could establish his authority at Fort Garry. He returned to Ottawa, and campaigned against Manitoba becoming a province. He also continued to serve as an interim leader of the Northwest Territories provisional government from Ottawa until Adams George Archibald, took over on May 10 1870.
In the election of 1872, he ran again for the Liberal-Conservative party in Lanark North but was defeated. In the election of 1878 he ran in Halton and was re-elected. in the election of 1882 in Algoma and Grenville South in the election of 1887 he was defeated.
In 1890 he was promised a Senate seat, but did not pursue an appointment because his health was failing.
He died fifteen years later on May 29, 1905.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- William McDougall Library and Archives Canada
- Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
- William McDougall Parliamentary History
- Ontario Plaques - Honourable William McDougall 1822-1905
| Preceded by: None |
Lieutenant Governors of the Northwest Territories 1869-1870 |
Succeeded by: Adams George Archibald |
Categories: 1822 births | 1905 deaths | Fathers of Confederation | Members of the 1st Ministry in Canada | Members of the Canadian House of Commons from Ontario | Members of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada | People of United Empire Loyalist descent | Red River Rebellion people | Scottish Canadians | People from Toronto
