John Norquay
| John Norquay | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 5th Premier of Manitoba | |
|
In office October 16, 1878 – December 24, 1887 |
|
| Monarch | Victoria |
| Lieutenant Governor |
Joseph Edouard Cauchon James Cox Aikins |
| Preceded by | Robert Atkinson Davis |
| Succeeded by | David Howard Harrison |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for High Bluff | |
|
In office December 27, 1870 – December 23, 1874 |
|
| Preceded by | John Crerar |
| Succeeded by | District divided |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for St. Andrews South | |
|
In office December 23, 1874 – December 16, 1879 |
|
| Preceded by | Edward Hay |
| Succeeded by | District re-created |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for St. Andrews | |
|
In office December 16, 1879 – July 11, 1888 |
|
| Preceded by | District re-created |
| Succeeded by | Frederick Colcleugh |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba for Kildonan | |
|
In office July 11, 1888 – July 5, 1889 |
|
| Preceded by | John MacBeth |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Norquay |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
May 8, 1841 near St. Andrews, Manitoba |
| Died | July 5, 1889 (aged 48) Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Setter (m. 1862) |
| Relations | Thomas Norquay (brother) |
| Children | 8 (3 daughters and 5 sons) |
| Alma mater | St John’s Collegiate School |
| Occupation | teacher, farmer and fur trader |
| Profession | Politician |
| Cabinet | Minister of Public Works/Minister of Agriculture (1871–1874) Provincial Secretary (1875–1876 & 1886–1887) Minister of Public Works (1875–1878) Provincial Treasurer (1878–1886) President of the Council (1879–1887) Railway Commissioner (1886–1887) |
| Religion | Anglican |
John Norquay (May 8, 1841 – July 5, 1889) was the Premier of Manitoba from 1878 to 1887. He was born near St. Andrews in what was then the Red River Colony, making him the first Premier of Manitoba to have been born in the region.
Norquay's came from an Anglo-Métis ethnic background (the contemporary term used was "Half-Breed", which was not then considered offensive and is even an important constitutional designation, given the rights afforded to them in the Manitoba Act). He was educated by Church of England Bishop David Anderson and worked as a teacher, farmer, and fur trader during the 1860s.
Norquay played only a minor role in the events of Louis Riel's Red River Rebellion (1869–70), but decided to enter public life shortly thereafter. He was acclaimed for the riding of High Bluff in Manitoba's first general election (December 27, 1870), and soon became a leader in the "mixed-blood" community.
In 1871, Manitoba's parliamentary opposition agitated for the removal of Provincial Secretary Alfred Boyd. When this opposition became impossible to ignore, he resigned. In withdrawing from office, Boyd suggested that someone from Manitoba's "mixed-blood" community be called to cabinet in his place (Manitoba's government was balanced along ethnic, religious and linguistic lines in this period, but British "mixed-bloods" had been left out of the first cabinet). Norquay was accordingly called to serve as Minister of Public Works and Minister of Agriculture.
While still serving as a provincial Cabinet Minister, Norquay attempted to enter federal politics in the general election of 1872. Running in the riding of Marquette, he was defeated by Robert Cunningham, an ally of Louis Riel. He would not run for federal office again.
...
Wikipedia