Mackenzie Bowell

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The Honourable Sir Mackenzie Bowell
Image:Mackbowell.jpg <small/>
5th Prime Minister of Canada
In office December 21, 1894 – April 27, 1896
Preceded by	Sir John Thompson
Succeeded by	Sir Charles Tupper

Born	December 27, 1823 Rickinghall, England
Died	December 10, 1917 Belleville, Ontario
Political party	Conservative
Religion	Presbyterian

Sir Mackenzie Bowell, PC , KCMG (December 27, 1823 – December 10, 1917) was the fifth Prime Minister of Canada from December 21, 1894 to April 27, 1896.

Bowell was born in Rickinghall, Suffolk, England to John Bowell and Elizabeth Marshall. His family emigrated from there to Belleville, Ontario, where he apprenticed on the local newspaper. He became a successful printer and publisher and a prominent figure in the Orange Order, which made him Canadian grandmaster in 1870. In 1847 he married Harriet Moore (1829–1884) and with her had four sons and five daughters.

Elected to the Canadian House of Commons in 1867, Bowell joined the Conservative Party cabinet in 1878 as Minister of Trade and Customs. A competent, hardworking administrator, Bowell remained in cabinet as Minister of Trade and Customs and Minister of Militia and Defence when he became a senator in 1892. He became Leader of the Government in the Senate on October 31 1893 and then, in 1894, as the most senior minister, Bowell succeeded to the prime ministership when Sir John Thompson died suddenly. His visit to Australia in 1893 led to the first conference of British colonies and territories, held in Ottawa in 1894. As Prime Minister of Canada, Bowell faced dissent in his party over the controversial Manitoba Schools Question. In 1890 Manitoba had abolished its Catholic school boards, contrary to the provisions made for Catholics in the Manitoba Act of 1870. Bowell and his predecessors had struggled to find a solution to the problem. When he decided to create a new Catholic school board for the province in 1896, seven cabinet ministers deserted him, and Bowell denounced them as "a nest of traitors." They soon returned, but with elections looming, Bowell agreed to retire. Charles Tupper, Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, was recalled to replace him.

Sir Mackenzie Bowell was 93 years old and still a senator when he died in Belleville. He is buried in the Belleville Cemetery, Belleville, Ontario. No elected current or former members of the government came to his funeral, though a full complement of the Orange Order was in attendance.

[edit] Supreme Court appointments

Bowell recommended to the Governor General that the following be appointed as Justice to the Supreme Court of Canada:

Justice Désiré Girouard (September 28, 1895 - March 22, 1911) to the Supreme Court of Canada.

[edit] Trivia

Bowell was a Freemason [1].

[edit] External links

Preceded by: John A. Macdonald	Minister of Railways and Canals (acting) June 17 1891 – January 10 1892	Succeeded by: John Graham Haggart
Preceded by: Sir John Abbott	Leader of the Government in the Senate 1893 – 1896	Succeeded by: Sir Oliver Mowat
Preceded by: Sir John Thompson	Prime Minister of Canada 1894 – 1896	Succeeded by: Sir Charles Tupper
Preceded by: Sir John Thompson	Conservative Leader 1894 – 1896	Succeeded by: Sir Charles Tupper
Preceded by: Sir George Foster	Minister of Finance (acting) 1896	Succeeded by: Sir George Foster
Preceded by: Sir Richard W. Scott	Leader of the Opposition in the Senate 1896 – 1906	Succeeded by: Sir James A. Lougheed

Preceded by: None	MP for Hastings North, ON 1867 – 1892	Succeeded by: Alexander A.W. Carscallen

Prime Ministers of Canada		Image:Flag of Canada.svg
Macdonald \| Mackenzie \| Abbott \| Thompson \| Bowell \| Tupper \| Laurier \| Borden \| Meighen \| King \| Meighen \| King \| Bennett \| King \| St. Laurent \| Diefenbaker \| Pearson \| Trudeau \| Clark \| Trudeau \| Turner \| Mulroney \| Campbell \| Chrétien \| Martin \| Harper

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Image:Conservative maple leaf.svg

Leaders of the Conservative Party of Canada and its antecedents

Reform (1987-2000)/Canadian Alliance (2000-2003): Manning | Day | Harper

Conservative (new) (2003-present): Harper

Persondata
NAME	Bowell, Mackenzie
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	5th Prime Minister of Canada (1894-1896)
DATE OF BIRTH	December 27, 1823
PLACE OF BIRTH	Rickinghall, Suffolk, England
DATE OF DEATH	April 27, 1896
PLACE OF DEATH	Belleville, Ontario