George Lawrence (politician)
Encyclopedia
George Lawrence was a politician in Manitoba
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1899 to 1915 as a member of the Conservative Party
, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Rodmond P. Roblin.
Born in the county and province of Ontario
, the son of Noble and Sarah (Lyons) Lawrence, both of whom were natives of Ireland, he was educated in Zephyr, Ontario and Uxbridge, Ontario
. In 1878 he moved to Manitoba to work as a farmer. In religion, Lawrence was a Presbyterian.
He first ran for the Manitoba legislature in the 1892 provincial election
, in the constituency of Killarney. He lost to Liberal
incumbent Finlay Young by 153 votes. He ran again in the 1899 election
, and this time defeated Young by 140 votes. The Conservatives won a majority government in this election, and Lawrence served as a government backbencher. He was easily returned in the 1903 election
, as the opposition vote was split between Liberal and Prohibition candidates.
Lawrence was re-elected in the 1907 provincial election
, defeating Liberal R.L. Richardson by 156 votes. He was again returned in the 1910 campaign
, and was promoted to Roblin's cabinet on October 11, 1911 as Minister of Agriculture and Immigration.
Lawrence was elected for a fifth time in the 1914 election
, defeating Liberal Samuel Hayden
by 68 votes. He was retained in his cabinet portfolio for the legislative session that followed.
In 1915, the Roblin administration was forced to resign from office after a report commissioned by the Lieutenant Governor
found the government guilty of corruption in the tendering of contracts for new legislative buildings. All ministers in the government, including Lawrence, resigned their portfolios on May 12, 1915. A new election
was called, which the Liberals won in a landslide. Lawrence lost the Killarney constituency of Hayden, by 124 votes.
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and the lieutenant governor form the Legislature of Manitoba, the legislature of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly in provincial general elections, all in single-member constituencies with first-past-the-post...
from 1899 to 1915 as a member of the Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is the only right wing political party in Manitoba, Canada. It is also the official opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.-Origins and early years:...
, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Rodmond P. Roblin.
Born in the county and province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, the son of Noble and Sarah (Lyons) Lawrence, both of whom were natives of Ireland, he was educated in Zephyr, Ontario and Uxbridge, Ontario
Uxbridge, Ontario
Uxbridge is a township in south-central Ontario, Canada, in the Regional Municipality of Durham, in the Greater Toronto Area.The main centre in the township is the namesake community of Uxbridge...
. In 1878 he moved to Manitoba to work as a farmer. In religion, Lawrence was a Presbyterian.
He first ran for the Manitoba legislature in the 1892 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1892
This was the eighth Manitoba general election and was held on July 23, 1892....
, in the constituency of Killarney. He lost to Liberal
Manitoba Liberal Party
The Manitoba Liberal Party is a political party in Manitoba, Canada. Its roots can be traced to the late nineteenth-century, following the province's creation in 1870.-Origins and early development :...
incumbent Finlay Young by 153 votes. He ran again in the 1899 election
Manitoba general election, 1899
This was the tenth Manitoba general election and was held on December 7, 1899....
, and this time defeated Young by 140 votes. The Conservatives won a majority government in this election, and Lawrence served as a government backbencher. He was easily returned in the 1903 election
Manitoba general election, 1903
Manitoba's general election of July 20, 1903 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a second consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, now led by Premier Rodmond Palen Roblin...
, as the opposition vote was split between Liberal and Prohibition candidates.
Lawrence was re-elected in the 1907 provincial election
Manitoba general election, 1907
Manitoba's general election of March 7, 1907 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a third consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, led by premier Rodmond Palen Roblin...
, defeating Liberal R.L. Richardson by 156 votes. He was again returned in the 1910 campaign
Manitoba general election, 1910
Manitoba's general election of July 11, 1910 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a fourth consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party of Manitoba, led by premier Rodmond Palen Roblin. Roblin's electoral machine won...
, and was promoted to Roblin's cabinet on October 11, 1911 as Minister of Agriculture and Immigration.
Lawrence was elected for a fifth time in the 1914 election
Manitoba general election, 1914
Manitoba's general election of July 10, 1914 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.The result was a fifth consecutive majority government for the Conservative Party, led by premier Rodmond P. Roblin...
, defeating Liberal Samuel Hayden
Samuel Hayden
Samuel M. Hayden was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1915 to 1920, as a member of the Liberal Party. Hayden resided in Killarney, Manitoba during his political career...
by 68 votes. He was retained in his cabinet portfolio for the legislative session that followed.
In 1915, the Roblin administration was forced to resign from office after a report commissioned by the Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba
The Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba is the viceregal representative in Manitoba of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United...
found the government guilty of corruption in the tendering of contracts for new legislative buildings. All ministers in the government, including Lawrence, resigned their portfolios on May 12, 1915. A new election
Manitoba general election, 1915
Manitoba's general election of August 6, 1915 was held to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Manitoba, Canada.This election was held only one year after the previous general election of 1914. In that election, the governing Conservatives of premier Rodmond P. Roblin were...
was called, which the Liberals won in a landslide. Lawrence lost the Killarney constituency of Hayden, by 124 votes.