George R. Coldwell
Encyclopedia
George Robson Coldwell was a politician in Manitoba
, Canada
. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
from 1907 to 1915, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Rodmond P. Roblin. Coldwell was a member of the Conservative Party
.
Coldwell was born in Darlington Township, Durham County
, Canada West (now Ontario
). He moved with his family to Hullett Township in Huron County
in 1860, and lived on his parent's farm until he was twenty-one years old. He was educated at public schools in Kilburn, at Trinity College School in Port Hope
, and at Trinity College in Toronto
. He received a Bachelor of Arts
degree from the latter institution, and entered the office of Holmstead & McCaughey in Seaforth
as a law student. He also worked for Foy & Tupper in Toronto before moving to Manitoba in 1882, where he completed his legal studies at the firm of Kennedy & Sutherland in Winnipeg
. He was called to the bar in November 1882, and briefly praciced in Winnipeg before moving to Brandon
in February 1883. He joined T.M. Daly in a law business, and continued this partnership for twelve years before forming the firm of Coldwell, Coleman & Curran. Coldwell was involved in Brandon municipal affairs, and was a member of the city council for twenty years.
He entered provincial politics in 1907, following the death of local Member of the Legislative Assembly
(MLA) Stanley McInnis
. McInnis was Provincial Secretary
and Municipal Commissioner
in Roblin's government. Coldwell was appointed as McInnis's successor in cabinet on November 14, 1907, and entered the legislature after winning a by-election
in Brandon City a few days later. Coldwell was elected without opposition.
Coldwell was also named Minister of Education on March 14, 1908, and stepped down as Provincial Secretary on November 6 of the same year. He was easily re-elected in the 1910 election
.
In 1912, Coldwell introduced a series of amendments to the province's education act. He insisted these were only meant to clarify existing provisions, but many Manitobans believed that the Roblin government wanted to reintroduce funding for separate Catholic
schools. The issue cost the government support in the 1914 provincial election
, which they won with a reduced majority. Coldwell was personally re-elected, defeating Liberal
candidate Stephen Emmett Clement
by 163 votes.
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. Coldwell resigned from cabinet on May 12, and was not a candidate in the general election
which followed.
Coldwell was indicted on charges of fraud for his role in the contracts scandal, but was eventually discharged of criminal liability.
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 1907 to 1915, and was a cabinet minister in the government of Rodmond P. Roblin. Coldwell was 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:...
.
Coldwell was born in Darlington Township, Durham County
Durham County, Ontario
Durham County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was named from the English County and city.Durham County was created in 1792. It was composed of the townships of Cartwright, Manvers, Cavan, Darlington, Clarke and Hope, and portions of what is now Peterborough County,...
, Canada West (now 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....
). He moved with his family to Hullett Township in Huron County
Huron County, Ontario
Huron County is a census division and county of the province of Ontario, Canada. It is located on the southeast shore of its namesake, Lake Huron, in the southwest part of the province...
in 1860, and lived on his parent's farm until he was twenty-one years old. He was educated at public schools in Kilburn, at Trinity College School in Port Hope
Port Hope, Ontario
Port Hope is a municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada, about east of Toronto and about west of Kingston. It is located at the mouth of the Ganaraska River on the north shore of Lake Ontario, in the west end of Northumberland County...
, and at Trinity College in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. He received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from the latter institution, and entered the office of Holmstead & McCaughey in Seaforth
Seaforth, Ontario
Seaforth is a Southern Ontario community in the municipality of Huron East, in Huron County, Ontario, Canada.-History:...
as a law student. He also worked for Foy & Tupper in Toronto before moving to Manitoba in 1882, where he completed his legal studies at the firm of Kennedy & Sutherland in Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
. He was called to the bar in November 1882, and briefly praciced in Winnipeg before moving to Brandon
Brandon, Manitoba
Brandon is the second largest city in Manitoba, Canada, and is located in the southwestern area of the province. Brandon is the largest city in the Westman region of Manitoba. The city is located along the Assiniboine River. Spruce Woods Provincial Park and CFB Shilo are a relatively short distance...
in February 1883. He joined T.M. Daly in a law business, and continued this partnership for twelve years before forming the firm of Coldwell, Coleman & Curran. Coldwell was involved in Brandon municipal affairs, and was a member of the city council for twenty years.
He entered provincial politics in 1907, following the death of local Member of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
(MLA) Stanley McInnis
Stanley McInnis
Stanley William McInnis was a Canadian dentist and politician in Manitoba. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1899 to 1907 as a member of the Conservative Party, and was briefly a cabinet minister in the government of Rodmond Palen Roblin.McInnis was born in Saint John, New...
. McInnis was Provincial Secretary
Provincial Secretary (Manitoba)
The position of Provincial Secretary was particularly important in Manitoba from 1870 to 1874, as that province's institutions were being established. The province had no Premier during this period, and its Lieutenant-Governor acted as the de facto leaders of government...
and Municipal Commissioner
Municipal Commissioner (Manitoba)
The office of the Municipal Commissioner is a former government department in the Canadian province of Manitoba, established by the government of John Norquay in 1887...
in Roblin's government. Coldwell was appointed as McInnis's successor in cabinet on November 14, 1907, and entered the legislature after winning a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in Brandon City a few days later. Coldwell was elected without opposition.
Coldwell was also named Minister of Education on March 14, 1908, and stepped down as Provincial Secretary on November 6 of the same year. He was easily re-elected in the 1910 election
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...
.
In 1912, Coldwell introduced a series of amendments to the province's education act. He insisted these were only meant to clarify existing provisions, but many Manitobans believed that the Roblin government wanted to reintroduce funding for separate Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
schools. The issue cost the government support in the 1914 provincial 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...
, which they won with a reduced majority. Coldwell was personally re-elected, defeating 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 :...
candidate Stephen Emmett Clement
Stephen Emmett Clement
Stephen Emmett Clement 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. His father, also named Stephen Clement, was a member of the legislature from 1881 to 1882.Clement was born in Cookstown, Ontario, and...
by 163 votes.
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. Coldwell resigned from cabinet on May 12, and was not a candidate in the general 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...
which followed.
Coldwell was indicted on charges of fraud for his role in the contracts scandal, but was eventually discharged of criminal liability.