George William Ross
Encyclopedia
Sir George William Ross was an educator and politician in Ontario
, Canada
. He was the fifth Premier
of Ontario
from 1899 to 1905.
Born near Nairn, in Middlesex County
, Upper Canada
, he worked as a school teacher and school inspector before going into politics. He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons
as a Liberal
in the 1872 election
. He was re-elected in the 1874
and 1878 elections
. He was initially declared re-elected again in the 1882 election
, but his victory was challenged, and the next year the vote was declared void.
Rather than run again, Ross moved to provincial politics when he was offered the position of Minister of Education for Ontario in the Liberal
government of Sir Oliver Mowat
in 1883. He oversaw the construction of over 300 libraries, the expansion of the kindergarten
system, and the creation of the School of Pedagogy
for the training of school inspectors and masters. Ross increased grants to the education system, and oversaw the expansion of the university
system and the federation of a number of smaller colleges with the University of Toronto
.
The Conservative
opposition protested against the possibility of increased support for the Catholic
Separate school
system, while the Catholic minority agitated for the same high schools and other facilities that the public (Protestant) school system enjoyed. The Protestant Protective Association
was formed by Orangemen
in the 1890s to oppose the expansion of Catholic rights, and to attempt to exclude Catholics from public life in the province.
After Mowat's retirement as Premier
, and a short interregnum by Arthur S. Hardy
, Ross became Premier (and Provincial Treasurer) on October 21, 1899. The Liberal government was tired, however, after almost thirty years in office, and Ross could do little to revive its fortunes. In the provincial election of 1902
, the Liberal majority was cut to five seats, but at a time when parties lacked the discipline over their members they would later develop, five seats was not enough for a secure government. A vote-buying scandal based on allegations brought forward by Robert Roswell Gamey
engulfed the government, and demands for prohibition
split the party. Leading a stagnating and drifting government, Ross called an election
for January 25, 1905, in which the Liberals lost twenty-two seats and the Conservatives under James P. Whitney won sixty-nine, making Whitney the new Premier.
Ross remained Liberal leader until 1907, when he was appointed to the Canadian Senate
. He wrote two books about his life in politics, and died in 1914.
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....
, 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 was the fifth Premier
Premier of Ontario
The Premier of Ontario is the first Minister of the Crown for the Canadian province of Ontario. The Premier is appointed as the province's head of government by the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, and presides over the Executive council, or Cabinet. The Executive Council Act The Premier of Ontario...
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....
from 1899 to 1905.
Born near Nairn, in Middlesex County
Middlesex County, Ontario
Middlesex County is a primarily rural county in Southwestern Ontario. Landlocked, the county is bordered by Huron and Perth counties on the north, Oxford County on the east, Elgin County on the south, and Chatham-Kent and Lambton County on the west.The seat is the city of London, although the city...
, Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
, he worked as a school teacher and school inspector before going into politics. He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
as a Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
in the 1872 election
Canadian federal election, 1872
The Canadian federal election of 1872 was held from July 20 to October 12, 1872, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 2nd Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Sir John A...
. He was re-elected in the 1874
Canadian federal election, 1874
The Canadian federal election of 1874 was held on January 22, 1874, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 3rd Parliament of Canada. Sir John A...
and 1878 elections
Canadian federal election, 1878
The Canadian federal election of 1878 was held on September 17 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 4th Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the end of Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie's Liberal government after only one term in office. Canada suffered an economic depression...
. He was initially declared re-elected again in the 1882 election
Canadian federal election, 1882
The Canadian federal election of 1882 was held on June 20, 1882 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 5th Parliament of Canada.Prime Minister Sir John A...
, but his victory was challenged, and the next year the vote was declared void.
Rather than run again, Ross moved to provincial politics when he was offered the position of Minister of Education for Ontario in the Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
government of Sir Oliver Mowat
Oliver Mowat
Sir Oliver Mowat, was a Canadian politician, and the third Premier of Ontario from 1872 to 1896, making him the longest serving premier of that province and the 3rd longest in all of Canadian history...
in 1883. He oversaw the construction of over 300 libraries, the expansion of the kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
system, and the creation of the School of Pedagogy
School of Pedagogy
School of Pedagogy may be:*School of Pedagogy in Khovd*School of Pedagogy in Prague*School of Pedagogy in Şendriceni*School of Pedagogy in Lom, Bulgaria*Philadelphia School of Pedagogy...
for the training of school inspectors and masters. Ross increased grants to the education system, and oversaw the expansion of the university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
system and the federation of a number of smaller colleges with the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
.
The Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
opposition protested against the possibility of increased support for the 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"...
Separate school
Separate school
In Canada, separate school refers to a particular type of school that has constitutional status in three provinces and statutory status in three territories...
system, while the Catholic minority agitated for the same high schools and other facilities that the public (Protestant) school system enjoyed. The Protestant Protective Association
Protestant Protective Association
The Protestant Protective Association was an anti-Catholic group in the 1890s based in Ontario, Canada, associated with the Orange Order. Originally a spinoff of the American group the American Protective Association, it became independent in 1892...
was formed by Orangemen
Orangemen
Orangemen can refer:*Historically, to supporters of King William III of Orange.*To members of the modern Orange Institution - a Protestant fraternal organisation.*To the former name of male sports teams of Syracuse University, now called the Orange....
in the 1890s to oppose the expansion of Catholic rights, and to attempt to exclude Catholics from public life in the province.
After Mowat's retirement as Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
, and a short interregnum by Arthur S. Hardy
Arthur Sturgis Hardy
Arthur Sturgis Hardy, QC was a lawyer and Liberal politician who served as the fourth Premier of Ontario, Canada, from 1896 to 1899. On January 19, 1870 he married Mary Morrison, daughter of Judge Joseph Curran Morrison.Hardy attended school at the Rockwood Academy in Rockwood, Ontario...
, Ross became Premier (and Provincial Treasurer) on October 21, 1899. The Liberal government was tired, however, after almost thirty years in office, and Ross could do little to revive its fortunes. In the provincial election of 1902
Ontario general election, 1902
The Ontario general election, 1902 was the tenth general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on May 29, 1902, to elect the 98 Members of the 10th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
, the Liberal majority was cut to five seats, but at a time when parties lacked the discipline over their members they would later develop, five seats was not enough for a secure government. A vote-buying scandal based on allegations brought forward by Robert Roswell Gamey
Robert Roswell Gamey
Robert Roswell Gamey was an Ontario businessman and political figure. He represented Manitoulin in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1902 to 1917 as a Conservative member....
engulfed the government, and demands for prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
split the party. Leading a stagnating and drifting government, Ross called an election
Ontario general election, 1905
The Ontario general election, 1905 was the 11th general election held in the Province of Ontario, Canada. It was held on January 25, 1905, to elect the 98 Members of the 11th Legislative Assembly of Ontario ....
for January 25, 1905, in which the Liberals lost twenty-two seats and the Conservatives under James P. Whitney won sixty-nine, making Whitney the new Premier.
Ross remained Liberal leader until 1907, when he was appointed to the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
. He wrote two books about his life in politics, and died in 1914.